>> Hello, everyone. We will call this January 12, 2026 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to order. May we have roll call. Jerry Gardner. Krishna here, Scott plus here, Jeff Ron. >> Sir. >> Under Spinelli and Danny Ber excuse, you have a quorum. Thank Thank you. And today I'm going to read the short board policy. When there is a short 5 meant five-member commission and a postponement is offered to an agreed to by the petitioner. The case will be moved to the next regular agenda. The postponement will occur within 30 days, which does not require really noticing the case. Would the petitioner in cases Twenty-twenty 6, 0, 0, 0, 6, 0, 0, 0, 7, please come forward state. Their name and state. If they opt to go forward with the case this evening or to postpone. Hello, I'm the representative for case 2026. >> 0, 0, 6, 0, 0, 7, Keys. So say you bet we would like to postpone do next time. Thank you. That's noted. >> Next is special order of business? Are there any disclosures? Seeing no disclosures will move We have staffs presentation on the Safer Seward Highway Project. >> thank you the DS are the science study. Reports lets the 35% design phase that was case 2025. Dash 0, 0, 8, 7, was before the Planning and Zoning Commission on September 8th of 2025. At that meeting, the commission voted to return the Dsr for redesign. Chapter 3 of title. 21 states no agency may proceed with the project that does not conform to the commission's decisions unless agency furnishes the commission. A written statement of the reason for its decision to proceed. So this info item is DOT is written statement for decision to proceed. There is a link to the environmental assessment in the letter. Project with We are that's expected to come back as individual segments at the 65% design phase. So plans in hand. Commission members, a feud. If you do choose to attend a public meeting for the project, just don't that no more than 3 of you may attend at once. Stories that violates open meetings act and then if you if you comment or participate, you may need to disclose that. Over its the like this particular case would not come back. Refer you for the entire roadway and its current form. So there there is some room if you do wish to comment or 10 public meetings, if you have any questions ex parte communication or or anything of that search, free to contact me. Or if you have any additional questions for the Seward. Highway design teams are dot and the representative. I can pass those forward. Thank you. >> Thank you. And we are having technical issues up here. So we're going to have a 5 minute recess full. We try to figure those out then we'll come back to any comments or questions that the commission Maybe, but it's probably better that you ask questions since the commission can't. Engage with the public except through testimony. And it looks like we are back online. So I'm just gonna give everyone a few seconds to wrap up whatever they're doing and come back to. The meeting. Staff. Did you have anything else to add on the safer Seward Highway Project? A fairly open it up to commissioner's comments and questions. No, thank you. Are there any members of the commission that have any comments or questions? Seeing none. We will move on to our next item. Which Okay, which is our public hearings and read the process by which the public make speak to the commission. 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 all of his or representatives received 10 minutes. Part of this time may be reserved for rebuttal representatives of groups such as community Councils and PTA has received 5 minutes and individuals received 3 minutes. When your testimony is complete, you make you may be asked questions by the commission. You may only testify once on any issue unless question by the commission. Commission recommendations to the Anchorage Assembly are not appealable. May we have staffs presentation in case 2026. AF Dash 0, 0, 0, 3, >> Yes, thank you. Madam Chair. This damage foster long-range planning presenting this evening on PC case 2026. 0, 0, 0, 3 food and agriculture uses ordinance covers a range of topics to medically tied together with producing food in Anchorage. This topic, the topic of food security, growing food in Anchorage, Alaska, always, I think been a pretty hot topic. And, you know, Kind of the end of the supply chain line. We're always looking at how we can stabilize our food sources and look at more ways you know, producing food in Anchorage again. Urban agriculture is always a little bit difficult, but there's always interesting ways that people can fill a niche or you know, start a business that serves our local needs and makes us a little bit less reliant on a barge coming in or Kirk coming into the airport. So this they're just a couple of examples going back in time. This a previous case, 2018 Eckert was looking at make it easy to put greenhouses on on top of buildings. And that did pass. And I think was related to the senior living in east Anchorage, Baxter senior living. So they wanted to do. Get more people involved a gardening and that sort of thing. So that was 2018 in 2023. There is a case doing coffee roasting here in town. And this is something that in the be 3 zone, commercial food production is a conditional use. So I think they've been doing because we are here and it was a really big burden to go through the process of figuring out how to get this done. When is something that already been doing and believe to? Well today, but it's a long time standing member, the community coffee, roaster. And so this is one of the changes that we also incorporated into because we had heard back a lot to that permitting process that this is really complicated. And it seems like there might have been an easy way to do this. Then another one you may some of you may recall. 