Sitka Planning Commission Meeting Summary - May 21, 2025
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Sitka Planning Commission Meeting Summary - May 21, 2025
The Sitka Planning Commission met on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Harrigan Centennial Hall. The agenda included approval of previous meeting minutes, a planning director’s report, three public hearings (a height variance for a garage, a minor subdivision on Ring Island, and a conditional use permit for a bed and breakfast), and a discussion on prioritizing pending zoning code changes. The Commission unanimously approved all three permits and set priorities for code revisions.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the May 7, 2025 meeting minutes.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were offered on non-agenda items or on any of the evening’s public hearing items.
Discussion Items
- Planning Director’s Report: Staff thanked commissioners for completing a survey on zoning code priorities. They reminded the Commission that an appeal of a cell tower height variance (VAR 25-01) is scheduled for the Assembly meeting on May 29, 2025. A special election (Ballot Prop One) is May 28 with early voting available. Staff also warned of a sophisticated email scam impersonating the planning department requesting wire payments; the city never requests such payments.
- VAR 25-05 – Height Variance (2217 Halibut Point Road): Staff presented the request to increase an accessory garage height from 16 to 20 feet. The garage would have a second story craft room. The 60-foot wide lot, driveway constraints, and tree screening were cited as special circumstances. The Commission discussed the history of accessory height limits (unchanged since 2019) and noted that roughly 10 similar variances have been granted. The applicant explained he wanted enough height for storage and parking. No public comment.
- P 25-04 – Minor Subdivision (Ring Island): Staff reported adjustments to the final plat, including labeling a separate small island, adding utility easements, and clarifying access for Lot 3. The plat now notes mean high water line and required state permits. Concerns were raised about Lot 3’s lack of direct water access; applicants explained it is sheer rock and they plan to use existing docks on Lots 1 and 2. No public comment.
- CUP 25-07 – Conditional Use Permit for Bed and Breakfast (629 DeGroff Street): Staff recommended approval for a 3-guest-room B&B in an R-1 zone. The house (built 1945) is on a ~5,000 sq ft lot with one off-street parking space. The applicant clarified she will live in a studio unit in the back (with its own bathroom and kitchenette) and use the main house kitchen to serve guests. The Commission noted the floor plan missing a bathroom. No public comment.
- MISC 25-08 – Zoning Code Change Priorities: Staff presented survey results ranking priorities: 1) Cruise dock zoning, 2) Catleayen Bay zoning, 3) Cell/communication towers, 4) Short-term rental policies, 5) Boarding/rooming/bunk house provisions, 6) Accessory dwelling units, 7) Food trucks/carts. Staff recommended a comprehensive code review and will request funding in the FY27 budget for an outside contractor. The Commission supported the plan.
Key Outcomes
- VAR 25-05: Commission unanimously approved the height variance (20 feet) for the accessory garage at 2217 Halibut Point Road, including the required findings.
- P 25-04: Commission unanimously approved the final plat for a three-lot subdivision on Ring Island (Tract A, U.S. Survey 3480), including the required findings.
- CUP 25-07: Commission unanimously approved the conditional use permit for a bed and breakfast at 629 DeGroff Street, including the required findings.
- MISC 25-08: Commission accepted the code change priority ranking and supported staff’s plan for a comprehensive code review in FY27.
- Meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Mudre here. Commissioner Alderson. Here. Commissioner Sherman. Here. Assembly Liagean Tor Christensen is excused. Staff is Amy Ainsley, Kim Davis, and Ariadne Will. Thank you. Can I get a consideration? Last meetings, minutes. I move to approve the May 7th, 2025 meeting minutes. Second. Move and second, all in favor. I'll there any persons here tonight. That's not on tonight's agenda, has something to talk about. Seeing none, I'll go to the planning director's report. Yes, Mr. Chair. So we just wanted to thank commissioners for jumping on that survey for the zoning changes. That will I think that will be very helpful, and that will we don't need to get to, yeah. Um, I think that will definitely speed up our discussion on our last business item tonight because the results are actually um fairly clear on that. Um but yeah, that will be our our last business item. Wanted to let the commission um know as a reminder that um an appeal on variance 2501, which was the uh cell tower height variance on Nancy Court will be proceeding. It is scheduled for the May 29th assembly agenda, so that's next Thursday. Um, and just as a note, the regular meeting of the assembly was rescheduled from Tuesday to Thursday due to the special election. Um, and as another reminder, the special election is taking place um on Wednesday, May 28th for um ballot prop one. And the early voting is um is happening now, so you can come into Herrigan. Um, I believe it's 8 to 4. 9 to 4:30. Um here at Harrigan, there's also Saturday hours from 9 to noon as well. Um, and then the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on voting day. Also wanted to just as uh uh for those of you who may speak with with applicants or just kind of out in the community. We did issue some information yesterday um about scam alerts that the city and borough of sitka has been subject to the subject of um there is a fairly uh sophisticated dupe um email address. Um so there's someone out there sending emails um proposedly from the planning department from me asking um applicants on um planning commission cases to wire payments for filing fees. Um and as opposed to our regular 50 or 100 filing fees, they're upwards of six thousand to ten thousand dollars. So um as a reminder I was wondering about that new car, I mean so as a reminder. Um we the city um always you know double check email addresses because sometimes they can look very close but they're not quite right, so it's always important to look really carefully at the email address. Um the city will never initiate a payment via a wire transfer, so if you get an email from the city asking you to pay for something via wire transfer, nine 99 times out of 100. That's that is fraudulent. So if anyone ever has questions about emails that they're receiving about requests for payments, always feel free to call city offices, call the planning department to confirm. Um, because um, yes, those scam attempts and fishing alerts are just getting kind of more and more sophisticated. So just a reminder for folks to really be vigilant about that, particularly whenever payment is requested. That's everything I have for my report. Okay, thank you. Anything questions for staff? Seeing none, we'll get on with this evening business. Public hearing consideration of a zoning variance request to increase the maximum allowable height of an accessory structure from 16 feet to 20 feet for a detached garage at 2217 Helveto Road in the R2 multi-family and mobile home district. The property is also known as lot 15-a-3.
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