HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-05-17 P&Z MinutesCITY OF KENAI
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_ 210 FIDALGO KENAI, ALASKA 99611
TELEPHONE 283.7535
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING
The Kenai Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a Special Meeting,
Tuesday, May 17, 1988, at 7:OQ P.M. in the Council Chambers.
Special Meeting: Proposal Submitted by Royce Roberts and McLane &
Associates for Tracts D-1 through D-7, Dena'Ina Point Estates.
Janet A. Loper
Planning Specialist
DATED: May 13, 1988
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting, May 17, 1988 - 7:00 P.M.
Council Chambers
Hal Smalley, Chairman Presiding
Discussion portions of the minutes are verbatim.
1. ROLL CALL
Present: Smalley, Church, Nault, O'Reilly
Absent: Bryson {excused), Brown {unexcused)
Also Present: Councilwoman O'Reilly and Councilman Measles
2. REVIEW OF VACATION REQUEST
Vacation of Portions of Utility Easements, Right-of-Ways, and
Screening Easements Within Tracts D-1 Through D-7, Dena'Ina Point
Estates - Royce Roberts
Chairman Smalley: Call to order this special meeting to review
the vacation of utility easements, ROWS, and screening easements
within Dena'Ina Points Estates. I suppose at this time Sam should
probably present to us .. you're on.
Sam McLane: If I might, I would just like ... if I might just ask
you folks since I wasn't at, I've got the letter that says
concerns came up and I've got of course my, the packet from last
years' Planning Commission meeting and public hearing and also the
Council meeting and public hearings and so if I might request to
you to reiterate some of the concerns since I wasn't at the joint
meeting that was held last week, and I haven't seen the minutes or
anything I just have the letter that says concerns were raised so
if I might request to hear those concerns then maybe I can answer
questions or whatever.
Chairman Smalley: I guess I'll go first. The concerns that I had
when it came before us just a couple of weeks ago in looking at
the paper work that we had, it shows, on ours, that the whole D-1
through D-7, and this has been since explained to me but that's
what triggered the concern. It showed the D-1 through D-7 was to
be rezoned commercial pending submission of a plat. Ah, which is
the whole chunk, you know, and that's been partially, you know,
that has been explained as to why that was because they had to
deal with an existing piece and. plat and go from there. But
concern that was triggered is, was this a wise decision as far as
the rezoning of a very very valuable residential property. Ah, a
non-renewable resource. And, you know, that was my concern. In,
I guess the issue that we're dealing with is, was at that time was
the consideration of the vacation of the ROW's. Ah, yea, the
screening easements is what, is what, taking it all the way back.
We weren't quite sure on the map that we had also what that
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
/ Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 2
screening was, whether it was just along the road, how deep did it
go, we were looking at the, the cross lines and so forth. And ah,
at that point in time, it was brought up that maybe we should have
somebody, Mr. Roberts or someone here. Present the package to us.
That was my concern.
Sam McLane: Ok, I'll speak to that briefly now, the ah, just to
clear up because this is, kind of a problem in that, I have the
ah, the copy of the recorded plat here and this shows the tracts
one through seven. Now...
Planning Specialist Loper: right behind you there.
Sam McLane: Now the reason, since this is the recorded plat, this
is the legal description the deeds and so forth were made up, ah,
this ROW here was deeded but this one was changed slightly so then
tract D-4 when it becomes this shape is no longer going to be D-4
its going to be like D-4 dash one. So, technically to have the
legal descriptions correct, I know it gets tiresome and so forth
when you replat these you have to keep adding numbers but it is a
different parcel, so the request was .. for all the tracts ah,
because of the fact that the legal descriptions were going to
change slightly. This tract 2 on the original plat with the ROW
moved over, that one technically no longer exists. On the new
plat, which looks like this, I'll point to this one just outline,
I take that back, refer to this one, the one that was submitted to
you .... in platting form rather than the concept maps has the
tract numbers on it, tracts one, two, three, four five .. six and
seven. And they're numbered as you would a subdivision ordinance,
Borough subdivision ordinance for continuing numbers so you can
see that the new numbers don't correspond to the original ones
that why technically this request had all of them. So ., and I've
got this one overlayed on now, also this brown tone one is the
exact same brown tone one I had here last year for both public
hearings so you'll notice that the zoning amendment was approved
subject to filing a final plat and you'll notice that this plat,
ah this original mylar you see...ah lays right over the concept
map. The only real minor difference is Chulin Drive was moved
back about 20' from the, the concept map to allow more room on top
of the bluff, a hundred foot setback was in that it was a little
restrictive right here so we bumped that back slightly but the
screening easement shown and so forth are all in place, the .. as
the .. I'll refer now to the memorandum I sent to Janet that was
included in your packet dated .... dated April eighth. And that
was included in the P and Z packet on ... well it was Janet's
correspondence to the Planning and Zoning Commission dated April
seventeenth, this was about the forth page in it it has a copy of
the memorandum explaining the procedure we were anticipating.
