OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Anchorage Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting – July 6, 2026

Assembly & Committee Meetings — Tuesday, July 7, 2026
BodyAnchorage, Alaska
SessionAssembly & Committee Meetings
DateTuesday, July 7, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 33:30
Transcript — Verbatim
0:04

Okay, we will call the July 6th meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission to order and we please have the roll call.

0:12

Andre Spinelli.

0:13

Here.

0:14

Jared Gardner.

0:15

Here.

0:15

Radica Krishna.

0:16

Here.

0:17

Scott Pullis.

0:18

Here.

0:19

Am Abaza.

0:21

Here.

0:21

Megan Mills.

0:22

Here.

0:23

Edith McKee.

0:24

Here.

0:25

Jeff Ron and Brandy Eber.

0:26

Excuse.

0:27

Do you have a quorum?

0:28

Thank you.

0:30

First item of business is there a motion to approve the minutes from Monday, June 1st and June 8th.

0:42

It's moved by Commissioner Pullis, seconded by Commissioner Abaza.

0:47

Any discussion on the minutes?

0:53

Any objections?

0:56

Hearing none, minutes are approved.

1:02

Next is special order of business.

1:04

Are there any disclosures from the commission?

1:08

Yes.

1:09

Commissioner Krishna.

1:11

Yes, I was absent for the June 8th meeting, and I'll abstain from voting on the resolutions that are before us today that were heard at the June 8th meeting.

1:20

Thank you.

1:21

Any other disclosures, Commissioner Gardner?

1:24

Thank you.

1:24

I was absent from the June 1st meeting and will abstain from voting on ResO 2026-026.

1:33

Um next item, the consent agenda.

1:40

May we have a motion to approve the consent agenda.

1:48

That is moved by Commissioner McKee.

1:51

Seconded by Commissioner Mills.

1:56

Anyone wishing to poll any items?

2:01

Any objection?

2:04

Hearing none.

2:05

Consent agenda is approved.

2:10

Now we are moving on to the public hearings.

2:15

First, I'll just mention that case 2026-0069 and 2026-0078 have been postponed.

2:24

So if you're here to testify on those, those cases will not be heard tonight.

2:30

Now I'll read the procedure by which the public may speak to the commission at its meetings.

2:35

After staff presentation is completed on public hearing items, the chair will ask for public testimony on the issue.

2:42

Persons who wish to testify will follow the time limits established in the commission rules of procedure.

2:48

Petitioners, including his or her representatives, will receive 10 minutes.

2:52

Part of this time may be reserved for rebuttal.

2:55

Representatives of groups, community councils, PTAs, etc.

2:58

Five minutes.

2:59

Individuals, three minutes.

3:00

When your testimony is complete, you may be asked questions by the commission.

3:04

You may only testify once on any issue unless questioned by the commission.

3:08

Commission recommendations to the Anchorage Assembly are not appealable.

3:17

Please silence your cell phones.

3:30

Thank you, Mr.

3:31

Chair.

3:31

This is a rezon request initiated by the Don Young Port of Alaska to amend the zoning map for a portion of a tract or land from I2 Heavy Industrial District to PR Parks and Recreation District.

3:43

The plat for this portion of land was approved at the planning board meeting last Wednesday.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████57%
Procedural██████████████████23%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████18%
Strategic Planning██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Anchorage Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting – July 6, 2026

The Anchorage Planning and Zoning Commission met on July 6, 2026, to consider several rezoning requests and a proposed ordinance amendment. The meeting included approvals of consent agenda items, public hearings on three cases (with two postponed), and a discussion of upcoming long-range planning projects.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes from the June 1, 2026 and June 8, 2026 meetings were approved unanimously.
  • Commissioner Krishna disclosed she was absent for the June 8 meeting and would abstain from voting on resolutions heard that day.
  • Commissioner Gardner disclosed he was absent for the June 1 meeting and would abstain from voting on ResO 2026-026.
  • The consent agenda was approved without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Case 2026-0069 and 2026-0078 were postponed and not heard.
  • Two public hearings were held: on rezoning cases 2026-0049 and 2026-007. No public testimony was offered for either case.
  • A public hearing on case 2026-0073 (ordinance on perimeter landscaping) also drew no public testimony.

