HomeMy WebLinkAbout05042021 Planning & Zoning Packet i
Planning and Zoning Commission
Regular Board Meeting
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May the 4th be with you! Photo by veronica Wilde
May 4, 2021
7:00 P.M. City Hall Council Chambers, 410 Adams Street
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Seward Planning & Zoning Commission
Regular Meeting
May 4, 2021 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers,
410 Adams Street
Cindy Ecklund
Chair
Term Expires 02123 1. Call to Order
Tom Swann Z, Pledge of Allegiance
Vice-Chair
Term Expires 02122
3. Roll Call
Gary Seese
Commissioner 4. Citizens' Comments on any subject except those items
Term Expires 02122 scheduled for public hearing. [Those who have signed in
Craig Ambrosiani will be given the first opportunity to speak. Time is limited to
Commissioner 3 minutes per speaker and 36 minutes total time for this
Term Expires 02122 agenda item]
Nathaniel Charbonneau 5. Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda. [Approval of
Commissioner
Term Expires 02124 Consent Agenda passes all routine items indicated by asterisk
. Consent Agenda items are not considered separately
Vanessa Verhey unless a Commissioner so requests. In the event of such a
Commissioner request, the item is returned to the Regular Agenda.]
Term Expires 02123
Clare Sullivan 6. Special Reports &Presentations
Commissioner
Term Expires 02124 A. City Administration Report
B. Other Reports, Announcements & Presentations
Norm Regis
Acting City Manager
Jackie C. Wilde
Community Development
Director
Courtney Bringhurst
Planner
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7. Public Hearings [Limit comments to 5 minutes. Those who have signed in will be given the first
opportunity to speak]
A. Unfinished Business Items requiring a Public Hearing -None
B. New Business Items requiring a Public Hearing
8. Unfinished Business
9. New Business
1. Resolution 2020-011 of the Planning And Zoning Commission of the
City of Seward, Alaska, Recommending City Council Approval of the
Planning and Zoning Commission priorities from January 2021 to January 2022
Page 4
2. Set work session topic for May 20, 2021 as "Continue review of
Municipal Land Use Plan and start review of the Land Use Table and Definitions
3. Start review of the 2014 Municipal Land use Plan
4. Approval of March 2,2021 regular meeting minutes.......................................... Page 7
5. Approval of April 6, 2021 regular meeting minutes ....................................... Page 14
10. Informational Items and Reports (No action required)-
A. Planning and Zoning Commissioner Newsletter........................................... Page 25
B. FEMA Region X News ..................................................................................... Page 32
C. 2021 Planning & Zoning Meeting Schedule................................................... Page 37
D. City Calendars .............................................................................................. Page 38
12 Commission Comments
13. Citizens' Comments [Limit to 5 minutes per individual Each individual has one opportunity to
speak]
14. Commissions and Administration Response to Citizens' Comments
15. Adjournment
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Sponsored by: Planning and Zoning Commission
CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA PLANNING
AND ZONING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION 2021-011
A RESOLUTION OF THE SEWARD PLANNING AND ZONING
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA,
RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PRIORITIES FROM
JANUARY 2021 TO JANUARY 2022
WHEREAS, the Planning and Zoning Commission and Seward City Council
held a joint work session, reviewed and updated the Planning and Zoning annual
Priorities List on March 8, 2021; and
WHEREAS, the Seward City Council Rules of Procedure, adopted March 14,
1994, state that the Council should meet in an annual joint work session with the
Commission to address areas of mutual concern; and
WHEREAS, Council will address a resolution adopting these recommendations.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED by the Seward Planning and Zoning
Commission that:
Section 1. The following list of priorities with status updates and timelines is
hereby recommended to the City Council for approval:
JANUARY 2021 TO JANUARY 2022 PRIORITIES
Short and Medium Term
1) Promote public interest, understanding and ground truthing for the upcoming review
process of the comprehensive.
2) Review and update the Municipal Lands Inventory and Management Plan
3) Current planning and zoning, including the subdivision of land, replats, conditional use
permits
4) Fort Raymond Property planning and platting (former USAF Rec. Camp)
5) Promote public interest and understanding of the comprehensive plan and review process
Continuing
1) Review/Update all of Title 15
2) Look at current and future community needs to identify a wide range of strategies and
investments that support the neighborhood's growth and vitality.
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3) Provide research, analysis, and insights in an accessible and straightforward way on
current topics—including demographics, housing, lodging, economic development,
resiliency and sustainability.
4) Continue to pursue compliance with the Seward City Zoning Code by prioritizing the
outstanding health and safety issues, such as snow removal, illegal camping,junk
vehicles, etc
5) Identify and implement land use and zoning changes as well as other actions needed to
support the short-term recovery and long-term vitality of City
6) Joint Work sessions with Seward Bear Creek Flood Board regarding city/borough
proj ects:
• Lidar mapping
• Flood mitigation
• Airport, Second Ave culvert project
• Resurrection River
• Japanese Creek
• Lowell Canyon
• Beach revitalization project
7) Working with PACAB on the Seward Marine Industrial Center new zoning overlay and
development plan
8) Work with Historic Preservation to develop methods to preserve the historic downtown
9) Did You Know Code Education for the Community
10)Planning & Zoning Commissioner training
Section 2. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the Seward Planning and Zoning Commission this 4tn
day of May 2021.
THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
Cindy L. Ecklund, Chair
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
VACANT:
ATTEST:
Brenda Ballou, MMC
City Clerk (City Seal)
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P&Z Agenda Statement
Meeting Date: May 4, 2021
To: Planning and Zoning Commission
Through: Jackie C. Wilde, Community Development Director
From: Andy Bacon, Planning Assistant
Agenda Item: Resolution Adopting the Planning and Zoning Commission Priorities from
April 2020 to April 2021.
BACKGROUND &.JUSTIFICATION:
Annually, the Planning and Zoning Commission establishes priorities. The Planning and Zoning
Commission and Seward City Council held a joint work session on February 25, 2020. During
thej of nt work session,the Commission and Counci I reviewed and updated the Planning and Zoning
Draft Priorities List.
CONSISTENCY CHECKLIST: Yes No N/A
Comprehensive Plan: Most of the priorities which the Commission
1. w i shes to work on are an outgrowth of goals and objectives establ i shed in X
the Comprehensive Plan.
2.
Strategic Plan: The Strategi c PI an al so i denti f i es many of the pri on ti es
addressed by t he Com m i ssi on.
X
Planning and Zoning Rules of Procedure: Rule 34 (c.) "The
Commission shall meet in ajoint work session with the City Council in
3. March of each year to discuss areas of mutual interest." X
RECOMMENDATION:Approve Resol ution 2021-011, recommending City Council approval of
the Planning and Zoning Commission Priorities from January 2021 to January 2022.
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CALL TO ORDER
The March 2, 2021 regular meeting of the Seward Planning & Zoning Commission was
called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Cindy Ecklund.
OPENING CEREMONY
Commissioner Charbonneau led the pledge of allegiance to the flag
ROLL CALL
There were present:
Cindy Ecklund presiding, and
Tom Swann Vanessa Verhey Gary Seese
Nathanial Charbonneau
Absent
Craig Ambrosiani
Comprising a quorum of the Board; and
Also Present
Jackie C. Wilde, Community Development Director
CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED
FOR PUBLIC HEARING
All public testimony was delivered either in writing or telephonically at this meeting
David Squires, inside city, stated concerns about the potential disposition of Fort Raymond
property without following the subdivision code for adding platted roads and utilities. Squires
stated that he supports the plan for retaining a portion of the property for City use, and is not
opposed to selling property
Wilde read a written submission into the record, summarized as follows:
Carol Griswold, inside city, stated that if the naming of Chamberlin road and Dairy Hill Lane was
up for consideration, that the most logical name change would be to rename the street Second
Avenue. Griswold stated that this would be an improvement for navigation and first responders.
