CITY OF HOMER
HOMER, ALASKA
RESOLUTION 01-25(S)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOMER, ALASKA TO
ESTABLISH A STEEP SLOPE TASK FORCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING A PROPOSED
ORDINANCE CODIFYING STANDARDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE
STEEP SLOPE AREAS.
WHEREAS,
there exists within the City of Homer certain sensitive geographic steep slope
areas; and
WHEREAS,
certain of these areas characterized by slope, other topographical factors, and
geographical conditions which, if disturbed for purposes of development, can
cause physical damage to public or private property; and
WHEREAS,
certain slope areas if disturbed for purposes of development can decrease the
aesthetics of the City’s topography; and
WHEREAS,
the City of Homer does not through code specify conditions for any type of
development where due to the topography, disturbance of the natural environment
may create situations which are detrimental to the public health, safety, and
welfare; and
WHEREAS,
the City of Homer should prevent physical damage to public and private property
and to retain the natural terrain features and aesthetic quality of Homer; and
WHEREAS,
the Planning Department is the appropriate entity to oversee this task force
and the Department now has a Director in place; and
WHEREAS,
it is also the intent of the City Council to permit a certain degree of
development flexibility to protect the environment of slope areas as well as
encourage innovative design solutions if practical.
Page Two
Resolution
01-25
City of
Homer
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of Homer, Alaska that:
1. A Steep
Slope Task Force is established for the purpose of defining guidelines
addressing steep slope development and to submit a proposed ordinance for
consideration that includes standards for the development of environmentally
sensitive steep slope areas.
2. The
Steep Slope Task Force should consider, but not be limited to addressing the
following conditions in a proposed steep slope ordinance:
A. Defining the meaning of steep
slope in Homer,
B. Identifying how a steep slope
in Homer is to be delineated,
C. Determine how a steep slope in
Homer might be protected through buffered land,
D. Identify how and if steep slope
terrain may be exempt from sensitive area requirements,
E. Determine if development
activity in steep slope hazard areas may be permitted under certain conditions,
F. Identify conditions providing
for or preventing vegetation removal or introduction,
G. Establish conditions for the
construction of public and private utilities in steep slope areas,
H. Include a vegetation and soils
management plan for view creation and maintenance and construction on steep
slopes,
I. Define conditions for existing
structure modification,
J. Include a process in which
development proposals for sensitive area tracts to include subdivisions, lot
line adjustments, variance requests, conditional use permits and reasonable use
requests, which contain steep slope areas, will be required to set aside the sensitive
area in a separate preservation tract. This tract will be recorded on all
documents of title or record for all affected lots.
K. It is understood that this list
of considerations for steep slope development is not comprehensive and the
Resolution 01-25
City of Homer
development process will require further research and study by Task Force membership with opportunity for public input.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the
Council that the Steep Slope Task Force shall be created and membership shall
be appointed by the Mayor of the City of Homer. The Steep Slope Task Force is directed to return a proposal in
the form of a draft ordinance that includes standards for the development of
environmentally sensitive steep slope areas no later than the Fall of 2001.
PASSED AND
ADOPTED by the City of Homer, Alaska this _____day of April, 2001.
CITY
OF HOMER
____________________________
Attest: JACK
CUSHING, MAYOR
____________________________________
MARY L
CALHOUN, CMC, CITY CLERK