Anchorage Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - August 11, 2026

The Anchorage Planning and Zoning Commission met on August 11, 2026 (the chair's opening referred to the "August 10th meeting," a discrepancy with the recorded meeting date). A quorum was present; Commissioner Scott Pillow was excused. The commission took action on an information item and four public hearing items: the Border Drive corridor concept report, the Girdwood Parks Master Plan, the AMATS Mountain Air Drive extension review, the Chugach Electric Campbell Lake Substation conditional use and variances, and the Potter Marsh Watershed Park Master Plan. No consent calendar was presented.

Roll Call and Disclosures

• Commissioner Edith McKee disclosed that she works with MOA and the State of Alaska but has no prior knowledge or financial interest in cases 2026-0101 and 2026-0100.
• Commissioner Jeff Ron disclosed that his company does business with the petitioner's representative, Corvus Design, on an unrelated matter for case 2026-0100; he stated no personal or financial interest and was allowed to participate.

Consent Calendar

• None. No routine or unanimous consent items were on the agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Girdwood Parks Master Plan: Brian Burnett, Parks and Recreation Supervisor for the Girdwood Board of Supervisors, spoke in support of approval, describing the plan as the result of many opportunities for community input. He said he could not immediately answer a commissioner question about whether he would support revising the plan to address Alaska DOT&PF comments.
• Mountain Air Drive Extension: James Michael, a lifelong Anchorage resident, stated support for constructing the road but raised concerns that the project may not fulfill the federal grant's stated purpose of emergency access and egress because it does not connect to Jamie Avenue and further into Bear Valley; he also expressed appreciation for the project not placing non-motorized pathways on the west side of the road. Chelsea Bailey and Brett McKinnon, owners of 15985 Mountain Air Drive, opposed the current design's impacts on their property, saying it would cut about 45 feet into their parcel, remove their only usable yard, and endanger their well; they asked the commission to require updated surveys and localized design alternatives, and submitted a memo to the commission.
• Campbell Lake Substation: Janice Zilko, speaking on behalf of adjacent homeowners Nathan and Taylor Stevens, argued that the proposed design places a disproportionate burden on the family next door, with two 15-foot-tall transformers less than 25 feet from the home, and that the proposal does not meet conditional use criteria 4 or 7 or variance standards; she requested additional landscaping, including columnar trees, to screen the concrete and security wire. Bruce Schulte, president of the Southport Master Association, said the new process and design were greatly improved but that Mr. Stevens' concerns are legitimate and the visual-screening issue is solvable; he encouraged Chugach Electric to reach a resolution with the neighbor.
• Potter Marsh Watershed Park: No public testimony was offered.