Discussion Items

  • Case 2026-0049 (Rezone I2 to PR – Don Young Port of Alaska): Staff presented a proposal to rezone 7.9 acres from I2 Heavy Industrial to PR Parks and Recreation. The rezone is subject to the recording of a replat that resolves right-of-way issues identified by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF). The planning department determined all three abbreviated rezoning criteria were met. The petitioner (Mike Forsinski, PTS) stated that a 30-foot right-of-way along East Bluff Road would be dedicated and a note added to the plat preserving a floating right-of-way for future Kinick Arm Bridge access. The department confirmed DOT&PF’s objections would be resolved prior to finalization of the rezone.
  • Case 2026-007 (Rezone R5 to R2D – Abbott Loop Area): Staff presented a proposal to rezone approximately 0.27 acres from R5 (low density residential) to R2D (two-family residential), consistent with the Anchorage 2040 land use plan. The planning department found all three criteria met, with no public or agency opposition. The petitioner (Tony Hoffman of the Bouteille Company) had no additional comments.
  • Case 2026-0073 (Ordinance on Site Perimeter Landscaping): Luke Bertram from Long Range Planning presented an ordinance to exempt three- and four-family lots from site perimeter landscaping requirements (L2 buffers) while still requiring one tree per lot and ground cover under Title 21.07.080E4. The exemption is intended to streamline development of three- and four-plexes, consistent with prior policy direction to treat them like single-family homes. Commissioners discussed the practical effect of the exemption and the deletion of confusing language regarding “part of a subdivision.”
  • Title 21 Discussion: Daniel Kenfoster from Long Range Planning provided an update on upcoming work: a wetlands case (phase 1.5) expected next week, B3 cases next week, unit lot renoticing next month, and a parks and recreation use amendment in September. A full work plan will be presented to the commission in August.

Key Outcomes

  • Case 2026-0049: Motion to recommend approval of the rezone from I2 to PR, subject to recording of a suitable replat, passed (no vote tally provided, but all present voted in favor).
  • Case 2026-007: Motion to recommend approval of the rezone from R5 to R2D passed (no vote tally provided).
  • Case 2026-0073: Motion to recommend approval of the ordinance amending Chapter 21.07 regarding perimeter landscaping passed (no vote tally provided).
  • Meeting adjourned without further action.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, we will call the July 6th meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission to order and we please have the roll call. Andre Spinelli. Here. Jared Gardner. Here. Radica Krishna. Here. Scott Pullis. Here. Am Abaza. Here. Megan Mills. Here. Edith McKee. Here. Jeff Ron and Brandy Eber. Excuse. Do you have a quorum? Thank you. First item of business is there a motion to approve the minutes from Monday, June 1st and June 8th. It's moved by Commissioner Pullis, seconded by Commissioner Abaza. Any discussion on the minutes? Any objections? Hearing none, minutes are approved. Next is special order of business. Are there any disclosures from the commission? Yes. Commissioner Krishna. Yes, I was absent for the June 8th meeting, and I'll abstain from voting on the resolutions that are before us today that were heard at the June 8th meeting. Thank you. Any other disclosures, Commissioner Gardner? Thank you. I was absent from the June 1st meeting and will abstain from voting on ResO 2026-026. Um next item, the consent agenda. May we have a motion to approve the consent agenda. That is moved by Commissioner McKee. Seconded by Commissioner Mills. Anyone wishing to poll any items? Any objection? Hearing none. Consent agenda is approved. Now we are moving on to the public hearings. First, I'll just mention that case 2026-0069 and 2026-0078 have been postponed. So if you're here to testify on those, those cases will not be heard tonight. Now I'll read the procedure by which the public may speak to the commission at its meetings. After staff presentation is completed on public hearing items, the chair will ask for public testimony on the issue. Persons who wish to testify will follow the time limits established in the commission rules of procedure. Petitioners, including his or her representatives, will receive 10 minutes. Part of this time may be reserved for rebuttal. Representatives of groups, community councils, PTAs, etc.

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