Session 10-04, a Regular Meeting of the Homer Advisory Planning Commission was called to order by Vice Chair Kranich at 7:06 p.m. on March 3, 2010 at the City Hall Cowles Council Chambers located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.

 

PRESENT:      COMMISSIONER BOS, DRUHOT, HIGHLAND, KRANICH

 

ABSENT:        COMMISSIONER MINSCH, SINN

 

STAFF:                   CITY PLANNER ABBOUD  

                   DEPUTY CITY CLERK JACOBSEN

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 

The agenda was approved by consensus of the Commission.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

The public may speak to the Planning Commission regarding matters on the agenda that are not scheduled for public hearing or plat consideration.  (3 minute time limit).

                  

There were no public comments.

 

RECONSIDERATION

 

No reconsiderations were scheduled.

 

ADOPTION OF CONSENT AGENDA

All items on the consent agenda are considered routine and non-controversial by the Planning Commission and are approved in one motion.   There will be no separate discussion of these items unless requested by a Planning Commissioner or someone from the public, in which case the item will be moved to the regular agenda and considered in normal sequence. 

 

A.       Approval of Minutes of February 17, 2010                                                 

 

The consent agenda was approved by consensus of the Commission.

 

PRESENTATIONS

 

No presentations were scheduled.

 

REPORTS

 

A.       Staff Report PL 10-21, City Planner’s Report                         

 

City Planner Abboud reviewed the staff report.

 

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Testimony limited to 3 minutes per speaker. The Commission conducts Public Hearings by hearing a staff report, presentation by the applicant, hearing public testimony and then acting on the Public Hearing items.  The Commission may question the public.  Once the public hearing is closed the Commission cannot hear additional comments on the topic.  The applicant is not held to the 3 minute time limit.

 

A.       Staff Report PL 10-18         Draft Ordinance 10-10, Draft Ordinance 10-XX of the City Council of Homer, Alaska, Amending Homer City Code 21.24.030 to Add Public, Private, Trade, Skilled or Industrial Schools as a Conditional Use in the General Commercial One (GC1) Zoning District

                  

City Planner Abboud reviewed the staff report.

 

Vice Chair Kranich opened the public hearing. There was no public present to comment and the public hearing was closed.

 

There was brief discussion regarding finding six and adding “which would constitute a reduction in value” at the end of the sentence. They also noted the need for buffers and precedence for commercial development in the district.

 

BOS/DRUHOT MOVED TO ADOPT DRAFT ORDINANCE 10-10.

 

There was brief discussion of the motion. Vice Chair Kranich clarified that voting yes would send the message to Council that the Commission supports allowing schools as a conditional use in the GC1 zoning district and voting no would send the message to Council that the Commission does not support allowing schools as a conditional use in the GC1 zoning district.

 

VOTE: NO: BOS, DRUHOT, HIGHLAND, KRANICH

 

Motion failed.

 

BOS/HIGHLAND MOVED TO ADOPT FINDINGS 1-9 IN STAFF REPORT 10-18.

 

HIGHLAND/BOS MOVED TO AMEND FINDING 6 CHANGING THE PERIOD AT THE END TO A COMMA AND ADDING “WHICH COULD REDUCE PROPERTY VALUES.”

 

There was brief discussion.

 

VOTE: (Primary Amendment) NON OBJECTION: UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

 

Motion carried.

 

There was brief discussion.

 

VOTE: (Main motion as amended): NON OBJECTION: UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

 

Motion carried.

 

PLAT CONSIDERATION

         

No plats were scheduled for consideration.

 

PENDING BUSINESS

 

A.       Staff Report PL 10-20, Appointment to the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)                                              

There was discussion of the TAC meeting schedule and business items. The Commission agreed to address this at the March 17th meeting.              

 

B.       Staff Report PL 10-17, Land Allocation Plan

 

Commissioner Highland raised questions and commented regarding some of the parcels in the plan:

 

·         C9- Confirmed that is land that is designated as the Town Center.

