HomeMy WebLinkAbout04052022 Planning & Zoning Minutes City of Sewar4 Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes
April 5, 2022 Volume 7, Page 526
CALL TO ORDER
The April 5, 2022 regular meeting of the Seward Planning & Zoning Commission was
called to order at 7:00 p.m.by Presiding Officer Clare Sullivan.
OPENING CEREMONY
Presiding Officer Clare Sullivan led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
Vacant presiding, and
Nathaniel Charbonneau Vanessa Verhey
Clare Sullivan (presiding) Victoria Monaco
Brenan Hornseth Troy Staggs
Comprising a quorum of the Commission; and
Jason Bickling, Community Development Director
Courtney Bringhurst,City Planner
Kris Peck,Acting City Clerk
Excused—None
Absent—None
Vacant—One
CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED
FOR PUBLIC HEARING—None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion (Charbonneau/Staggs) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Motion Passed Unanimous
The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items:
Approval of the March 1,2022 Regular Meeting Minutes.
SPECIAL ORDERS,PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS—None
City Administration Report. Community Development Director Jason Bickling said
his report was the list of current projects provided as a laydown.
City of Seward,Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting
April 5, 2022 Minutes Volume 7, Page 527
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Resolutions Requiring Public Hearing
Resolution 2022-005, A Resolution Of The Planning And Zoning Commission Of The City
Of Seward, Alaska, Granting A Conditional Use Permit To Kayak Adventures Worldwide
To Construct An Apartment With Two Or More Units Within A Commercial Building,On
Lots 34 & 35 & South 10 Feet Of Lot 36, Block 15, Original Townsite Of Seward; Located
At 328 Third Ave; Within A Central Business(CB)Zoning District.
Motion (Verhey/Hornseth) Approve Resolution 2022-005
City Planner Courtney Bringhurst said the area was not located within a flood zone.City
utilities were available in this location.On-street parking was available.The applicant has provided
parking spots, but most of their employees apparently didn't have cars. Public notice was sent to
property owners within 300 feet of this location. Community Development recommended the
resolution be passed.
Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the
public hearing was opened
Kelly Ann Cavaretta spoke in full support of passing this resolution. She said this was
exactly the type of invigoration the central business needed. Plus, it would provide more housing
for employees on site.
Trent Gould said he worked at Kayak Adventures for 10 years. The company itself had
been at the site for 30 years and their business had outgrown the current house on site. He was
available to answer any questions.
No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed
Motion Passed Unanimous
Resolution 2022-006, A Resolution Of The Planning And Zoning Commission Of The City
Of Seward, Alaska, Recommending City Council And Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval
Of The Preliminary Replat Of Dairy Hill Subdivision Tracts 1-5, Tract 5; Located At 212
Dairy Hill Lane; Creating Dairy Hill Subdivision Addition No. 1,With Two New Lots,Lot 1
&2,And A Remaining Tract,Tract 5A.
Motion (Verhey/Hornseth) Approve Resolution 2022-006
Bringhurst said this area was located in a flood zone,which meant it would have to follow
requirements regarding floodplain management. Property owners within 300 feet were notified.
The recommendation from staff was to approve the resolution.
City of Sewarcl Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting
April 5, 2022 Minutes Volume 7,Page 528
Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the
public hearing was opened.
Carol Griswold said she recommended postponement due to technical errors and what she
felt was an incomplete packet.The streams and wetlands should have been shown on the plat.The
slope west of Scheffler Creek looked steep and needed to be confirmed.There was a potential lack
of emergency access of easement. All of the lots, not just 1 and 2,should be addressed.
Josh Varney said his client's intention was to responsibly develop this tract.
No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed.
Motion to Postpone (Charbonneau/Staggs) Postpone Resolution 2022-006 to May 3,
2022.
Charbonneau wanted more information on the salmon stream, wetlands, and flooding
issues. He felt there was a lot of information that was missing.
Staggs felt there were a lot of issues that weren't looked into and he still had many
questions.
Motion to Postpone Passed Unanimous
Resolution 2022-007, A Resolution Of The Planning And Zoning Commission Of The City
Of Seward, Alaska, Recommending City Council Approval Of The Land Use Amendment
To Rezone Lot 1 & 2, Dairy Hill Subdivision Addition No. 1; From Resource Management
(RM)Zoning District To Auto-Commercial(AC) Zoning District.
Motion (Charbonneau/Verhey) Approve Resolution 2022-007
Bringhurst said Lots 1 & 2 in the Dairy Hill Subdivision were rezoned to resource
management in 1992 and remained since then. The staff's recommendation was to approve
Resolution 2022-007.
Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the
public hearing was opened
David Kingsland had lived in the Dairy Hill area for 22 years and witnessed major floods
three times through Lots 1 &2. Scheffler Creek was also a critical salmon habitat.Four species of
salmon utilized the area to spawn,as well as stickleback fish. He wanted to emphasis the area was
in a serious floodplain and encouraged folks to read his comments that were included in the packet.
Carol Griswold said this resolution lacked a valid public process.No majority of property
owners were notified as required by code. This rezone was not supported by the future land use
map.The resolution should note the Lots 1 &2 must comply with the floodplain code.The rezone
to auto commercial included many more uses that might occur outside of the scope of the
City of SewarcZ Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting
April 5,2022 Minutes Volume 7, Page 529
applicant's intentions. The area contained salmon streams,habitat, eagle nests, springs,wetlands.