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APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Charbonneau/Swann) Approve the agenda and consent agenda
Motion (Charbonneau/Swann) Postpone Resolution 2021-05 until the
April 6, 2021 meeting
Motion Failed AYES: Hatfield, Charbonneau,
NOES: Verhey, Swann, Ecklund
Motion Passed Approve the agenda and consent agenda
AYES: Charbonneau, Swann, Verhey,
Seese, Ecklund
NOES: none
February 2, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes were approved on the consent agenda
SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Administration Report
Jackie Wilde stated that the are two applicants for the vacant Commissioner seat, which will be
heard at the March 8 Council meeting. Council will also be discussing a gated system for City
parking lots and discussing restroom design options at Williams park. Wilde discussed upcoming
Planning and Zoning Work sessions. Wilde called attention to a laydown item that was distributed
to the public and council regarding the renaming of Dairy Hill Lane, and asked that Commission
direct staff to bring forward a resolution to the April meeting. Wilde stated that at the February 22
Council meeting, Council requested that Planning and Zoning review a possible land use change
changing marijuana extraction from heavy manufacturing to light manufacturing in the Central
Business district.
Other Reports, Announcements, and Presentations
Wilde stated that she put together a proclamation recognizing Kelli Hatfield's service on the
Planning and Zoning Commission and will be sending that to her.
New Business Items requiring a Public Hearing
Resolution 2021-02 of The Planning and Zoning Commission, of the City Of Seward, Alaska
Recommending Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval of the Seward Original Townsite Marathon
Replat; A Replat Of Lots 21-25 Block 38, Original Townsite Of Seward;Located at 600-608 Third
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Avenue, Within The Office Residential (OR) Zoning District
Wilde provided an overview of the proposed platting action, stating the purpose was to combine
five (5) lots, into two lots to be known as Lot 21A and 23A, measuring 6,000 and 9,000 square
feet. Wilde stated that the area was in the Office Residential zoning district, and described the
surrounding development of the area. Wilde stated that the parcels are served by all city utilities.
Wilde stated that city staff had reviewed the preliminary plat and no objections were reported, and
that all public noticing requirements of city code were followed. Wilde stated that the electric
department requested a 10-foot utility easement along the rear property line.
Chair Ecklund opened public hearing on this item. Hearing no one wishing to speak, Chair
Ecklund closed public hearing and asked for the staff report.
Ken Lang, outside city, stated in response to Ecklund that there were no existing easements on
the property and that the 10-foot easement was customary for the electric department and he sees
no objection to it.
Motion (Charbonneau/Swann) Approve Resolution 2021-02 of The
Planning and Zoning Commission, Of The
City Of Seward, Alaska Recommending
Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval Of The
Seward Original Townsite Marathon Replat;
A Replat Of Lots 21-25 Block 38, Original
Townsite Of Seward; Located at 600-608
Third Avenue,Within The Office Residential
(OR) Zoning District
Charbonneau stated that Ken Lang had answered his question about the easement. Ecklund asked
how the name "polar seafoods lease lots" was chosen. Wilde stated that surveyor Stacy Wessel
was on the phone and could answer. Wessel stated the subdivision name was the project name that
was chosen, and stated the replat title could be whatever they wanted, providing the portion
describing the name of the subdivision remain. Ecklund asked about the location of utility
easements. Bacon stated that all easements were carried forward from the parent plat. Wessel
discussed the easements in greater depth with the Commission. Wilde confirmed that there were
utilities located within the described easements. In response to Ecklund, Wessel stated that the
location of large boulders was shown on the preliminary plat to give the City a reference point to
proposed new lot lines. Wessel stated that other features noted on the preliminary plat were for the
City to use for information, and would not appear on the final plat going before the Borough.
Motion (Ecklund/Swann) Amend the title of the replat to "coastal
lots"
Motion Passed AYES: Hatfield, Swann, Charbonneau,
Verhey, Ecklund
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NOES: none
Main Motion Passed AYES: Swann, Charbonneau, Verhey,
Hatfield, Ecklund
NOES: none
Resolution 2021-03 of the Planning and Zoning Commission, of the City Of Seward, Alaska
Recommending City Council and Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval of the City Owned: Fourth
Of July Creek Subdivision, Seward Marine Industrial Center Fire Department Replat; A Replat of
Block 2 & Block 5, Fourth Of July Creek Subdivision, Seward Marine Industrial Center, Located
at 3500 Mustang Avenue and 205 Delphin Street
Chair Ecklund opened public hearing on this item. Hearing no one wishing to speak, Chair
Ecklund closed public hearing and asked for the staff report.
Wilde provided an overview of the proposed platting action, stating the purpose was to create a
new lease parcel to support operations at the Polar Seafoods fish processing plant, and to create a
parcel to support operations for the US Coast Guard fast response cutter. Wilde stated that the
entire area was in the Industrial Zoning District, and described the surrounding development of
the area. Wilde stated that city staff had reviewed the preliminary plat and no objections were
reported, and that all public noticing requirements of city code were followed.
Motion (Charbonneau/Swann) Approve Resolution 2021-03 of the
Planning and Zoning Commission, of the
City Of Seward, Alaska Recommending City
Council and Kenai Peninsula Borough
Approval of the City Owned: Fourth Of July
Creek Subdivision, Seward Marine Industrial
Center Fire Department Replat; A Replat of
Block 2 & Block 5, Fourth Of July Creek
Subdivision, Seward Marine Industrial
Center, Located at 3500 Mustang Avenue and
205 Delphin Street
Charbonneau and Swann had no comments on the plat. Ecklund asked how the name "polar
seafoods lease lots" was chosen. Wilde stated that surveyor Stacy Wessel was on the phone and
could answer.Wessel stated the subdivision name was the project name that was chosen, and stated
the replat title could be whatever they wanted, providing the portion describing the name of the
subdivision remain. Ecklund asked about the location of utility easements. Wilde stated that all
easements were carried forward from the parent plat. Wessel discussed the easements in greater
depth with the Commission. Wilde confirmed that there were utilities located within the described
easements. In response to Ecklund,Wessel stated that the location of large boulders was shown on
the preliminary plat to give the City a reference point to proposed new lot lines. Wessel stated that
other features noted on the preliminary plat were for the City to use for information, and would
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not appear on the final plat going before the Borough.
Motion (Ecklund/Swann) Amend the title of the replat to "coastal
lots"
Motion Passed AYES: Hatfield, Swann, Charbonneau,
Verhey, Ecklund
NOES: none
Main Motion Passed AYES: Swann, Charbonneau, Verhey,
Hatfield, Ecklund
NOES: none
Resolution 2021-04 of the Planning and Zoning Commission, of the City Of Seward, Alaska
Recommending Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval of the Forest Acres Subdivision, Harmon
Addition; A Replat Of Lots BP,BQ, And BT Forest Acres Subdivision; Creating Six(6)New Lots,
Located at 2403, 2409, and 2415 Maple Street, Within The Rural Residential (RR)Zoning District
Chair Ecklund opened public hearing on this item.
David Squires, inside city limits, stated he was in favor of the replat. He spoke in reference to the
sewer and the road maintenance
Chair Ecklund closed public hearing and asked for the staff report.
Motion (Charbonneau/Swann) Approve Resolution 2021-04 of the
Planning and Zoning Commission, of the
City Of Seward, Alaska Recommending
Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval of the
Forest Acres Subdivision,Harmon Addition;
A Replat Of Lots BP, BQ, And BT Forest
Acres Subdivision; Creating Six (6) New
Lots, Located at 2403, 2409, and 2415 Maple
Street, Within The Rural Residential (RR)
Zoning District
Motion Passed AYES: Seese, Swann, Charbonneau,
Verhey, Ecklund
NOES: none
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New Business
Resolution 2021-05 Recommending City Council Approval of the Developer Reimbursement
Application for the Maple Street Water Program Improvement District;Located On Maple Street
Within The Forest Acres Subdivision
Motion (Charbonneau/Verhey) Approve Resolution 2021-05
Recommending City Council Approval of
the Developer Reimbursement Application
for the Maple Street Water Program
Improvement District
General Discussion Given
Motion (Swann/Charbonneau) Amend Section 1 adding an number 3 if
feasible sewer line development be
included
Motion Passed AYES: Seese, Swann, Charbonneau,
Verhey, Ecklund
NOES: none
Main Motion Passed AYES: Seese, Swann, Verhey, Ecklund
NOES: Charbonneau
Motion (Charbonneau/Swann) Approve Resolution 2021-05 Planning and
Zoning Commission, of the City Of Seward,
Alaska, Recommending City Council
Approval of the Developer Reimbursement
Application for the Maple Street Water
Program Improvement District;Located On
Maple Street Within The Forest Acres
Subdivision
Resolution 2021-06 Recommending City Council Approval Of The Subdivision, Appraisal
And Sale Of City Land Located At Fort Raymond Sub Replat No 1 Lots 7A & 10A
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Motion (Charbonneau/Swann) Approve Resolution 2021-06
Recommending City Council Approval Of
The Subdivision, Appraisal And Sale Of
City Land Located At Fort Raymond Sub
Replat No 1 Lots 7A& l0A
General discussion given by commission
Motion Passed AYES: Swann, Verhey, Seese, Ecklund
NOES: Charbonneau
Commission Comments:
Verhey None
Swann Looks for the upcoming road change request
Charbonneau None
Seese Happy with his new hip
Ecklund wanted to make sure that a did you know regarding snow removal and would like to have
it as a topic in 2021
Citizens' Comments: a letter from Carol Griswold regarding snow removal was read into the
record
Dave Squires thanked everyone for letting him speak.