24 case 2024 0, 0, 7, 9, This Southcentral Foundation trying to build a greenhouse alongside their property. Your elder care and child care. So some of these are related to the amendments proposed tonight, but some also just kind of emphasized that this is an ongoing interesting issue in Anchorage, people, our interest in food production, they're interested in getting more people involved in food production and if you know where we can sort of make that happen across the city. And then last year, we also saw local leaders hope to grow more food by lowering taxes. So there are some amend or some ordinances to talk about sort of dealing with food deserts. And, you know, reducing tax costs for people are going food. And then more recently the assembly in this isn't really a zoning thing. But the assembly made it a little bit easier for small businesses doing sort of cottage food production to do that in their homes. So, you know, I've been kind of interest as well always been looking for data because I suspect that a lot of businesses do start in people's homes. It's lower cost floor capital costs. And it seems like a good way to try an idea, try something, improve, that economic to activity. And then from there you can jump into into something This does seem to be the approach. There a number of different avenues that policy makers have been taking in. So this ordinance is really sort just another step in that it does take a few bigger steps, but it also combines a lot of different things as you'll see in the ordinance. It touches on a lot of different areas in the code. So what is this ordinance do? One? It makes commercial horticulture a conditional use in war zones. So conditional use process like we saw last week. It's a pretty intensive process you go through. But it just allows if somebody really wants to come of commercial horticulture, it's easier to do that. It's allowable to do that or conditional use the farmers markets in the arrow zone. grocery store in our and marine commercials. A permitted use again. We don't see crazy demand for that right now. But it just kind of makes sense are for a is a certain high capacity mixed use on. It makes sense that there be grocery store there and rain commercial want write. Maybe if people are working down and bring commercial areas not have grocery store. Allow commercial food production is permitted. Use in be 3 i-one and I too part of that is and, you know, in response some cases on the past few years, but also just in general create. And this is a big piece, create a new use of accessory, food beverage production and then allowed be keeping in. Hobby Farms is permitted. Accessory uses in more places. So one, you know, a big piece of is creating this new food and beverage production accessory use and some of the comments we got to feel. So wow, this is different from home occupation and it does so home occupation is pretty strict and it's specifically related to a residence where the new food and beverage production sister use doesn't have to be connected to residents, but maybe it's connected to another use. So the home occupation patient sections. Also 21 to 5 foot. It has pretty specific regulations about how much Square footage, what percentage? You know, what kind of hours? What when deliveries can come? Peace and quiet. And so when we're putting this together, we wanted to use the best of those in the most unforcible of those sort of put that to this. And so this new use, it's basically says that you can use a portion of a property or use the property for a portion of the years. So it shouldn't be the entire use. But it's sort it's an accessory use to what's normally going on there. But that can be either in area or in time in. So we we try to use take some of those specific standards, specifically. It should be really noticeable that something different is happening there. If it's in a residential district, there should be more coming and going of vehicles. Although somebody pointed out in the comments a scene, you notes somebody now could be ordering stuff from Amazon all day. And those deliveries could be coming through. But we want put something in and say we really want to limit that because say you are in residential areas of these trying out something you don't trucks coming and going. So we we did add delivery only be allowed between 95 and then most important, you know, no equipment or process should be used in the food production use. That creates noise vibration, glare fumes owners detectable normal census. That's kind of boilerplate zoning language. But it really is about addressing problems if they occur and when they occur rather than trying to prevent any sort of innovation, think type of thing before it occurs. We've got a number of comments and a lot of them relate to how this use would relate state standards. So, you know, one House homemade food, a quick commercial food production that still separate use with its own definition homemade food meet the standards of home occupation. As we mentioned, that it is it is separate. And so you can compare those 2. Will people operating under see 60 61 0, 5 fallen. The food beverage production. So 16, that's not title. 