Number one being the zoning amendment request and action and then
the vacation request which required to go through the Borough,
advertise for thirty days, have public hearing and so forth and
then replatting i.e. filing the final plat. And ... you'll note
if you have that memo, the in the middle of the second paragraph
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 3
I'll quote a sentence it says this replatting will include
vacation of existing utility easements and the screening easements
along the Spur Highway. So we, we brought that out with the
original request and that is a thirty foot easement on the
original plat that's gone now that was replaced by thirty foot
easements in .. along a .. take this mylar down now. The easement
that was originally along the highway was replaced by thirty foot
screening easements along the northerly boundary, the inlet side
of the commercial and the split between the residential and
commercial along the bluff and the .. portion of the property
adjoining the private parcel owned by the First Baptist Church.
So in effect we took the easement that was originally along the
highway, moved it around I think you can see that the same amount
actually we have a little bit more easement shown on the new plat
than originally was shown on the highway but since, this part was
rezoned commercially we put it as the buffer between the
residential sections. And, so now, ah, we've done that work to
stage the, the the zoning request was contingent upon filing the
final plat and essentially we're at that point and I'll certainly
answer any concerns about that. Ah, about, I just want to make it
known that I think there's some new members on the Planning
Commission that the screening easement, discussion was included in
the request and, and so forth. So I'm open to any questions at
this point.
Chairman Smalley: Commission do you have any questions.
Gloria Church: The new plat has been recorded? Planning
Specialist Loper: no. Gloria Church: It has not been recorded.
Planning Specialist Loper: yes, that's phase three and it has not
come yet. At this point its all concept.
Chairman Smalley: What would be the amount of bluff frontage ah,
on the new plan commercial and residential.
Sam McLane: Ok, its pretty close to fifty-fifty I don't have the
scale with me but this is a one inch equals a hundred plat I
think, we're looking at, let me get my calculator real quick. Ah
the residential is ....
Planning Specialist Loper: Sam, from the questions that Hal is
asking what I'm assuming is that he's asking if you have a setback
over and above what was already there? I believe Corps of
Engineers (inaudible - loud noises} has indicated a hundred foot
setback to begin with from from the ..
Sam McLane: Right, that setback there's, there's no change to
that ocean or bluff front setback and I'd like to ... that's
actually slightly more than a hundred feet as you if you recall
way back the way this was originally platted, ah there's a tract
down here tract G that the City retained and ... (inaudible -
voices interrupting} right, but it goes clear to the top of the
bluff and its actually on the top of the bluff by a few feet.
This this survey line shown here, actually .. is brushed out and
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 4
runs along the top of the bluff so its a few feet there to the top
of the bluff and we might talk anywhere from two feet to ten feet
and then from this survey line there's the hundred foot building
setback and that is on the the current plat. I've got to refer to
this plat here to give you just just ... Ok this the ah, bluff
front on the residential is plus or minus afoot or so is eleven
hundred and nine feet ... and unfortunately all I can say at this
time is that's probably about fifty feet longer than this is kind
of an approximation I don't have the exact figures here, ah
slightly longer than the amount for the commercial property. But
its not significant, its pretty clase within a hundred feet of
being half and half.
Chairman Smalley: A concern that came up some time ago ah, one of
our other Commissioners was here and I think it was in the
discussion, the concern on the commercial aspect fronting the Spur
Highway is the number of small lots which leads to concept of
nineteen mini stores, ah, and again the effect that this type of
... situation is going to cause on the property adjoining it to
the north, the Dena'Ina Estates property.
Sam McLane: Ok, if I might on that, this, original concept map
showed and these were just for illustrative purposes only showed a
varying size of lots that sometime in the future ah the tracts
might be further subdivided down to as you all know and newer
members the Dena'Ina Point was platted in tracts based on a
preliminary and the the tracts were sold and .then the owners were
going to subdivide into smaller lots now in the concept map, ah,
these tracts ranged anywhere from two acres down to about a half
an acre. These were drawn on there just to illustrate type a lots
and so forth. On platting, we're coming in and generally
speaking, well I'll refer to these acreages, ah .. I can I'll tell
you right now this isn't a final plat and its missing some of
those things. (laughter) Generally speaking we're looking at
commercial tracts of five actually one point three acres that's
narrow in here going to ., ah, seven point one acres and I'd like
to point out that any subdivision of those tracts has to go
through the Borough and the City and so forth and we'll follow
you're zoning ordinance and the Borough subdivision ordinance.