Charlie Sink outside city limits, thanked everyone for passing 2021-006.
Commission and Administration Response to Citizens' Comments
Swann requested that a gold pan for commissioner Hatfield. Chair Ecklund has asked for
administration to look into what if anything can be given.
ADJOURNMENT (Charbonneau)
The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 PM
Jackie C. Wilde Cindy L. Ecklund
Community Development Director Chair
(City Seal)
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CALL TO ORDER
The April 6, 2021 regular meeting of the Seward Planning & Zoning Commission was
called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Cindy Ecklund.
OPENING CEREMONY
Commissioner Charbonneau led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
Cindy Ecklund presiding, and
Clare Sullivan Gary Seese
Nathaniel Charbonneau Vanessa Verhey (telephonically)
Tom Swann (telephonically) Craig Ambrosiani (arrived 7:07 p.m.)
Comprising a quorum of the Board; and
Jackie C. Wilde, Community Development Director
Brenda Ballou, City Clerk
CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED
FOR PUBLIC HEARING
Carol Griswold (telephonically) had a comment for the city attorney: as a potential change
in the official maps, she wondered if a petition to rename a street required following SCC
15.01.035 amendment process to secure signatures from 5 1% of the area property owners, as well
as posting a notice. She believed that Dairy Hill was a recognizable feature in the Seward
landscape, and she thought Chamberlin Road should be renamed to Dairy Hill Lane because no
one remembered who Chamberlin was anymore. Griswold believed that Dairy Hill Lane was
utterly charming and asked the commission to keep the name.
Cheryl Seese (written) was opposed to renaming Dairy Hill Lane to Chamberlin Road
because it represented a threat against the preservation of Seward's history. She suggested naming
a different street Chamberlin Road, if possible.
Ambrosiani arrived at 7:07 p.m.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Charbonneau/Sullivan) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Motion Passed Unanimous
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There were no consent agenda items.
SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Administration Report. Community Development Director Jackie Wilde introduced
new City Planner Courtney Bringhurst.
City Planner Courtney Bringhurst said she hailed from Pennsylvania; she had a Master's
Degree in Landscape Architecture, and had previously worked for the National Forest Service and
the Bureau of Land Management in Utah. She was excited to join the city.
Wilde announced that Andy Bacon had left the city and would be missed. The vacancy for
the Planning Technician position was being advertised.
Other Reports, Announcements, and Presentations—None
Special Items - Election of Chair and Vice-Chair
Ecklund opened nominations for the chair. Ambrosiani nominated Ecklund as chair;
Sullivan seconded. There were no other nominations. Ecklund called for objections; there
were none.
Ecklund opened nominations for the vice chair. Charbonneau nominated Swann as
vice chair; Ambrosiani seconded. There were no other nominations. Ecklund called for
objections; there were none.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Resolutions Requiring Public Hearing
Resolution 2021-008, of the Planning And Zoning Commission Of The City Of Seward,
Alaska, Granting a Conditional Use Permit To Seaview Community Services to Operate
Recovery Housing,Substance Abuse Treatment Center,And Medication Assisted Treatment
(MAT) Clinic Within A Four (4) Unit Multi Family Dwelling On Lot 21a Block 25, Original
Townsite Of Seward Located At 402 Second Avenue; Within The Auto Commercial (AC)
Zoning District.
Motion (Ambrosiani/Charbonneau) Approve Resolution 2021-008
Wilde said SeaView Community Services applied for a Conditional Use Permit(CUP) to
operate a recovery house and substance abuse treatment center at 402 Second Avenue. The
property was zoned Auto Commercial (AC). Wilde reviewed the conditions that would be applied
by the Fire and Building Departments, and concluded that the Community Development
Department was recommending approval of the CUP.
Page 15 of 39
Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the
public hearing was opened.
Grace Williams read a letter from SeaView's governing board requesting support of this
resolution; there would be no zoning changes required, and the property would be professionally
staffed and operated. She added that she was in favor, personally, of approving this resolution. She
understood that the idea of substance misuse was difficult, but the stereotypes were not always
accurate. In fact, Williams said, she believed most people knew at least one person who struggled
with an addiction problem.
Jim Doepken was a pastor in Seward, and was on the board for SeaView. He could see
the proposed property from his own house; he was comfortable having this SeaView facility in
that location. Surrounding his home was a variety of activities, including nightly rentals, crew
housing, and several medical, commercial, and law enforcement activities. He wished to fight
against the stigma of substance misuse. The SeaView facility would be dedicated to serving people
who were working on recovery, people who were seeking help for their mental health and
substance misuse issues.
Marie Gage believed in rehabilitation, but did not wish to have the facility located in this
particular neighborhood. She had called some of the treatment centers in other communities and
learned that they were not located within residential neighborhoods. She reported having spoken
to several residents on Sixth Avenue about their experience with the facility in their neighborhood;
she said the neighbors had complained about the experiences that had. She suggested perhaps
building a new facility over by the Spring Creek Correctional Center.
Erik Van Eck could see the proposed facility from his home. He was raising seven
children, one of whom had seen a counselor at SeaView; his son had suffered through high
turnover in the staff counselors to whom he was assigned. He believed this treatment center would
bring drugs into the neighborhood, and he didn't want his children exposed to it. He thought this
facility should be located in a more commercial area.
Zach Johnson lived near the hospital,which was nearby the proposed facility location. He
had small children who played in the neighborhood. He was afraid of how this facility would
impact the neighborhood, and suggested that drugs might be planted in secret locations for the
facility's clients which could be inadvertently found by children. He knew how difficult it was for
recovering addicts to be tempted by their past associates, and worried the neighborhood children
could be put at risk.
Kameron Kowalski had grown up exposed to drug and alcohol issues within her own
family; several people in her family had struggled with addictions. She said her mother may not
have died from an overdose in 2004 if there was a facility like this available in Seward at the time.
She supported the location for the SeaView facility, and understood that Seward was a sheltered
place, but thought parents needed to prepare their children for the real world.
Carol Griswold(telephonically) said this structure started in the 1950s as a garage and gas
Page 16 of 39
station business, then turned into a single-family home, then a single-family home with two
apartments, and most recently a single-family home with three nightly rentals. She thought there
was information missing from the packet that were important, including the use as a treatment
facility. She believed the floor plans and parking plans were missing spaces dedicated to staff
needs, and the dimensions were inaccurate. Putting this treatment facility in this location would be
like putting them in a fishbowl, providing no privacy for the facility or the neighboring homes.
She wished the commission would listen to the neighbors, most of whom did not wish to have this
resolution approved.
Lori Landstrom (written) fully supported this resolution. She wished to end the stigma of
recovery.
Ann Weed(written) supported the work of SeaView and this new facility; it was important
to acknowledge a health crisis in the beginning stages.
Q Horner (written) was a neighbor of this proposed facility. They strongly objected to
this resolution, and thought there were other locations more appropriate.
Diana Morrison (written) lived nearby the proposed facility, and was excited to see this
proposed facility. She had first-hand experience with receiving assistance from SeaView in 2013
for guidance, and was grateful that they were available.
Art & Yolanda LeMaster(written)were neighbors to the proposed facility. They enjoyed
living in this neighborhood, but did not want this new facility next door. They had spoken to
residents on Sixth Avenue who said they felt like a prisoner in their own home. They believed this
facility should not be located in a residential neighborhood.
Naneth Ambrosiani (written)lived in this neighborhood. She opposed having this facility
in the neighborhood, and was concerned that it would have a negative impact on her family's
quality of life. She wished to have the quiet neighborhood remain intact, and was concerned about
the potential negative impact on property values.