·         C8- The parcel should be added to Hornaday Park since there is no access, it is adjacent to the park and it is steep.

·         C11- Designate as conservation since it is mostly wetlands.

·         C12- Designate as park land or conservation.

·         C13- It is 100% wetlands so designate as park or conservation open space

·         C14-35.16 acres coastal wetlands and critical habitat flood hazard area, so designate as conservation open space.

·         C15- Little to no developable area due to erosion, take it off the tax rolls.

·         C16- Complete the process of the EVOS property purchase and place into a conservation easement.

·         C17- Discussion of drainage issues.

·         E7- Discussion of Lillian Walli subdivision development issues.

·         E23- Discussion of Mariner Park designation.

 

There was discussion that a lot of those areas are wetlands but if there is a public purpose, and you need them in the future it would be impossible to develop if there is a conservation easement in place. A conservation easement stays on a property for ever. There was also discussion of EVOS and conservation restrictions, locations and uses of parcels, and status of eminent domain proceedings on property for the water treatment plant.

 

There was consensus of the Commission to have this on the next agenda or worksession.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

No new business items were scheduled.                                                             

 

INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS

         

No informational materials were provided.

 

COMMENTS OF THE AUDIENCE

Members of the audience may address the Commission on any subject.  (3 minute time limit)  

 

No audience was present to comment.

 

COMMENTS OF STAFF

 

Staff had no comments.

 

COMMENTS OF THE COMMISSION

 

Commissioner Bos commented that it was a good meeting with a skeleton crew. It was a good worksession with the Port and Harbor Commission and he hopes we are not too stuck on just the parking issues.

 

Commissioner Druhot said it was a good worksession and is concerned that the Port and Harbor Commission is stuck on the parking. She hopes to have more worksessions with them.

 

Commissioner Highland she said this is her first time to see the Homer Spit Comp Plan and she knows there a lot of people who will be interested in the plan. She questioned how they find out about it. She thinks if more people would have been aware of it they would have been here tonight. City Planner Abboud explained that as with all other public hearings and meetings, it is in the regular clerk’s advertisements, posted to kiosks, and the radio report. Deputy City Clerk Jacobsen commented that there were bright colored inserts in the news papers for the Draft Comprehensive Plan meetings, and that might happen for this one as well. City Planner Abboud said that would probably start to happen in April. Commissioner Highland commented that she is very interested in the Stormwater Management Plan and wants to know how they can get the process started for a complete plan. She thinks they should start sooner than later. She brought up the idea a 4 E’s concept that she would like to get some traction with. It is Economy, Environmental, Energy, and Ethics. She would like to see if there is a way to use it as a template process for decision making, checking off the 4 E’s to make sure we get them all. City Planner Abboud said they would bring the worklist to them on their next agenda for discussion. She noted seeing heliports in residential and urban residential zoning. She is trying to figure out how to get it out of there and only for schools or hospital. She asked how she would have an opportunity to comment regarding steep slopes since it has been addressed by the Commission previously. It was explained that it will be before them again for the public hearing so she will have an opportunity. She thanked the Commission for their patience.

 

Vice Chair Kranich said it was a good meeting. He noted that her 4 E’s sound very similar to a definition of sustainable development in an article from one of their planning magazines. He will find it and bring it in. He hopes that they will keep Chair Minsch and her husband in their thoughts and prayers.

 

ADJOURN

Meetings adjourn promptly at 10 p.m. An extension is allowed by a vote of the Commission. Notice of the next regular or special meeting or work session will appear on the agenda following “adjournment”.

 

There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting adjourned at 8:16 p.m. The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for March 3, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Cowles Council Chambers. There is a worksession at 5:30 p.m. prior to the meeting.

 

 

                                                         

MELISSA JACOBSEN, CMC, DEPUTY CITY CLERK

 

Approved: