MEMORANDUM 06-32

TO: MAYOR HORNADAY AND CITY COUNCIL

FROM: DENNIS NOVAK, COUNCILMEMBER

DATE: FEBRUARY 22, 2006

SUBJ: Request of the City Council of the City of Homer, Alaska Amending Homer City Zoning Map to Rezone to Central Business District (CBD), Portions of Rural Residential (RR) and Portions of Urban Residential (UR) Zoning Districts fronting on the Sterling Highway West Hill Area to the South West Boundary of the Central Business District (CBD).

Resolution 06-19 passed 2-13-06 initiates the process directing the planning staff to write an ordinance to create a new zoning district defining commercial and residential use along the Sterling highway from the Baycrest Hill city limits to the Bidarka Inn. This is to be called the Gateway Zoning District within which there will be newly defined commercial use on the Sterling Highway past West Hill to the Bidarka Inn and at the top of the hill on the Sterling Highway from the western city limits. A residential area exists on Baycrest Hill between the two commercial zones on both ends of the Gateway District.

The joint city council / planning commission meeting on 2-6-06 defined the establishment of the Gateway Zoning District to define rezoning along portions of the Sterling Highway within the district as an item on the joint priority list for this year. It is reasonable to assume that the zoning area from West Hill to the Bidarka Inn would be looked at first along with a total Gateway overlay concept that would apply to all areas. A public meeting to discuss the Gateway district as been tentatively set by the planning department for March 21st with invitations to be sent out to all property owners in the district within 600 feet of the highway.

This project will significantly add to the work load of the planning staff and the planning commission. It was recognized and agree on at the joint city council and planning commission meeting that is important to stay focused on priorities. Which means piling excess work on the planning department and the planning commission to the point that they cannot focus on the stated priorities would be counter productive. Every request of the planning department that involves the public process requires the planning staff to spend a large amount of time on research and reports for public presentation. It is important to recognize that day to day activities that are ongoing in planning take up the majority of the planning departments work day. So, when making requests of the planning department is important to consider the processes that each request sets in motion with regard to work load and staff time.

Therefore, based on the ongoing processes already in place Ordinance 06-11 should not be introduced.