Marsha Ambacher (written) supported SeaView's plans for a new facility. She thought
the location was perfect because it was near the SeaView offices, and had the hospital nearby. She
thought SeaView's treatment program was well-run and effective. Every person being treated by
SeaView was someone's brother, sister,parent, or friend. She believed that SeaView only accepted
clients who wished to take part in the program, and that people who went through their programs
became successful and productive in society.
Alan Nickell(written)was the police chief in Seward.He supported SeaView and the work
they performed. He thought it was crucial to have people suffering from addictions to have a safe
space for their recovery. He stated the police department had only one case concerning the Sixth
Avenue facility. There was a big difference between the behavior of an addict on the streets and
an addict who was in recovery.
Page 17 of 39
Richard Cruse (written) supported SeaView's program, but wondered if this was the right
location for a new facility; perhaps moving the facility over near Spring Creek would be a better
alternative.
Kevin Finch (written) objected to locating the SeaView treatment center in this proposed
location. He feared an increase in crime and drugs would result. He believed the Sixth Avenue
location had received complaints by the police department. He was also concerned with a drop in
property values.
Kelley Baker (written) strongly supported SeaView's proposed facility. She believed the
mission of this facility aligned with that of Providence Hospital and the city.
Christy Skinner Audette Bagula(written)lived nearby the proposed facility location. she
recalled the structure being used as a home, and was opposed to having the property used as a
methadone clinic. She didn't think it was the right location, and was concerned with the impact on
the neighborhood.
Katy Baldwin Johnson (written) supported this resolution. She thought it was critical for
SeaView to expand bed availability in order to meet demand in a timely manner; when someone
wanted to accept treatment, making them wait for a bed to open up was detrimental..
David Kingsland (written) was in favor of this resolution. The proposed location was in a
historically commercially-zoned area; all along Jefferson Avenue was one commercial endeavor
or another.
No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed.
Ecklund asked Ambrosiani if he expected to have any financial impact, either positive or
negative, if this resolution were to be approved since he lived nearby. In response, Ambrosiani
stated he did not expect to have any financial impact either way.
Ecklund asked the commission if anyone wanted to have Ambrosiani recused from this
item. There were no objections to having Ambrosiani continue.
Ambrosiani thought the best location for this facility should be explored by the community,
with planning foresight in mind. He thought there was a clear message from the neighboring
property owners that they did not want the facility to be located in this neighborhood. Ambrosiani
also wondered if the commission should even be entertaining this CUP tonight, because SeaView
had not properly receive a CUP for their current location on Sixth Avenue; he saw this as a code
violation. He thought perhaps the commission should instead be considering where the most
appropriate location for a treatment facility should be, and then act accordingly. His desire would
be to add a condition requiring the CUP to come back to the commission in one year for another
review.
Sullivan was concerned that the property had been purchased prior to this CUP coming
Page 18 of 39
forward. She thought the presence of this facility may have a negative impact on the neighborhood.
She was also concerned with the loss of sales tax and bed tax monies for the city. Having
experience working in law enforcement, Sullivan was concerned with potential criminal activities
this facility might draw.
Charbonneau was concerned with the location of this facility; it was too close to single-
family residences.
Seese wondered if there could be a different location for this facility. He was concerned
with the set-up of the facility inside, and if the rooms were constructed in such a way as to be
effective for this use.He suggested perhaps the city should build a new treatment facility in another
location instead.
Ecklund stated the packet materials indicated that this CUP request was appropriate and
lawful, per city code. She believed the conditions put into the CUP by the fire department would
satisfy the internal structure of the building being appropriate and useful. She thought there was
more trouble created by untreated drug abusers on the streets than people who were actively
receiving help in a treatment facility.
Swann thought this CUP proposed a similar mix of uses as the commission had seen before;
he would be in favor of this resolution.
Verhey was concerned with this location continuing under a variance from city code,
although it was already being used for nightly lodging. She would be in favor of postponing this
and deliberating more.
Charbonneau pointed out the future land use plan designated this location to be re-zoned
to residential in the future. In response, Ecklund said the Comprehensive Plan identified several
areas which would support this proposed CUP. Ecklund suggested that the scope of the
commission's authority in this regard was to ensure appropriate conditions were placed upon the
CUP request; it was not for the commission to say this facility could not exist in this location.
Ambrosiani believed this was an unlisted use, and was concerned that the commission
would be shoehorning this CUP in to fit. He was concerned that there was not a definition in city
code which specifically identified a treatment facility. He believed the definition needed to be
identified before proceeding with the CUP.
Swann understood the concerns being expressed, but wanted to keep the discussions
relevant to identifying the conditions being placed upon SeaView for this CUP. He said it wasn't
up to the commission to allow the facility being in this location, because that was already allowed
by city code, but rather to set the conditions for the CUP.
Ambrosiani wanted the city code violation on the other SeaView property to be resolved
prior to having this CUP approved. In response, Wilde said what was before the commission
tonight was the approval of a CUP for this particular location; the building and fire department
Page 19 of 39
would address concerns about life safety as part of the CUP. Regarding the Sixth Avenue location,
Wilde said SeaView was operating that facility as apartments, and so did not require having a
CUP. Wilde said the Community Development Department would look into that issue, but
reminded the commission that that was not what was before them for consideration tonight.
The commission suspended the rules to speak to Christine Sheehan.
In response to Ecklund, Executive Director of SeaView Community Services Christine
Sheehan said the fence in the back yard of the proposed location was wooden and was
approximately six feet high. Sheehan confirmed that no visitors would be allowed to come to the
facility. Sheehan stated that most clients in treatment did not have their own vehicles, but there
would be two to three staff members on duty who drove vehicles. In response to Sullivan, Sheehan
said there would usually be one or two staff people at a time on site for the MAT program.
The commission went back on the rules.
Motion to Amend (Ambrosiani/Sullivan) Amend Resolution 2021-008 by adding a
new condition #H to require this CUP to
come back for a one-year review, to
include having a public hearing, and also
to require SeaView submit quarterly
reports to the commission that address the
facility's activities.
Ecklund supported having an annual review, and said if the conditions of the CUP were
not upheld, the CUP could be revoked or modified by the commission. Ecklund was surprised to
hear earlier that there were complaints about the Sixth Avenue facility; she hoped that people
would start reporting their concerns more formally so there was a record of it.
Motion to Amend Passed Unanimous
Main Motion Passed AYES: Sullivan, Verhey, Seese, Swann,
Ecklund
NOES: Charbonneau, Ambrosiani
The commission recessed at 9:27 p.m.
The commission resumed at 9:33 p.m.
Resolution 2021-009, of the Seward Planning and Zoning Commission, Granting A Variance
from Seward City Code 15.20 Signs to Providence Seward Medical Center, Permitting An
Exception To The Zoning Code To Allow For Two Additional Signs To Be Permitted On The
Premises Located At 417 First Avenue, Within The Institutional (INS) Zoning District.
Page 20 of 39
Motion (Charbonneau/Sullivan) Approve Resolution 2021-009
Wilde said Providence Hospital applied for a sign variance for the purpose of upgrading
existing signs, and installing two additional signs, at their facility. She said the Community
Development Department recommended approving the sign variance.
Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the
public hearing was opened.
Carol Griswold opposed this sign variance, particularly because the signs that were
already there were very bright at night. She didn't believe Providence needed more signs to identify
themselves, or distinguish them from the Seward Community Health Center, nor did she believe
their request for a variance met the requirements of city code.
No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed.
Charbonneau thought the facility was not very well signed, and thought this would be an
improvement.
Verhey wondered why the emergency sign would be removed; it didn't seem like a good
idea.
In response to Ecklund, Ambrosiani said he had not provided input to Providence about
their proposed signs.
Ecklund stated that allowing this sign variance was in keeping with city code.
Motion Passed AYES: Ambrosiani, Charbonneau, Seese,
Sullivan, Ecklund
NOES: Swann, Verhey
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution 2021-010, of the Planning And Zoning Commission of the City of Seward,Alaska,
Recommending City Council Approve The Renaming of Dairy Hill Lane to Chamberlin
Road Located North and West of the Seward Lagoon, in the Cliff Addition to Seward
Townsite.