Now at this time, ah, as with any tract a land in the City, I, as
I understand it if you meet the terms of the ordinance there isn't
grounds for ah, denying a plat at this point. Now there could be
if there is some undesirable access and some of those things but
those are questions that would come up with the filing of the ah,
final plat. At this time we're just, we're keeping the same large
tracts, that, that it had and we addressed that I know that was
some concerns that were brought up by more than one Planning
Commission member and Council member at the times and I almost
regretted drawing those smaller ones on because they really, not
the owners desire but just simply to show how some lots might be
subdivided in the future.
Chairman Smalley: At this point in time do you have any idea what
proposed uses, ah other than the discussion that again it wasn't a
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Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 5
~ commitment but the discussion came up about a restaurant
overlooking the the mouth of the river and the inlet and so forth.
Do you have any other ideas at this point in time what the owner
proposes because we keep coming back to this sometime in the
future this might be done. But sometime in the future might be
too late to as far as perhaps effecting those adjoining
properties.
Sam McLane: Right, the ah, as we stated I stated going through
the zoning ordinance and more specifically your comprehensive plan
and I also addressed the the newer version which has never been
approved but it still had some points brought up, in it concerning
the city's development and so forth. And, some of those ah,
tourism type ah, businesses commercial ventures were mentioned but
you know, as I stated last May and June there's no plans at this
time whatsoever ah, for any specific business the idea was to
provide there's no, ah, as we discussed back then there is no,
large tracts of commercially zoned view property within the city.
Ah, the only area, that I can think of is city owned and its, its,
been more or less designated or discussed by the Commission and
the Council in the past for the senior citizen center sits over
there ah, talking about perhaps some congregate housing ah,
perhaps a convention center but seems to me there hasn't been a
desire for that area of the old FAA grounds overlooking the mouth
of the river to go for private type development so this, this, in
effect this, something on the order of a thousand to eleven
hundred square feet is the only footage of that size that has ah,
view potential in the city, the only other ones are the Old Town
and I'm sure you're all familiar with the development in Old Town
its rather haphazard and lots were laid out based on foot trails
and so forth the streets are there's no arterials in there and,
and so forth they're real small parcels. And that's tough to have
any sort of, significant development and that's when I pointed out
just for an example the ah, the new hotel over here on airport
road ah, I didn't wan5t to bring that up on a landscaping
standpoint (laughter) but just to illustrate size and and actually
it is a pretty .good example because you can see how large a tract
it takes if you included some room for some landscaping around the
parking lot but it does take a much larger tract than is available
anywhere in Old Town.
Pat Nault: Isn't there a question about whether there would be
highway access to these lots in front. Chairman Smalley: I don't
think so, I don't think the state would approve it if they'd have
to have a frontage road you know I'm assuming there will a fronny,
frontage road off the Spur rather than ....
Sam McLane: At this time, the configuration is, a frontage road
along half of it and the other half ... well its tough to discuss
this, one tract has a frontage road on it, the other tract does
not. For instance on a, typically the way, I'll just use for
example a shopping center, generally the way they're developed
now, ah, the property is, subdivided but there's common ECR's,
easements covenants and restrictions, which allow for such things
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 6
~ as common parking common access, and so forth and, ah generally it
takes a tract for instance about this size so I would imagine you
could go to the highway department who controls the access from
any state maintained ROW and you would deal with them for your ah,
access permit they'd tell you what sort of drainage structures
and, ah, your width, ah the spacing between 'em and then sometimes
if you do subdivide into smaller tracts they'll stipulate if you
do have a number of tracts say six of 'em, contiguous that front
the ROW they might specify in their comments common driveways on
the lot lines. But the state, ah, highway department of
transportation issues those permits.
Pat Nault: So there could conceivably be an entrance off the
highway for every one of those lots on your concept plan.
Sam McLane: That is, conceivably yes however if a subdivision was
ah, submitted like this normally there's a note on the plat that
restricts the lots to interior access when they're double frontage
and then sometimes, the the DOT also sends comments to the
Borough. Ah which are included in the staff report when they
review the subdivision and they will, if its requested they will
sometimes approve ah, common driveways for instance along here
these two lots they would they have a common ... access here.