21. That's a different set of regulations. So again, as we live in the zoning code, our response is that this is only about toning so we're moving the restrictions in zoning, but that doesn't mean that other standards don't still apply. You know, especially for the health safety standards that are in health code or especially state code. There's just saying the zoning code is not regulating that but were some that, you know, the cuts license food still be in place if alcohol license is issued for private residents will still record require food establishment permit. So again, permits are required for all using the zoning table. And this doesn't change the alcohol licensing requirements. That's a state level. It has a lot more oversight. And so this couldn't be that somebody just starts producing alcohol without going through the normal state regulations. And it's a food breaded, Mr. Prime residents will they be allowed acquire now Kupperman again, it doesn't change color licensing or permits. It just addresses what may or may not be possible through zoning. And then is it expected that health department inspectors inspect private goings will and Cohen spectrum private dwellings. So again, we we. We don't touch any of that stuff. So if and go as the rule that rules still in place, if Ankara health Department has the rule that the rules don't place, it just is no longer sort of maybe double restricted that rule and zoning. But the intent is really not to open up wide. You know, total freefall, total commercial mort, somebody who's doing something and trying something on a sort of partial basis or maybe a temporary basis. Some comments that may have seen don't quite line up with the final version you had. So there are 2 versions of initially started and there are a lot of discussions about all all the other things we conclude this. There was a case recently about hey and sales up the up on the hillside. And so for put a portion, we thought we could connect that in here and deal with that. And so some of these comments relate to that. And then another comment suggested will let's make it so we more grocery stores up a hillside in our 6, maybe as a conditional use only on certain roads. So that wasn't a previous version. And I think earlier you'll see that. But ultimately we decided to take that out. We've been working with Assembly member and he wanted to just do a little more work more outreach On the hillside area and then we'll probably bring that forward at a later date. So with that, I'd love to answer the questions. We also have of cloud of from the mayor's office that they've really interested in food, security and strengthens issues. So we're glad to answer any questions. Are there any questions for staff? Commissioner Gardner? Thanks for the presentation. Daniel. I my question, might be slightly tangential to the kind of specifics, but it's to help me make sure I understand kind of how these successor uses are kind of put together in the code particular. >> Some of the comments and that you made another wise about home occupation, which isn't something previously had to specifically kind of look into. And I guess my specific question is looking at how home occupation is defined. As I understand it, it it's contemplated as a use That takes place in dwelling unit or building accessory to a dwelling unit. And when I was first going through the packet, I was trying kind of piece together logically my head kind of how the excess or use is what what primary use is they're kind of tied to and looking at the table. I see that a home occupation is a permitted use in not just residential, but also commercial and industrial zones. And so is is there a scenario occupation could be used in industrial zone, for example, or is that am I misunderstanding kind of how that works? Thank you, Mr. Going through the chair. Yeah, that's that's a great question. ran into that too, because you're thinking. It kind of seems that home occupation is serving as just sort of a proxy for proxy for just general accessory, sort of commercially use. But it's true. If it's not in a home, it's that begin get to know we're territory. So there was one example. I think it's business and operating in an R one. If they wanted to do a separate type of activity, it we couldn't really. Regulate that under home occupation because it isn't really somebody is home. And so it's kind of a way really getting into sort of a mixed use, but sort of mixed use where it's not fifty-fifty mixed use. It might slightly separate. So yeah, I I don't know why home occupation is in the industrial zones are listed as a use. But I think that's something that long term we need to look at because probably would be fine. But ultimately do get into that sort of issue. If say, you're, you know, say you're an industrial zoning like I'd like to do. Maybe a little. I'd like to you know, curing meat or something here. You couldn't really and your other businesses like I don't know a garage or something. can really do it necessarily and at Home edition because bills that will wear, you know, where's the residents? The the home occupation An activity that results in a product or service carried out for consideration or not and can didn't conduct is customer incident on sex, treat you access or use in a dwelling unit? So it just kind of gets into a bit of a tangle. And so, yeah, we made a more code to do that, but it's sort of to deal with all the instances where maybe there isn't a home on the property. But thank you. >> Any other questions for staff? Seeing none. I will ask one, which is the chair. Commissioner on go ahead. >> Thank Commissioner Roger staff. Thank you presentation. Mike, my questions around Section. In 9 B, 2, Anderson, there was some cases the comments around delivery and how this Troutdale may look to mitigate potential impacts can you give little more context specifically interested in the role of total? 