Motion (Charbonneau/Sullivan) Approve Resolution 2021-010
Wilde said the request to rename the road originated with a citizen. The portion of road
currently called Chamberlin Road, previously named Government Road, was renamed in 1990 to
honor E.E. Chamberlin who was a long-time resident, former city council member, former mayor,
and territorial senator who lived on that road. Wilde said the Community Development Department
Page 21 of 39
recommended renaming Dairy Hill Lane to Chamberlin Road.
Charbonneau wondered why the entire road could not be re-named to Second Avenue all
the way. In response, Wilde said that wasn't allowed because the road bent and changed direction
from north/south to east/west.
Ecklund said the area of Dairy Hill would always remain.
Motion Passed Unanimous
Resolution 2021-007, of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward,Alaska,
Recommending City Council Approve the Walkable Mural Application Guidelines and
Administrative Policy.
Motion (Charbonneau/Sullivan) Approve Resolution 2021-007
Wilde said an application and guidelines had been created for a walkable mural program,
at the direction of city council. She reminded the commission about the work session that they had
in September, 2020. The Community Development Department had worked closely with the
Public Works Department to create the program. Upon successfully completing the application
process, the applicant would receive a permit from community development to proceed with the
design and maintenance. A non-refundable application fee of $500 plus a $1,500 maintenance
deposit would be required;for the period of three years,the crosswalk would have to be maintained
by the applicant.
Charbonneau wondered if there were any concerns with distracted driving. Wilde said in
her research, she found no reports of increased safety concerns; rather, there were reports that
traffic compliance actually improved.
Sullivan wondered what the criteria was for approval or denial of design. Wilde said
community development and public works would review the design proposal against the
guidelines, looking specifically for certain colors and shapes to ensure the design could not be
misinterpreted as traffic signage.
Motion Passed AYES: Charbonneau, Swann, Sullivan,
Verhey, Ambrosiani, Ecklund
NOES: Seese
Other New Business Items
Set work session topic for May 18, 2021.
Ecklund said May 18, 2021 was the graduation for Seward High School.
The commission re-scheduled the May 18, 2021 work session to May 20, 2021.
Page 22 of 39
The commission set topics for the following work sessions:
• April 20, 2021 —Review definitions for dwelling,lodging and housing, and review the land
use allowed table
• May 4, 2021 —Continue to review current land use allowed table
• May 20, 2021 —Review the municipal land plan
The commission unanimously approved meeting in a joint work session with the Historic
Preservation Commission twice each year.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS
2021 Planning&Zoning Meeting Schedule
City Calendars
COMMISSION COMMENTS
Sullivan was learning a lot.
Verhey thanked everyone for their hard work.
Charbonneau welcomed Bringhurst to the city, and thanked Wilde for her work.
Seese welcomed Bringhurst to the city.
Swann observed that sometimes, as commissioners, they had to overcome the public's
wishes in order to comply with legal requirements; it wasn't easy when that happened.
Ecklund agreed that it was hard when the public's wishes conflicted with the city code.
She welcomed Bringhurst.
CITIZENS' COMMENTS
Kameron Kowalski was disheartened by the citizen's reaction earlier; she had been the
subject of that citizen's anger. She
Tony Baclaan welcomed Clare Sullivan to the Planning & Zoning Commission; he
appreciated her service. He welcomed Bringhurst. He was happy the walkable mural process was
moving forward.
COMMISSION AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS
Page 23 of 39
Ambrosiani apologized that Kowalski was the subject of the citizen's anger. He had been
trying to keep track of pros and cons from the public opinions, and was unhappy the public's
wishes could not override city code.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m.
Brenda J. Ballou, MMC Cindy L. Ecklund
City Clerk Chair
(City Seal)
Page 24 of 39
Greenlighting Cannabis — What Every Planning Department Needs to Know
Momentum for cannabis legalization is growing nationwide. For communities in states that might be
next, the best time to start preparing is now.
In Denver, cannabis production facilities, including the warehouse pictured above, are only allowed in
areas zoned for industrial land use. Photo by David Kidd/Governing
By Daniel C. Vock
The heart of Denver's legal-cannabis production is in dozens of unmarked warehouses, ringed with
barbed wire and security cameras, and located amid factories, railyards, construction rental lots, and
other industrial buildings. Sometimes these pot-producing facilities sit quite near, and in some cases
across the street from, rows of modest single-family houses in predominantly Black and Hispanic
neighborhoods.
The reason? Denver recreational cannabis regulations limit cultivation facilities to areas that are already
zoned for industrial use.That essentially pushes all the growing activity into a few areas of town — and
neighborhoods. The highest concentration of cannabis growing facilities in Denver, for example, is in the
predominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Elyria-Swansea on the north side of the city. Its streets are
choked with semi-trucks making their way to and from a hulking viaduct carrying Interstate 70, a
highway the state is now expanding.
Page 25 of 39
"We basically let marijuana come into Denver without really having a good plan of how to regulate it,"
said Candi CdeBaca, a city council member from Elyria-Swansea who can see four cannabis growing
facilities from her house.There were 54 cultivation facilities in that neighborhood and 43 in neighboring
Northeast Park Hill, a majority Black neighborhood, according to a 2016 analysis by the Denver Post. The
city's approach to regulating land use for cannabis operations has led to many hard-to-solve problems
for neighborhoods like Elyria-Swansea — and could serve as a cautionary tale for planners in other
states that could soon legalize the recreational use of cannabis.
Nationwide momentum for legalization is growing. In 2014, Colorado was one of the first two states to
start allowing pot sales, but just last November, five states passed ballot measures to legalize
recreational cannabis — including Montana and South Dakota —two largely rural states on a list
otherwise dominated by states with large urban centers. All told, 15 states and the District of Columbia
have approved legalizing recreational cannabis. As of this writing, Virgina was poised to become the
16th. Both chambers have passed bills to legalize cannabis, but they have to reconcile their differences
before it can become law.
MARIJUANA LEGALITY STATE-BY-STATE
r f
t
Legalized EMed,cal and Decr,minalized Emedical Decr minahzed FJlly illegal
Recreational cannabis is currently legal in 15 states. Cannabis is only fully illegal in a total of six states; all
others have decriminalized it, allow it for medical use, or have legalized it entirely. Source: Disa Global
Solutions, Inc. Data as of January 2021.
Many other states have decriminalized the drug or authorized its use for medical purposes. Democratic
governors in states such as Connecticut, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are pushing for
legalization in their states,too. Meanwhile, in December — for the first time ever — the U.S. House of
Representatives passed a cannabis legalization bill. Now that Democrats control both chambers of
Congress and the White House, the prospects of similar proposals becoming law has increased, but is
by no means certain.
With that kind of trajectory, policy experts say communities everywhere should be thinking about and
planning for the eventuality of legalized recreational cannabis. Fortunately, they can look to local
jurisdictions in states that have gone before them for lessons on what works — and what doesn't.
Regulatory roulette
Page 26 of 39
From the land-use side, each state has handled the transition differently,giving municipalities different
powers to control the placement of the new facilities. Some, like California, allow cities to ban the
facilities outright. Others have curbed the powers of local governments,to make sure the new industry
is allowed to thrive.
Alan Weinstein, a law professor at Cleveland State University who specializes in land use, says cannabis
facilities raise some of the same land-use questions as drug stores or liquor stores.
But there are unique aspects to the cannabis industry as well. One of the biggest is that nobody worries
about the crops — like grains or potatoes — that produce alcoholic beverages, but people do have
concerns about how and where cannabis plants are cultivated. The fact that cannabis is still illegal at the
federal level also means that retail facilities that sell cannabis products by and large cannot use credit
cards or anything tied with traditional banks, so they operate almost entirely in cash. While there is little
evidence that pot dispensaries have higher crime rates than other types of retail establishments, many
localities have required them to install more security features, such as fences and cameras, to prevent
crime in the area.
Overall,though, Weinstein says the owners of cannabis businesses are willing to agree to many
conditions about where they can locate and what features their facilities must have. That's because
many are trying to get a toehold in places where the industry is not already established. They will
compete for the ability to set up a medical dispensary knowing that companies that have licenses for
medical cannabis are often first in line when a state expands to allow recreational use.
"They're willing to go along with pretty much anything, as long as it isn't going to sort of drive them
totally out of business or make it unreasonably impractical to operate," Weinstein says.