Once again, ah, you know this, is just a concept conceivably you
could have some sort of commercial development on there with
building pads, ah, most of the examples, I'm I'm going to use well
for instance take the Northway Mall in Anchorage:., ah, just if
you're familiar with that, there's a large tract of land there you
have, ah no access to the Glenn Highway accept off the side street
and then along there there's I'm going to say there's about three
of 'em, three main accesses however, that whole ah, shopping
center, the various food, stores along there ranging from Pizza
Hut at one end down to the Red Robin at the other end, those are
on individual parcels but the ECR's provide the access agreement.
Conceivably and I'm certainly there's no plans for that a
development of that type down here, but that could be done here.
ah, I'm going to mark on this one, you could have building pads
like this, a large tract say another pad in this corner, and, have
an entrance here, and here for instance. Or maybe because we have
a street here have no highway entrances, have an access here and
here. This is, is preferable this is what, ah, a quality
development would have and that's what the Borough ordinance is
ah, lend to because, the, the, the road standards and so forth
were included, I'll regress for a minute, when this .. project was
done all the streets were designed, we have arterials arterials
with larger ROW's, and then going down to sixty feet. Now in the
new new plan we have a an arterial coming in here. The
construction standards on that show a larger width I believe, its
a forty foot paved width, that's the main entrance into this over
all tract and then they branch out. And these are going to have
the nice, ah, wide, ah, state highway type entrances, simular
(spelled as pronounced) to the entrances in the map project across
from the Kenai High School, where your paving now those don't have
curbs but that's still a state standard three radius intersection
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 7
'~ where radius' out and you have long tapers so you don't end up
with the ruts along the side of the pavement and that sort of
thing and that's that's the type of development I foresee on this
tract when it gets gets to that point.
Pat Nault: But how much of that is actually locked into the plat,
how much is that up to the people that develop it at the time the
parcel is individually developed.
Sam McLane: That is, all those comments I just made are part of
the, ah, subdivision, ah, platting, ah, ordinance that the Borough
has, I don't the city's subdivision ordinance addresses it
specially because its covered by the Borough. This plat, ah, as
with the earlier, well the early one did, doesn't restrict, access
off the highway. So, there's there's nothing locked in but I
would like to point out that, when this is subdivided, if it it
got into a deal like this, then that plat comes before this
Commission and if this Commission says access is restricted to
interior ROW's that note would go on the subdivision of this tract
and, that's when the restriction would apply.
Pat Nault: And that would be at the time the final plat was filed?
At the Borough?
Sam McLane: Not this final plat, 'cause this final plat is still
dealing with the, the larger tracts, I was referring to
Pat Nault: Ok
Sam McLane: sometime in the future when these larger tracts are
subdivided and once again that's a, when and if, then they're
restricted now right now, if this plat is, filed, just as it is,
as it was submitted and it was submitted under the concept
procedure the, state highway you would go to them for permits, I,
I can't speak for the state, but normally when you have a ROW
around three sides dedicated ROW that's not state maintained you
have a state maintained road here, they send a stipulation to the
Borough that says access shall be limited to interior ROW's. Um.
I don't the only Borough staff report I have with me concerns the,
the vacation and that's, that doesn't deal with the subdivision
aspect of it it just concerns that these ROW's are replaced by
sufficient new ROW's.
Chairman Smalley: Another concern that I have and maybe its, I'm
not trying to put you in a box, what would be your opinion of a
piece of commercial property as such, especially with access there
on the north end of it to the Spur Highway, what kind of effect is
that going to have on residential property with homes valued at
approximately one hundred thirty, well whatever, you're looking at
a piece of real prime property what kind of effect do you think
that's going to have on residential property.
Sam McLane: Ok, let me, before I render that opinion let me tell
you one thing we've done on this, because, screening easements, no
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 8
matter, the ones you have on a plat now that says thirty foot
screening easements you know, its, if a guy goes out and its
happens in the past the bulldozers get there and zippo the trees
are gone and you don't really have, much recourse, actually you
do, but, you know the trees are gone. What we've done on the
screening easement that abuts the remainder of it, we've actually
included that in the ROW. So that is not privately awned
property, that's, we made the actual ROW wider and shown it so
this screening easement is not included in in the tract where on
the, on the plat the way it is now, recorded, for instance this
screening easement is owned by the owner of tract D-seven in other
words its his property there's a restriction on that says he can't
cut trees, living trees in it. Now this one, this is owned by the
City, its, or going to be, its a dedicated public ROW, I would
assume, I'm certainly not an attorney that the City would have
some sort of legal recourse if actions were done in that ROW that
didn't conform to the permit because its not private property its
the City's property. So we've done that, to, make sure the
screening easement stays in place. In answer to your question
without adequate screening easements and so forth, you know, I
personally wouldn't want to have a beautiful home right next to a
7-11. But that's one of the things that we did there, the other,
the other screening easements, ah, we had, this was an ideal place
to include it in a ROW. The city we've had discussions with 'em
before on other subdivisions where the City doesn't want ownership
of a typical screening easement in here because then its City
property if trash builds up on it and or whatever hazards
developed, then it's the City's responsibility. But on that on
that one case, we'd have that and that separates the other owners,
ah, well. Mostly Jess Wade and Coastline Enterprises on these
tracts, so I think that has addressed at least some of those
concerns.