21 other mechanisms to may have. manage version of potential impacts that this language is trying >> Threw the chair. that, you know, and actually the language said in residential district, you shall not attractive facility, more vehicular traffic. They would normally be expected that sort of lifting it from the home occupation. But then we did get a comment from staff in the saddle. You know, is that enough limit any further? And, you know, it does seem reasonable to say between 9 and 05:00PM. So what that does is if there's a complaint and somebody can say, you know, ads are vehicles coming at 08:30AM, in the morning 06:30PM. And then because it's here, it makes a little bit easier to regulate that within the home occupation section so this is on Page 5 Dash, one, 25 Sundays in Chapter 5 says vehicles making delivery shall not be part of the site for period exceeding one hour. No traffic pollution. We generate central location and greater volume that would normally be expected. Residential neighborhood all vehicles used in connection with the home. A commission shall accept. I will read the whole thing, but so we're trying to get from how many of these are really enforceable than and people are going to enforce them to something where gives us something pretty clear. So the inspector who ever goes out to the enforcement person can tie pretty easily and closely. And it's also easy for somebody you know, living across the street and say, well, okay, they they were coming at 05:30PM, and they need to come at 5 so that's kind of where we landed on that. But again, you'll see in the comments the comments from staff was also that we don't really regulate, you know, somebody getting Amazon deliveries throughout the day. So that's maybe an area we could look at a little bit more but in general, a lot of this was let's try regulating problems as they occur rather than it in advance. You know, we might have to change future, but that's sort of how we landed on that. >> I may follow-up chair. Go ahead. Our other other elements of coat of the levers that county has at its disposal out. 21. >> To manage these types of issues. >> Threw the chair. Do you mean manage deliveries are sort of delivery traffic in general. >> As one example of what generally call a nuisance in sense. I the intention of this language to to address. >> That's a good question. I mean, I guess you could manage it through managing the right of way and say, you know, type of street can't have this type of truck. But then of course, deliveries could just get in and use the spectrum and our smart to the vehicle again, it's it's tricky to say, you know, what's the difference between? Somebody who gets a bunch of deliveries all day of something. Really. It's their hobby versus something. Somebody gets a bunch of deliveries, all day of something that's related to. producing food or doing home occupation. I don't. think as far as I know, I don't think we have. Way of dealing with that yet. So I would say that's probably an area to explore more. But we don't have it for do with home occupations either at the moment or even just people. You know, in the residential neighborhoods getting delivery. So I have to think about that. And they report back. >> Seeing no other questions McHugh right now. I'll ask one, which is a little bit about the Hobby Farm definition. So could talk a little bit about how a hobby farm in a residential district, but differ from a home garden. Yes, I will pull up the definition so we can all look at it. Noting that. >> Hobby Farms expressly not allowed as how much patients but be farm is the production of cross for include a temper stand for sales on the premises. so was the second part of the question. >> No, I think that does answer my questions. So a farm stands would be allowed on private premises and all these residential zones. This was approved. Yeah, temporary Seeing no other questions in the queue. We will open the public hearing. Are there any members of the public wishing to testify in this case? Please come forward and state your name. Will you turn on the microphone, please? There's a button and the red light will go on. Ok, thank you. Thank you. And could you state your name and >> I first name is Mike. last name is spell E S I a >> And are you testifying as an individual is a as a person in group? Well, I own bills nursery and I'm testifying regards to this. new ordinance. And I'm very much in favor of it. I have been growing. Tomatoes and cucumbers and Alaska for 54 years. Now. And I think it's wonderful that. We are considering encouraging more food production because we have to stop and think if we have a serious earthquake. Our food is 5 days away from the port Tacoma. But it's weeks away from the farms and the farms where California, Mexico, South America and many other places. So we need that reliability of food grown here. And food that's fresh much more nutritional. As you might. Well imagine. I mean, that's common knowledge. But what I'm I'm really concerned about. I grow tomatoes, cucumbers eggplant peppers. I can grow anything. And the reason before you came to Alaska in 1972, my family, we're trying to 1000 acres, a table wine grapes. So all I knew how to grow grapes. So in 2012 ayes and why it will I'll start growing wine grapes. So I started growing wine grapes in producing wine and I'm I have a license because I grow grapes have to be grown in greenhouses. They won't survive outside. And besides, they would die under these extreme low temperatures. They've never ripe. I've tried believe me. I've always grown grapes that I've grew table grapes, but in regards to this ordinance. I can give you a comparison back in the 70's 80's and 90's. I had very good relationships with Safeway and cars. And they Larry Carr really encourage us to grow more. He was big promoters locally grown