At the ready
On the other hand, local planners in places where recreational cannabis is coming need to prepare for a
big surge in applications. Planning departments need to be ready to accept, review, and process
applications. They need to develop a way to renew and transfer licenses.They need to write their
requirements for the building, set up inspection teams, prepare for hearings, and consider what local
fees and taxes they can implement.
"The local government has to be prepared to take on a whole new regulatory regime," Weinstein warns.
"And yes, you can use the new [tax and fee] dollars to help offset the costs of the administration, but
the costs are going to lead the revenue."
Corinne Celko, a land-use attorney for Emerge Law Group in Portland, Oregon, says the spread of the
cannabis industry presents a unique challenge for planners and localities.
"If I went on Shark Tank today because I had invented a gadget and it was successful, and I wanted to go
ahead and sell the gadget and make more of the gadget, it would just fit within local jurisdictions'
existing development codes and their use categories," she says. "This is the first time in my career where
many local jurisdictions treated cannabis as a completely, totally new use."
Not every jurisdiction has taken that approach, but those that do want to create whole new use
categories need to understand how the cannabis industry actually works.
Page 27 of 39
There are 54 cannabis production facilities in the Elyria-Swansea, a primarily Hispanic neighborhood of
Denver. Most are unmarked warehouses, ringed with fencing and security cameras, some just across the
street from residential homes. Photo by David Kidd/Governing.
For example, if a local government wanted to zone an area for agricultural use to grow cannabis,
officials and planners should anticipate warehouses and greenhouses, not fields of row crops. That
might make it a better fit for industrial zones in addition to farming areas. One locality where Celko was
working wanted to allow the manufacture of cannabis edibles and topicals, but it wanted to prohibit
extract processing. Celko had to explain to the planning director that banning extract processing would
effectively ban companies from making edibles. "Nobody wants to pick out pieces of grass from their
teeth," she says.
But — apart from use designation — planners do have plenty of tools to ensure a smooth rollout, Celko
notes. For example,they can work on restrictions on how and when properties are used, such as "dark
sky" rules to reduce light pollution in rural areas or odor control regulations that require filtering
systems.
Local officials should also be willing to revise policies that aren't working how they intended. One
Oregon county, for example, wanted to block cannabis farms from being located near"youth activity
centers." But the county did not define what that meant and did not amend the code to provide more
clarity. Instead,the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners fought the applicant — one of Celko's
clients, a grower — and lost at the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals and at the Oregon Court of
Appeals.
In California, attorney Joanna Hossack says,the rollout of recreational cannabis has been slowed by
municipalities that chose not to allow cannabis businesses within their borders. Meanwhile, many
business licenses have stalled in cities with long approval processes, especially ones that involve public
hearings rather than just administrative decisions, she says. And state environmental reviews have taken
longer than expected.
There have been bright spots in the rollout, Hossack notes. San Francisco has done a good job helping
stores open quickly, and, across the bay, Oakland has helped businesses get licensed quickly, even as it
dedicates half of its licenses for equity applicants who have either lived in certain parts of the city or
been convicted of a cannabis-related crime in Oakland.
Page 28 of 39
But across the state, 70 percent of municipalities have opted not to license cannabis businesses,
creating large "dry pockets" outside of urban areas like Los Angeles County and the Bay Area, she says.
That means even patients who use medical cannabis in those areas now have to drive long stretches to
find cannabis products. "That is a shame," Hossack says. "Given that California is a leader,you would
think we would have more cities that are online.... Prohibiting it isn't reaching the goals people want,
and prohibition doesn't work."
One key for successfully introducing a recreational cannabis facility in Evanston, Illinois, says Johanna
Nyden,the city's community development director, was educating the general public about the changes
that were afoot. Residents had many worries about the implications of legalizing recreational cannabis,
such as whether it would lead to an increase in crime or long lines outside the downtown dispensary
that would go from selling medical cannabis to selling recreational cannabis. (Neither of those things
happened.) City officials tried to share information before rumors could take hold, Nyden says, and
many of the state lawmakers from the area who authored Illinois's recreational cannabis law appeared
at community events to answer questions.
"As planners, we are often focused on the zoning and entitlement process, but we often miss the parts
that result in the knee-jerk reactions," says Johanna Nyden, community development director in
Evanston, Illinois.
"As planners, we are often focused on the zoning and entitlement process, but we often miss the parts
that result in the knee-jerk reactions," Nyden says.
Evanston, a Chicago suburb that is home to the main campus of Northwestern University, has only one
dispensary, and it's on city property. The store sits across from an art supply store and a movie theater,
and is so "innocuous"that you might not even notice it, she says.
But Evanston did attract national attention for how it plans to use its tax revenues on cannabis sales —
by using up to$10 million as reparations for the Black community that had been disproportionately
harmed by the war on drugs. City officials have not yet decided how to use the money,
but possibilities include grants to help Black residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969 (or
descendants of those residents) buy homes or building a new school in the historically Black area of
town.
While the reparations proposal came after the land-use changes, Nyden says it has been a good way to
acknowledge some of the "inherent hypocrisy" in allowing cannabis use now after decades of punishing
people, especially Black residents, for possessing small amounts of the drug.
Unintended consequences
Back in Denver, city council member CdeBaca says many of the current problems with industrial
cannabis sites were the result of poor planning early on. The city has put restrictions on where facilities
can be located, but many of the sites in Elyria-Swansea don't conform to those rules because the
structures predate them. What's more, the licenses of nonconforming sites can be transferred to new
owners and continue to operate, so there's no easy way to reduce the number of facilities in the area.
Page 29 of 39
The saturation of sites did eventually lead the city to stop issuing new licenses in 2016. Before it starts
giving out new ones, CdeBaca hopes to pass legislation that will encourage more Black and Hispanic
people to get those licenses, because the current owners are overwhelmingly white.
{
City council member Candi CdeBaca can see four industrial cannabis grow operations from her house in
the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood of Denver. Photo by David Kidd/Governing.
In fact, Denver's excise and license department is preparing the biggest update to its cannabis licensing
regulation since Colorado's first cannabis retailers opened in 2014. The "Marijuana 2.0" revisions are
expected to come before the council in March. They include new regulations to allow delivery services
and hospitality sales (where customers can use cannabis on their premises), says department
spokesperson Eric Escudero. Those regulations will also try to address equity concerns, he says. "People
who were most disproportionately negatively impacted by marijuana prohibition should benefit from
legalization," he says. "That means creating a market where more people get benefit, whether through
ownership or management or employment opportunities."
The rules would also try to prevent further saturation of neighborhoods with cannabis businesses by not
allowing any more licenses in the five most saturated areas of the city.
But the issue of concentration of existing facilities is complicated by Denver's approach to treat cannabis
as just another industry in terms of zoning. From a land-use perspective, you can currently grow
cannabis plants anywhere in the city where you can grow tomato plants. Any special requirements
regarding signage or security are part of the city's cannabis licensing process, not its zoning process.
"In terms of control and management, there's a lot of upside to regulating the business, as opposed to
the land use," says Tina Axelrad, the zoning administrator for the City and County of Denver. She called
the approach "brilliant," because it helps government agencies keep track of who owns the businesses
and whether they are fit for that role. It also easier to make sure that businesses comply with
regulations the city wants to impose, because business owners tend to react more quickly when their
annual license is at stake than when they have been cited for zoning violations.
"Zoning is just a tool to implement policy,"Axelrad says, "and if policy changes regarding where
marijuana growers should be located or should not be located in the city, the zoning will be adjusted."
But she says that the problems with the cannabis facilities are located are just part of a bigger problem
of how industrial activities affect some residential neighborhoods much more than others.
"Industrial zones,just like anywhere else in the U.S., tend to be a dumping ground for a lot of things that
we don't want in our commercial corridors," she says.
Page 30 of 39
Escudero, from the licensing agency, says Denver's regulatory scheme focused primarily on public safety,
whether that was ensuring that youth weren't exposed to cannabis or making sure that the possibility of
fires from manufacturing cannabis products was limited to industrial areas. "We're proud of our success
in doing that," he says, "because if Denver would have screwed this up, you would not have seen
legalization spreading to other communities across the U.S."
In the meantime, CdeBaca says the concentration of industry sites in her neighborhood is causing all
sorts of issues.The warehouses themselves "look like jails." With all the security features, residents
rarely interact with the people who work in the grow houses, and the owners of the facilities are rarely
around.