Pat Nault: On the north end. Sam McLane: Right this is the north
end. Pat Nault: What about the south end, the screening easements
across the, the east and the south, those are privately owned, no
I mean half way down the subdivision, yes, right there.
Sam McLane: This, this property is owned by the applicant Royce
who's applying for the zoning request right now. The screening
easement is split on the final plat with a lot line running down
the center fifteen feet of the screening easement is on, the
residential side, fifteen feet. is in the, the commercial side.
And those are the type of easements I'll be the first to say those
you know there have been problems in the past, I don't know if
there is an effective way of ... dealing with those but .. you
know that's the way it is with plat restrictions I can site an
example where the veterinarian is on, off Kalifonsky Beach Road,
its not his but the lot right next to him, on the state
subdivision on the river right across from Cook Inlet Academy? If
you're familiar with that, that had, was subdivided by the state,
sold to private people fifteen years ago, on that original plat
there was a no cut screening easement on the back side of that
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 9
} lot, well you see what happened to it. Ah, the owner once the
trees are gone,
Chairman Smalley: The cat made a mistake.
Sam McLane: Yea, you know maybe the guy didn't see the plat but
that's, you know you can put, I'm saying you can put notes on
plats you can write 'em all down short of going and building
electric fences around 'em, there are problems with plat notes and
restrictions. But hopefully as people become more educated about
'em you address those sort of things in your building permits, ah,
you know you have notes right in 'em and when you make your
building inspections that those3 easements you have, check offs on
those and for a person to get a building permit you make sure he's
aware of the no cut screening easements and so forth. That's, ah,
one way you can help enforce it.
Marj O'Reilly: I have one question, Sam doesn't the value of that
residential property of Mr. Roberts', isn't that diminished by the
existence of the commercial.
Sam McLane: Um, we've got, the way its designed we designed, it,
to minimize that type of differential, ah, and trying not to have
that harsh, ah, you know say a gravel pad right up to a eight foot
high wooden fence we've seen in other parts of town are, are
totally cleared, but those things, certainly if there's no regard
to, the development over here or if its haphazard or let me say
cheaply done, then that happens, but I personally think this is
the type of property that, if developed, property and
aesthetically it enhances the value. So in other words, if the
commercial was developed properly it will have adequate screening
and so forth to protect the residential, also we have one long lot
here, we came in with a, with a bald (?) cul-de-sac to kinda, by
use of the ROW's and the screening easement, make more of a
separation, in other words we don't just have a straight street
through here with an imaginary line through the woods saying ok
this is the break, so, ideally here you come in with a wider road
at this intersection that tapers down, commercial type traffic
goes in here, it doesn't even enter, the residential part, you
have, ah truck traffic here, the traffic coming in here would just
be associated with residential use and flow on through, and I'm
sure your going to have, ah sight seers and house lookers and so
forth because, its, its prime property and your going to have that
type of traffic. But we've attempted to minimize that and that
sort of impact or having, by having its use here that would
degrade a value or use adjoining it.
One thing about it, its, you have, in addition to what's shown on
this plat by the fact that we have a commercial, ah, zone, there
now, that's when your landscape ordinance, comes into effect.
Which doesn't affect residential property at this time, but it
does, address, landscaping on commercial property. And I don't
know, if you're, still talking about revising that, and I know
there's, you know there's been some problems with that having, a
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 10
landscaping ordinance in effect and enforcing compliance. I think
those, sort of things are just associated with growing pains I
guess.
Chairman Smalley: In dealing with the issue of the vacation ROW
request, it, we've got to look at the whole picture. And, and I
keep coming back to .. this, and again I'll use, it has probably
been used so many times you want to throw up, but its a
non-renewable resource as far as, prime property. Ah, I can see
especially with, you know, the cleaning, going taking place, the
beginning of many requests, for commercial consideration along
that whole strip. And, you know, its just not in harmony with the
existing Land Use Plan. Ah, its, it shows up I believe as medium
density urban residential. And, the value, residential value is
just, I think its just phenomenal and I, you know I know what has
happened to my own personal property and its not even close to the
bluff, what happens when a piece of potentially commercial
property or its commercial or whatever zoning, this, abuts
residential, boy it just, it stabbed it severely.