produce. But when safely book cars, it has become increasingly difficult to market tomatoes and cucumbers to such an extent that this year I'm cutting back 30%. And I grow half a million pounds of tomatoes for the whole state. But you know, some reax I'd pick 20 to 30,000 pounds of tomatoes. We can. You can't get rid of that much produce enough Saturday market. It has to go through Safeway, Walmart and Fred Meyer. So in relationship to wine, making. There's a similar Safely. For example, has contracts with. Tomato farms in Canada and Mexico. And while I'm producing hot House tomatoes, they're bringing in hot House tomatoes from other place. Is that my limit? >> It is yes. Well, I want you can up your sentence or your thought if you if you want. >> Yeah, may have another minute or 2 to get my point across. So what I'm trying to say is is very it's getting increasingly difficult with these big chain stores and as a result, yoyo, though, say, well, we grow most sessions tomatoes, but they'll give you like a shoe box area. And, you know, you've got to have a good despite the remember back >> Larry Carr, thank you. I think to be fair, we have to keep everyone's testimony the same amount of time. members of the commission are welcome to and ask any questions that they have of you. I'm not seeing any, but thank you for your testimony. Any questions. Well, this was related to. >> Selling the wind or should we have the same problem? >> Liquor stores, my winds on the bottom floor. I was just requesting that you consider, sir, could say a little. Thank Thank you for your testimony. We have to move on to than any other members public that have to testify runs. Thank you. Is there anyone else wishing to testify? Not seeing any. We ask if staff has any rebuttal or any further comments. >> none for plenty adult live it up in for Mr. Clough Duffy ending and wanted to end. Yes. And no one cloud with the mayor's office. I just wanted to make quick comment that that it is a priority for the mayor. 2 help prioritize local agriculture and a local food ecosystem. And so planning department putting together, you know, largely the request of the mayor's office was part of that effort and we also understood that that of speaking to a lot of commercial farm businesses that they often operate on very thin margins have difficulty with Mark market access and that that live on site processing sometimes value added processing on site of some as a way that helps them to to be able you strengthen their business case. And so this date accessory use was was put together with that in mind. Also kind of its not identical, but leans into the same direction as the cottage food updates as well that make it easier for small businesses to be able to produce on site. And so be happy to take any questions as well from the mayor's intent. very thankful for the planning Department for putting this together and to the PCC for hearing >> Thank you. And with that, we're going to close the public hearing. And now the commission can to ask any further questions or can choose to make a motion. Commissioner Gardner, would you like to state your motion? >> Yes. Thank Moving case 2026, 0, 0, 0, 3, to recommend to the Anchorage Assembly approval of an amendment to title. 21 ease restrictions on agricultural uses and food production in the Anchorage Bowl. >> seconded by Commissioner Police Commissioner Gardner. Would you like to speak your motion? >> Yes, briefly, we heard I guess we received some written comments in favor of this ordinance. We heard some public testimony today in favor and on that the finding enough staff packet that agriculture uses in food production have been topics of public discussion at the policymaker level throughout 2025. And I think that's also meets the criteria for title. 21 text amendment chain change under 21. 0, 3, 2.10, D. >> Thank you. Is there anyone else who wishes to speak to this motion commissioner pull us? Yeah. Intend to support the motion. I pretty much agree with them. The other commissioners also add that, you know, just kind of reading through things and having lived through some of my own personal stuff with smells and whatever may become of it. I was able to get over it. And I think there's some proposed language in there that include some language for enforcement his owner's gases and all that stuff. And so I have faith we can we can do something about that stuff. It comes about. >> Thank you. Any other members of the commission wishing to speak to this motion? >> Sure. I >> Go ahead, commissioner on. >> Thank you. I can support the motion for the reasons stated by previous commissioners. appreciate both the administration and the department's recognition of the importance of this issue as my questions earlier in the indicated I find the language 92 entry to be somewhat problematic and Percy some potential issues created their That said, I don't at this that are remedies and what has put forward but what appreciate staff looking further into the issue and Enforcement better construct. Can perhaps achieve parity with some of the issues that are already being experience residential neighborhoods with priest. Thank you. That's all. >> Thank you. Any other. >> Comments? Seeing none. We'll call for the vote. >> Mr. On how vote. >> That motion passes. And I don't believe we have any other cases today with staff like to add. Any comments under title. 21 discussion. Not seeing any. Are there any commissioners comments? >> Then we will act take a motion to adjourn. Moved by Commissioner Pulas seconded by Commissioner Basa any objections hearing? None. We are adjourned. Thank you, everyone. Thank you, Jeff. >> And then depression. ♪ >> It's C, >> And ♪