"It's a little dystopian in some sense, because it's this neighbor that we never meet," she said. "It's like a
fortress, but an ugly one."
As unsightly as the warehouses are,they are also driving up the price of the land that they sit on,
because there are limited areas within the city where those types of facilities can be located. The more
expensive land makes it harder to attract other kinds of businesses to the area and leads to higher
property taxes for nearby residents, which fuels displacement, CdeBaca says.
"Our property values are being driven up very high very fast, without the typical,visible gentrification
improvements," she says. "It looks exactly the same."
She says it's unfair to burden Black and Brown neighborhoods with the costs of hosting the industry for
the whole city or region. "Whiter, wealthier people want to buy their edibles, but they just don't want
the grows in their neighborhood," CdeBaca says.
She believes Denver should assess impact fees on the industry to improve the neighborhoods its
facilities are located in. "We're carrying this industry on our back, and it's creating such a revenue
stream, but we don't [get funds for the neighborhood]. It goes to the whole city to use how they want,
when only a small slice of the city is carrying the burden," she says.
That, she stressed, is an important factor for planners to keep that in mind as they decide where
facilities ought to be located as the cannabis industry expands.
"Don't layer on to the legacies of redlining," she says.
Daniel C. Vock is a public policy reporter based in Washington, D.C.
Page 31 of 39
FEMA
Emergency Management
VolumeMonthly Newsletter
• 2021
Resumption of EMI Resident adherence with capacity limits and maximize social
Training on the NETC Campus distancing.
• Closure of non-essential facilities such as the
You may have noticed through social media or via EMI's physical fitness center and the pub.
website that we will resume in-person, resident training
on the National Emergency Training Center(NETC) • Registered nurse available on campus on Sunday
campus starting the week of April Stn afternoons and during the day Monday through
Friday to assist with testing and attending to students
The NETC Management, Operations and Support and instructors who are COVID symptomatic.
Services Division, in conjunction with the EMI
management team,has worked tirelessly to develop Additional details regarding the new health and safety
COVID-19 protocols that are designed to protect the procedures can be found on the EMI website at:
health and safety of students and staff attending training, student
well me pa ket atovidl9.aspx or located in the
and comply with Centers for Disease Control and student welcome packet at:
Prevention Guidelines, Maryland State health https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/netc welco
regulations, and FEMA safety standards. me_package.pdVver=03162021
A few highlights of these new measures include:
• Limiting access to essential personnel. From the EMI Branches
• Daily temperature screening of all persons entering Emergency Management Professional
campus. Program (EMPP):
• Testing every 72 hours for all students,instructors, EMPP is offering Basic,Advanced,and Executive courses
and NETC staff in direct contact while engaged in through virtual delivery.
training activities -weekly testing for all others who
are not in contact with the above population. Upcoming Basic Academy Courses:
• Classroom and other facility capacity limits and • April 26-29, K0103 Planning: Emergency
room layouts designed to maximize social distancing. Operations
• Enhanced protocols,training, and equipment for • May 3-6, K0146 HSEEP Training Course
housekeeping staff to ensure classroom, dormitories, • May 10-21, KO101 Foundations of Emergency
and other congregate spaces are cleaned properly and Management
more frequently.
The Basic Academy is seeking regional partners to co-
• Enhanced food services procedures focused on sponsor a pilot of the LO 110 Train-the-Trainer course.
hygiene,physical barriers in food dispensing and Any interested RTMs should contact Jeff Januchowski
dining area,and assigned dining times to ensure Jeffrey j anuchowskikfema.dhs.gov or Rich Bashioum
Richard.bashioumkfema.dhs. og_v.
Page 32 of 39
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-loss
EMPP (continued): Preparedness:
The application period for the FY22 cohorts of the Pilot of electronic process for submitting L Course
Advanced Academy, Executive Academy, and Master
PIO Program opened April 1, 2021, and will run through packets:In an effort toward paper reduction,the
June 1, 2021. Look for the training announcements with Preparedness Branch has begun working with AHJs to
electronically submit course completion packages for
the application information. select off-campus "L"deliveries. For some courses,this
includes the use of online student applications (Form
Updated E/L/K0105 Public Information Basic: 119).
ELK0105, Public Information Basic has been revised to The procedure being tested for electronic submission of
better align with the Basic Academy and the Advanced course packets includes:
PIO courses. This was an in-house revision started in
April 2020. This revision combines content from When a course is approved for electronic submission,
E/L/G0290/0291 with E/L0105. The course expanded the EMI course manager and NETC Admissions
from 2 days (16 contact hours)to 3 days (24 contact work cooperatively to enter the course into the
hours). This revised training was validated through pilot NETC Portal.
deliveries in November and December 2020 in New Students attending the course are directed to
Jersey and Arkansas. complete an online application. The State Training
Major areas revised include: Officer approves the students for admission into the
course (this ensures that the STO retains control over
• New content on Crisis Communications course enrollment).
• New content on conference activity A roster of approved students is submitted to the
• Replaced the final exercise with a new JIC/JIS EMI course manager by the STO. Only those on this
activity roster will have their applications for the course
E/L/K0105 can be used as the prerequisite for the approved.
E/L/K0388 APIO course starting October 2020. The new Upon completion of the "L"course,the field delivery
course will start being delivered in FY21. POC,usually an STO, submits the following through
G0290 and G0291 are not a substitute for the E/L/K0105. email to close out the course:
They will be phased out, and EMI will no longer update ✓ Level I evaluations
or accept the courses as a prerequisite starting in FY23. ✓ Level II evaluation scores (pre-and post-course
States can use their own PIO instructors for this course. assessment)
States are highly encouraged to have their E/L/K0105 ✓ Daily sign-in
instructors attend the E/L/KO 110 Train-the-Trainer ✓ If enrollment was not through the online
course. EMI will assist with instructors if needed. admissions process mentioned above,the
Point of contact for E/L/K0105 is Jeff Januchowski, password-protected student applications (119
jeffrey.januchowskikfema.dhs. og_v Forms)must also be submitted electronically
This electronic approach is currently being piloted for
E/L/K0105 Public Information Basic Content: select deliveries in the Preparedness Branch. Please
• Strategic Communication check with the course manager for more detailed
• PIO Roles and Responsibilities information regarding which courses have begun
• Writing Skills Workshop implementing this process and to request electronic
• Interview Skills Level I evaluations.
• Crisis/Emergency Communications
• Media Relations at the Scene
• Information Coordination
• Wrap-Up Exercise
Page 33 of 39
Curriculum Standards (CSIT): credit. Additionally, EMI IS courses may be used to
Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Course complete an Associate of Applied Science Degree and
Accreditation: Through the Emergency Management several academic certificate programs through FCC.
Institute's (EMI)membership in various accreditation Information for these programs is available at
agencies, it is possible for our students to earn https://macem.org/Academic-Prografns.aspx.
transferable academic credit and Continuing Education International Association of Continuing Education
Units for completion of EMI courses. and Training (IACET): EMI courses are evaluated and
This accreditation provides assurance that EMI awarded CEUs in accordance with the standards
curriculum covers essential skills and knowledge needed established by the International Association of
in the emergency management profession and national Continuing Education and Training (IACET). These
recognition of quality of EMI training. Accreditation CEUs can be used in achieving and maintaining a variety
provides a flexible,portable, and efficient transfer of of certifications and qualification in the emergency
credits for individuals pursuing higher education and management and public safety fields. For additional
documents skills and competencies developed through information about IACET,please see their website at
training and other educational activities. For our http://www.iacet.org/ceus/about-the-ceu/.
stakeholders, it provides greater access to higher
education for their employees. For our students, it
promotes professional mobility and enhances Mitigation:
employment opportunities in positions that base Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants K0212 course
eligibility upon graduation from an accredited school or goes virtual: The K0212 HMA: Developing Quality
program. Application Elements course was fielded as a virtual
course the week of March 29-April 6, 2021. This course
EMI utilizes the following accreditation agencies: is for FEMA, State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial
audiences. The virtual course will be delivered for 7
American Council on Education (ACE): American consecutive days for a total of 28 hours of instruction
Council on Education's (ACE) College Credit time. Seats were added on a first-come,first-serve basis
Recommendation Service (CREDIT) connects workplace for FEMA workforce needing this training for their
learning with colleges and universities by helping adults Position Task Books. The K0212 course educates
gain access to academic credit for formal courses and students on the process of preparing and submitting
examinations taken outside the traditional academic quality Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant
classroom. As a member of ACE, EMI is able to provide Program's planning and project sub-application elements.
college credit recommendations for courses reviewed by At least two more offerings are planned within the next
ACE so that students can apply the training they have 6 months.
received through EMI to an academic degree program.