Sam McLane: I didn't come prepared to go through I went through,
as those on the Commission will remember, that were here at the
time for the public hearing both before the, both P and Z and the
Council, ah we went through a large, ah discussion regarding the
zoning for the overall city, now we really didn't look out at the
Valhalla Thompson Park area but the whole central area and we
analyzed the amount of commercial property available, ah, the
existing use of it whether it was vacant, the size of tracts and
so forth and kind of a counter point to Mr. Smalley, we have ...
prime commercial property in Kenai is also a non-renewable
resource and you actually don't have a tract where you can come in
and have a nice, and unfortunately I can't point to an example in
this town nor in Soldotna or so forth, we have a, have a virgin
piece of property here, your other parcels that have gone
commercial were cleared by the federal government and the FAA
years ago and didn't have any trees on 'em so you couldn't go in
there, here we have a piece that can be done real nice, ah, we all
know from going to nice areas that have, ah type building permits
and zoning ordinances and landscaping ordinances that, you don't
need the big golden arch sign out on the highway and the big,
asphalt landing strip going in there. For instance if you had a
nice and I don't want, this is just pure speculation but a nice,
hotel restaurant, some sort of tourism type commercial development
there, those sort of things would be enhanced by leaving the
natural trees, buffers, and so forth and making it, I mean that's,
the problem with the hotel in this area, the one, one nice one I
can think about is the Riverside House and the International, it
has a nice view on one side because it had a wooded bank and a
river. Chances are if it wouldn't have been in that spot it would
have been surrounded by asphalt too. But most of them are, and,
you know, that's unfortunate, but, its, its tough at this point
with the economy the way it is, ah, to speculate, but we, in that
discussion we analyzed the amount of, residential property
available, and compared that with the amount of commercial
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 11
property available for new projects. We were looking at the
vacants and the percentage was over whelming on the residential
side. And I don't, now I've got 'em here in my notes, but, this
was, ah, this was rezoned to which amounts to ... oh say twenty
five acres, was a drop in the bucket compared to, the amount of
land available for residential development. And this one when you
address concerns like well if we have some commercial here is this
going to continue clear down t he way, we have a, if you look on
this and we discussed this, you've got kind of a natural break,
ah, right in here due to the church tract and the way the bluff
curves in and the highway curves in. So the City has retained
this tract, ah, the ROW is platted in there in other words, this
isn't, this tract here really isn't suitable for development, it
might make, ah a couple of nice lots in there but the angle of the
property line and the bluff and the fact that here is where the
storm drain is planned to run over the bluff there's a natural
break there, so in here we've got commercial here, the City owns
this, ah, so you can, do things beyond your ordinances with that
since its your property I mean you don't have to worry about the
developer complying with the zoning ordinance, you know, I know
that ballfield development and that sort of thing has been talked
about here. So we have, ah, a break here, we've got City property
so where the commercial fits in, it is, in an area by itself,
we've got commercial here you go around the corner and then, this
this can almost be considered all, buffer, by, lieu of the fact
i that the City owns it, you know I'm sure that trees are going to
stay along the highway, the landfill here, the.. Borough's been
working to, get rid of that I think there's been an appeal to the
City for one more trench to allow the Borough to locate a central,
landfill, facility. And then we've got the easements and then it
goes, ah, I couldn't tell you the exact acreage of this but, but
well in access of a hundred, ah, probably 200 in there anyway, ah,
of commercial.
Chairman Smalley: Of commercial? Sam McLane: Oops. (laughter)
Chairman Smalley: See! That's what I was alluding to. Sam
McLane: Just rampant, yea. Chairman Smalley: Thank you.
Sam McLane: But those, you know, with the, the thing, as I had
other people in this area, after this zoning amendment was
approved ask me about it and they said, hey, would this work for
mine and I said no because the reasoning I used, that, and the
things I got out of the comprehensive plan and the new one that
wasn't approved, ah, I addressed things that the City lacked and
by rezoning this commercial that eliminated that argument, ok
there you have vacant large tracts available on the bluff, for
potential commercial development and you had a chance to do that
now rather than having, ah, scattered single family homes in there
and then going in, and having that awkward transition as the City
grows from commerc... residential to commercial, where you've got
individual small lot owners saying, hey wait a minute, I want this
to stay residential and you've got other landowners coming in and
saying hey we want this to go commercial and that gave this by
virtue of the fact that we have this large tract of land here, ah,
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 12
that was one of my main points was we have an opportunity to
designate this commercial now and put in the screening easements,
design the ROW's to deal with it and so forth and the property's
available. And you don't have the person, that's here or here or
here saying that hey, I don't want this to go commercial and we
had, ah, oh I can't recall, or let me rephrase that recall very
little negative comments, well actually we had two public hearings
before P and Z and two before Council.