Development would create noise and disturbance to these areas. There were currently 18 lots in
city limits zoned AC that were better located.Griswold quoted from the 2030 Comprehensive Plan
Volume 1 by stating, "2.2.2 We value clean air, clean water and a healthy natural environment.
2.0.11 Promote and protect wild salmon habitat 3.2.1.1 Develop and adopt open space overlay
district and 3.8.1.5 Control Development on lands subject to risks from floods and steep slopes."
She urged P&Z to support code and deny this resolution.
Steve Leirer said Lots 1&2 were on fairly dry ground. It was not suitable for housing,but
it needed to be developed into something. There had been an interest for auto commercial zoning
to support the nearby harbor industry. Contrary to what other people said, Scheffler Creek was
actually not a big producer of salmon. Lots 1 &2 were separate from the lots up on the hillside and
there was also a triangular piece of land which could support 10-15 housing units which would be
a good addition to Seward. Leirer emphasized that he had institutional knowledge of the area.
Kelly Hatfield felt the residents of Seward wanted the area to stay as resource
management. Making a huge jump in zoning from resource management to auto commercial was
not something that was historically done. Hatfield emphasized that going from wetlands to gas
stations/repair shops that would dump hazardous materials into the ground was a big jump.
No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed
Motion to Postpone(Charbonneau/Verhey) Postpone Resolution 2022-007 to May 3,
2022.
Charbonneau wanted to postpone the resolution due to incomplete paperwork and wanted
more time to gather public input.
Motion to Postpone Passed Unanimous
Resolution 2022-008, A Resolution Of The Planning And Zoning Commission Of The City
Of Seward,Alaska, Granting A Conditional Use Permit To Zimmerman Investments LLC
To Construct A 4-Plex, On Lot 40, Block 2, Gateway Subdivision Addition No. 1; Located
At 2011 Dunham Drive; Within A Multi-Family Residential (R3) Zoning District.
Motion (Charbonneau/Monaco) Approve Resolution 2022-008
Bringhurst said the proposed structure met the zoning codes. The area was not within a
flood zone and there were city utilities available. The plan showed there would be 10 parking
spaces,however the application would need to meet stall dimensions.Property owners nearby had
been notified. The staff's recommendation was to approve this resolution.
Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the
public hearing was opened.
City of Sewarcl Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting
April 5, 2022 Minutes Volume 7, Page 530
Carol Griswold said it was commendable that this developer wanted to make more
housing. However,the 10 parking spaces were based on 7' x 12' spaces which did not meet city
code. The maneuvering space was inadequate; for example, vehicles in spaces 1-3 would have to
back up a considerable distance to turn around.There was also a lack of storage space for residents.
She questioned where the areas for trash cans,dumpsters,and snow storage were.Considering this
busy neighborhood, Griswold also wondered about a landscaping plan or sidewalks. Lastly,there
was no guarantee these would provide housing as they could potentially be used for nightly
lodging.
Phil Zimmerman thought eight parking spaces were all that were needed.There would be
plenty of room on this lot to accommodate the dumpsters,snow removal,and storage.If there were
any oversights he could take care of it right away.Zimmerman said he was available for questions
anytime and was always on his phone unfortunately.
Sharon Stevens-Ganser said she was currently building a home near the 4-plex.City code
did in-fact require at least 10 parking spaces there.The map provided lacked measurements of the
spaces for vehicles.These parking issues needed to be included in the plan.
Rob Chadwell was not happy with the idea of having a multi-family housing right up
against his back yard and wanted more information and time. He felt conflicted because he knew
we need more housing. At the very least he asked for a privacy fence between his house and the
4-plex.
No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed.
Charbonneau said he had concerns with the parking as well and wanted to see the maps
have more information in the future.
Motion Passed Unanimous
UNFINISHED BUSINESS—None
NEW BUSINESS
Other New Business Items
Nominate and elect a Chair.
Charbonneau nominated Sullivan as chair. There were no other nominations.
Motion (Charbonneau/Verhey) Elect Clare Sullivan as Chair with a term
to expire February,2023.
Motion Passed tinaninious .
Nominate and elect a Vice Chair.
City of Seward,Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting
April 5, 2022 Minutes Volume 7, Page 531
Charbonneau nominated Verhey as Vice Chair. There were no other nominations.
Motion (Charhonneau/Staggs) Elect Vanessa Verhey as Vice Chair with a
term to expire February,2023.
Motion Passed Unanimous
Set work session topic for April 19,2022.
Bickling wanted to discuss short term rentals and address issues around those rentals.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS
Reminder:April 19, 2022 Planning and Zoning work session at 6:00 p.m.
Reminder:May 3, 2022 regular meeting at 7:00 p.m.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
Phil Zimmerman said it was refreshing to see people getting a different view of
development in Seward.
COMMISSION AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS
Charbonneau wanted to thank the staff for their hard work.
Verhey welcomed the new commissioners and encouraged everyone to keep on trucking.
Sullivan wanted to learn more about different areas in town in regards to housing and
hoped to get everyone on the same page down the road.
Bickling thanked everyone for all their service.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:52 p.m.
Kris Peck Cla e Sullivan
Acting City Clerk ..•1f111/i•.•• Presiding Officer
(City Seal) ,0.1 OF SE� •••\
o:
• = SEAL I • c
•
•
OF A
,'••1111111111S�,,