Discussion Items

• Border Drive Corridor Concept Report (Case 2026-0101): DOT&PF Project Manager Rory Van Nortwick presented the concept report for reconstructing approximately 0.77 miles of Border Drive between Arctic Boulevard and Dowling Road, with four street concept options. Commissioner Jeff Ron questioned why on-street bicycle lanes were not buffered or protected and asked whether safety data supports focusing on one roadway user group; DOT&PF said those items would be addressed in future traffic analysis. Commissioner Edith McKee suggested a protected cycle-track design using a 5-foot bike lane with a 1-foot tactile buffer and curb relocation, and also praised the proposal's 11-foot travel lanes and 6-foot bike lanes. Commissioner Jared Gardner asked for clarification of the relationship between the AMATS non-motorized plan and the Official Streets and Highways Plan; DOT&PF agreed to consider clarifications. The commission then voted to accept the context-sensitive solutions transportation project review for the AMATS Potter Drive Rehabilitation.
• Girdwood Parks Master Plan (Case 2026-0078): Staff reported that reviewing agencies had no objection, but that the State of Alaska and Long-Range Planning submitted substantive comments; the Girdwood Board of Supervisors provided a resolution of support. Long-range planner Daniel McKenna Foster explained that the parks master plan is not an element of the Girdwood Comprehensive Plan, which is why consistency with the Comp Plan matters. Applicant Peyton Johnson responded to the three inconsistency findings identified by long-range planning: indoor recreation spaces, expanded vehicle parking at parks, and a mixed-use parcel. Johnson argued that parks are permitted in mixed-use designations, that the parking improvements are upgrades not new lots, and that the proposed parkland is consistent with the Comp Plan. Commissioner Hallie Abaza raised DOT&PF comments about encroachments and a proposed FAA land swap; staff said the commission could add such a condition. A motion to approve with the conditions on page 2 of the staff report passed; a proposal to add a third condition addressing DOT&PF comments was not incorporated.
• AMATS Mountain Air Drive Extension (Case 2026-0095): Staff presented the 65% plans-in-hand review for less than a mile of rural collector roadway connecting Sandpiper Drive to Rabbit Creek Road, providing secondary access for Fire Station 10, Bear Valley Elementary, and residences. The planning department recommended approval with conditions. Project manager Connor Eshelman (DOT&PF) and Stephanie Mormillow (HDL) answered questions about right-of-way acquisition, cut/fill limits outside the right-of-way, a pathway grade following the roadway (up to about 9.5%), a culvert rather than a bridge, and intersection-only lighting. After hearing testimony from neighbors, Commissioner McKee moved to postpone approval until an updated 65% design is submitted for review, and the motion passed.
• Chugach Electric Campbell Lake Substation (Case 2026-0098): Staff recommended approval of a conditional use permit for the substation upgrade and two variances: one to reduce planting bed widths and numbers on the north, northwest, and southwest property lines, and one to allow a 10.5-foot ornamental fence, 0.5 feet above the 10-foot code maximum. The substation originally served about 1,400 properties in 1976 and now serves about 4,600. Petitioner Taryn Seniell described a fresh community process, the removal of the telecommunications tower, a reduction in fenced area by 241 square feet from the current 9,179 square feet, and a site plan revised with a citizen working group. Noise analyst Michael Travis said the new transformers are quieter and the concrete barrier attenuates sound, with only a minimal increase expected. Commissioner Gardner asked about the relative contributions of technology versus the barrier; the analyst estimated a 4-5 dBA reduction from current levels. Discussion also covered barbed wire, transformer/switchgear placement, and an encroaching neighbor's fence. The commission passed three separate motions approving both variances and the conditional use.
• Potter Marsh Watershed Park Master Plan (Case 2026-0100): Staff recommended approval of the 303-acre plan linking the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge at Potter Marsh and Chugach State Park, with a condition to add bicycle parking at the Golden View Drive Main Park Entry and Trailhead and directory guidance for future bike amenities. Commissioner Ron noted that the Rabbit Creek Community Council had submitted a letter enthusiastically endorsing the plan. Applicant Peter Briggs of Corvus Design waived the full presentation and answered questions. No public testimony was offered, and the commission approved the plan with conditions.
• Other Business: The commission held no Title 21 discussion and offered no commissioner comments before adjourning.

Key Outcomes

• Case 2026-0101: Motion to accept the Border Drive/Potter Drive CSS transportation project review passed.
• Case 2026-0078: Girdwood Parks Master Plan approved, subject to conditions on page 2 of the staff report; no additional condition was added for DOT&PF comments.
• Case 2026-0095: Approval postponed; the petitioner must submit an updated 65% design for commission review.
• Case 2026-0098: Three motions passed: (1) variance from landscaping/planting bed width requirements; (2) variance to exceed the maximum fence height by 0.5 feet; (3) conditional use for the utility substation. Each was subject to the conditions on page 11 of the staff report.
• Case 2026-0100: Potter Marsh Watershed Park Master Plan approved, subject to conditions on pages 3-4 of the staff report, including bicycle parking.
• The meeting was adjourned after the final vote.