Pat Nault: Didn't the comprehensive plan address using the other
side of the highway for commercial? And the bluff side for
residential?
Sam McLane: I, perhaps Janet can answer that, I can't recall.
SIDE TWO OF TAPE
Planning Specialist Loper: ...the other meeting was about keeping
the commercial areas in the downtown core, but like you said, you
had (inaudible)
Sam McLane: Right, we, this doesn't show it but its, well you can
see, oh here's the mouth of the river right here, this picture
probably cuts off, ah, well here's main street coming in so you
can see by this aerial photo and the other one up there what you
have on, available. That, well this picture's a prime example,
you can start, ah, where the city owned property there is, on the,
ah, where the new City dock is and go clear along and you can see
there's no dark green there its all small tracks, its all
developed, its clear and so forth with the exception of the two
ravines, ah, on the north side of town, actually, two there, one
small one here, Ryan's Creek, and its cleared its all in small
parcels, and, there is no, large tracts on the bluff, for, you
know and I can't speak to any specific development but there isn't
any tracts available to come in and do a large type planned
commercial development. Those small lots, you know they're just
big enough to stick a little office building on and get your nine
parking spaces and that's it, you just can't, ah, do anything with
it, and the way the ROW's are in there its hard to even get
parcels and join 'em up in anything that's, approaching ah, well
I'm sure they couldn't find anything that could even approach five
acres.
Marj O'Reilly: I agree with what you're saying and I think that's
one of the real concerns of the Commission and the Council. That
there aren't going to be any more.
Pat Nault: Why is any of that left residential why isn't the
whole thing not just commercial zoned?
Sam McLane: Well, the comprehensive plan, like I say designated
that, it was owned, I don't even know if well I'm sure the City
had, ah, applied for it, there's some Borough land, this section
36 as you recall from the homestead act section 36 is were never
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 13
opened for homestead development and, so that was always
government land, ah. I'm just going to make a real general
comment, in the comprehensive plans usually when you have tracts
like that a government, they're, they're usually labeled kind of a
non .. I don't know how to phrase it but its not really going to
get any body worked up its just a general non-descript, use, it
can, its set up for small but they're usually allowed when there
was not water or sewer available there when the comprehensive plan
designated it so generally those lands aren't designated for high
density or commercial until you have the facilities and that, ah,
water and sewer trunk lines were just extended down the, ah, east
side of the highway just actually a few years ago.
One of the things that I've pointed out and I've got them here the
comprehensive plan said things like you're supposed to encourage
economic growth, it had, oh, tourism and recreation were mentioned
in there well more than once, and then the fact, we, we talked
about, how, why is the City of Kenai here, its here because of the
mouth of the river and the inlet and, the fact that now you don't
have any property that, can, utilize those original attributes
that started the City even though now we're talking about using
them less for a, an access than for aesthetic reasons. But it,
just isn't there now with the existing zoning and the way the
small lots are.
Pat Nault: Did you answer my question or did I miss it? Why is
any of that left residential why isn't it all. commercial?
Sam McLane: Well I .... Pat Nault: Why did you just leave out a
quarter of it like that and leave it residential if you're going
to surround it with commercial businesses.
Sam McLane: Oh, are you talking about this .... Pat Nault:
That's right. That one.
Sam McLane: Oh, I thought you were talking about the whole
section 36. The owner .. we discussed this with the owner, our
firm, we looked at various concepts, we drew up, you can see this
one is labeled B so obviously we had another one, but we looked at
various plans and land use, ah, property values and so forth, ah,
we thought that the development in the future would allow for this
high value residential, that's the part we kept, the ah,
residential right up here next to the highway is as its currently
platted now, with the thirty foot screening easement, ah, I
personally wouldn't want a home, I mean you have thirty feet,
which is about from here to Ray ...
Chairman Smalley: That's 6 feet longer than my truck.
Sam McLane: And then you've got a busy highway. So we looked at
that and even though it ... was before the request, zoned
residential, it didn't appear to the owner to be high value
residential. Or in that demand. Where, where if you get off the
road a significant distance to have the inlet here, we felt the
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 14
value of this residential property could be maintained with the
screening easements, and, you know, good quality development, i.e.
actually paying attention to your landscape ordinance and so forth
when the commercial is developed.