The list of EMI courses that have been reviewed and The Mitigation Branch continues to work with the
have received college credit recommendations is Building Science HQ program staff on virtual course
available at https://www.acenet.edu/National- conversions and deliveries for the Building Science
Guide/Pages/Organization.aspx?old=4c099b28-9016- community. Courses include:
e811-810f-506508bffle1. 1) K0312 Fundamentals ofBuilding Science was
Frederick Community College (FCC): Frederick delivered on March 8-23, 2021, in support of the
Puerto Rico Joint Regional Office and the FEMA
Community College (FCC)provides direct accreditation workforce for those needing the training for their
of EMI Independent Study(IS) courses. These online, Position Task Books. This virtual offering was
interactive courses provide foundational learning delivered in eight 4-hour morning sessions from
opportunities in emergency management, and the 0830-1230 EST. Thirty-six individuals completed the
accreditation provided by FCC allows students to use this training. Additional offerings will be scheduled as
training in completing undergraduate degree programs. needed to support the community.
Individuals may request college credit from FCC for EMI
IS courses at http://www.emstudy.com/, and provide
FCC transcripts to the college of their choice as transfer
Volume 1.Issue 4
Page 34 of 39
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2) K2460 Advanced Building Science Series I is organizations. IEMB's schedule of VTTXs continues
scheduled for April 12-20,2021. The 7-day course is unabated in the current pandemic environment with
comprised of 7 half-day modules 1 to 5 p.m. EST. VTTXs scheduled for an average of 6 days a month. The
Applications should be submitted via the NETC latest training bulletin for Fiscal Year 2021 VTTXs can
Online Admissions system. be found at: Training Bulletin-Master Exercise
The Mitigation Branch is also working with the Practitioner Program (MEPP) FY21 Application
Floodplain Management HQ program staff to increase fema. ov : o
instructor proficiency in the changes made to the https://training.fema.gov/emigrafns/2021/1645`/`20-
E/L0273 Managing Floodplain Development through the /o20training/o20bulletin/020-/o20vttx/o20fy2021.pdf
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) curriculum in April's VTTX offerings include:
August 2019 by offering K1274 Close-the-Gap Training April 6-8, 2021: Hurricane Scenario
for Current EL0273 Instructors. Two offerings of K1274
have been delivered with six more offerings planned for . Apri120-22, 2021: Cyber Scenario
this fiscal year. The next offering is scheduled for
April 19-23,2021. This is a virtual course that is Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP): In
delivered for 5 consecutive half-days. This is an February and March,the IEM Branch conducted two
invitation-only course for current E/L0273 instructors.A virtual offerings of the K0136 MEPP Capstone,the final
Train-the-Trainer course for new E/L0273 instructors is step in the Master Exercise Practitioner Program,where
planned for 2022. students demonstrate their proficiency in applying their
learning to an operations-based exercise that they have
Finally,the Mitigation Branch will be offering several in- designed, conducted, and evaluated. Two more K0136
person course offerings on the EMI campus in April.We MEPP Capstone courses are scheduled in Fiscal Year 21:
are scheduled to deliver two Hazus courses on campus in May 24-28, 2021, and August 23-27,2021.
the month of April. The E0174 Hazus for Earthquake
and Tsunami course is scheduled for April 12-15, and Integrated Emergency Management Courses (IEMC):
the E0177 Advanced Hazus course is scheduled for The IEM Branch continues to plan with nine Fiscal Year
April 26-29. 2021 IEMC communities to prepare for conduct of their
training/exercise events. IEMC communities that had to
As a reminder,the Mitigation Branch is still postpone their Fiscal Year 2020 and 2021 deliveries due
understaffed,working with a team of three Training to COVID will be re-scheduled in Fiscal Year 2022.
Specialists.We remain dedicated to meeting your needs
and training requests. Please send all Mitigation course Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
inquiries to: FEMA-EMI-MITkfema.dhs.gov. Training (HSEEP): All revised E/L/K0146 HSEEP
training material from the 2020 HSEEP doctrine update
Integrated Emergency Management(IEM): is approved by EMI for release and use within the
HSEEP community. The documents are uploaded to the
Virtual Table Top Exercises (VTTX): During the EMI Instructor Materials Download Application
month of February, 175 individuals from dozens of (IMDA). All Regional Training Managers (RTMs) and
counties,municipalities, corporate and non-profit State Training Officers (STOs)will be added to the
organizations,hospitals,and sports teams participated in Approved Instructor List(using their First Name,Last
at least one of five separate VTTXs. These exercises Name, and Email Address)by COB April 2, 2021. All
included the latest installment of a series of exercises for RTMs (FEMA staff)will use their PIV card for access,
Major League Baseball (10 teams attended the food and STOs (non FEMA staff)will use their Student
borne illness scenario VTTX);three VTTXs were Identification number(SID)to access the K/L0146
conducted in partnership with the Cybersecurity and HSEEP course material (IG, POI, SM, Pre-test, Post-test,
Infrastructure Security Agency; and two VTTXs were Videos, PowerPoints,Activities Guide,and Reference
conducted with an earthquake scenario. March has seen Material).You will receive an email with the link and
an additional installment of the Major League Baseball instructions to access the IMDA.
VTTXs with a severe weather scenario, and a flood
scenario VTTX with 40 attendees representing counties,
municipalities,health organizations, and non-profit
Page 35 of 39
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If you are planning on delivering aK/L0146 course,you EMI Program Points-of-Contact
will need to identify your instructors and submit your
request NLT 6 weeks prior to course delivery to the EMI EMI Branch Email
HSEEP Course Manager steven.cardinalkfema.dhs.gov
and cc fema-emi-iembkfema.dhs.gov. The 2013 CSIT matthew.pragerkfema.dhs.gov
E/L/K0146 training material is still being used to deliver
approved courses into 3rd quarter FY 2021. Please EMPP fema-emppkfema.dhs.gov
monitor the EMI HSEEP webpage for updates on
sunsetting the 2013 E/L/K0146 training material IEM fema-emi-iembkfema.dhs.gov
https://training.fema.gov/prografns/hseep.
Mission Support fema-ms-branchkfema.dhs.gov
New Course Released Mitigation fema-emi-mitkfema.dhs.gov
IS-403 Introduction to Individual Assistance (IA)
Preparedness fema-emi-
https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=I fema- anchkfema.dhs.gov
S-403
For More Information, Visit Response &Recovery fema-emi-RandRAfema.dhs. og_v
EMI Course Catalog.•EMI Course Catalog General EMI Inquiries emiactionofficekfema.dhs. og_v
(https://www.firstrespondertraining.gov/frtserver/catalog
s/EMI—course—catalog.pdf) Independent Study independent.studykfema.dhs.gov
EMI Course Schedule:Emergency Management NETC Admissions netcadmissionskfema.dhs.gov
Institute I Course Schedules
(https://training.fema.gov/emicourses/schedules.aspx)
List of EMIRrograms and Activities:Emergency Follow and participate with EMI on Twitter
Management Institute (EMI) I EMI Programs and (https:lltwitter.com/FEMA EMI), Facebook
Activities (https://training.fema.gov/programs/) (https:llwww.facebook.comIFEN1AEMI), and Linkedln
List of State Training Contacts:Emergency (https:llwww.link-edin.com/showcase/f�ema-training).
Management Institute (EMI)—EMI Programs and
Activities I State Training Officer Contact listing WEATHER THE STORM
(https://training.fema.gov/programs/aps/stolist.aspx) U(--EWNL011A—F TriF FLfv4k A P P
Independent Study Program FA Qs,
https://training.fema.gov/is/isfaq.aspx.
rmv—� f ALERTS SAFETY TIPS
Current Training Opportunities
Please refer to the EMI schedule for a complete list of + .;" "r r� PI-toios
upcoming course offerings: 6"
Emergency Management Institute I Course Schedules Download the FEMA Mobile App
(https://training.fema.gov/emicourses/schedules.aspx)
Click here to download the Qp:
https://www.fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-
app-text-message s
Page 36 of 39
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Page 38 of 39
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