Chairman Smalley: Sam there, there is other property available
that has access to bluff frontage, ah, riverview, inlet view,
mountain view and again I guess it would be convincing the City
they need to release that antenna farm property because, you know,
I personally feel that's an ideal location. You've got the old
Harborview area, and if memory serves me right there are a couple
of parcels that abut each other in Old Town that make up a sizable
chuck, granted they're in private hands, but there are lots that
are available.
Sam McLane: But when we, I discussed the Harborview size here, ah,
and I'm going to try to recall, I think you're looking, a larger
parcel there being on the order of an acre. Ah, no where close,
to five acres, a ah, you're, and those kind of developments were
put in prior to your zoning ordinances which require now land-
scaping, parking, ah better access and those sort of things,
handicap parking and those sort of things and by the time you do
that you'll end up with what you have at the Harborview there, no,
well you're limited in size because your building size is based on
the amount of parking that's one limiting factor. I think you
also have a height restriction, I don't know off hand what that is
but that's generally the limiting size and, an acre is not, very
much. It really isn't.
Chairman Smalley: No, granted that, that one is small, but over
here and over in Old Town there are two or three sections where I
think up to three or three point and some acres per parcel.
Sam McLane: Ok, they might, don't, don't those have large
apartment buildings on them. Chairman Smalley: No. They don't.
There's nothing on them. If memory serves me right.
Sam McLane: One other thing, and when we were looking at part of
that in there in Old Town by the Harborview there, there's some
fairly, not only have the inlet erosion but you have, the mouth of
the river and one thing those parcels don't have you can collect
'em they don't. have a lot of depth, by the time you've knocked a
hundred foot setback off those you'd be hurting.
Pat Nault: There's less and less there all the time. (laughter)
Like a foot every year.
Sam McLane: Right. Then the other part, the antenna farm, ah, we
just are doing a plat for the City that plats a, a, have you seen
it yet at your level?
Planning Specialist Loper: No.
Sam McLane: It has a lot on this side of the senior center and
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 15
} then one on the other side that go, oh I, a break over there,
that's cleared and the buildings are gone but it takes up another,
I'm going to try to recall here and say about three hundred feet
frontage that's, that we did in relationship to Carmen Gintoli's
design for that congregate housing, so, and then, I believe the
other, remaining spot left that's above, on the hill and has
frontage, is just about the size for the convention center or,
whatever type facility that's been discussed by the City off and
on for some time, though, frankly I don't think it would be wise
and I don't think the P and Z or the Council will advocate turning
that over to private at this time, since it is, ah, the last of
your City prime view, its open....
Marj O'Reilly: I know an old school you could buy cheap.
Pat Nault: How far up the highway does the, this residential
development go, this section 36 you were talking about, does that
cut off at Redoubt Avenue up there by Spenard Buildings?
Sam McLane: yes.
Pat Nault: And then what's along the bluff north of that area.
Sam McLane: I'm going to guess and say that ... my map's exactly
(portions inaudible as maps are scanned). Ok, the city limits are
... Edies is ... Pat Nault: Isn't Cook Inlet View Drive at the top
of the map there? Planning Specialist Loper: No. Sam McLane:
Cook Inlet View is right in ... Planning Specialist Loper: Right
there. Sam McLane: The city limits .... Planning Specialist
Loper: Keep going, right at the top, yes. Sam McLane: Right
along this line here, and I think there are, shall we say, some
model zoning right in this area, you know ...
Chairman Smalley: You're being kind.
Sam McLane: Well it is kind of blotchy in that area. (laughter)
Based on the existing uses. And this, I can't even tell you right
now ..
Pat Nault: That's my question, you know, what is that zoned for
and what is the use along there, I mean at this point I don't
think there is anything out to the bluff out there, there's
several things along the highway, a transmission shop and ...
Sam McLane: I can't even tell you who owns this property. Right
now.
Planning Specialist Loper: Peterkin owns part of it, there's a
small subdivision in there and ... Chairman Smalley: KNA owns some
of it at one time right off the bluff. Margaret O'Reilly: Aren't
there apartments there? Chairman Smalley: they're on the other
side, they're on the south side.
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 16
~} Sam McLane: For location, this is the Arco, ah facility here.
But I don't know, I think there was a Borough land disposal that,
that, on the bluff, some of it outside the City, I think actually
all that disposal is outside the City, small parcels, but there's
some ...
Chairman Smalley: I think that's all residential. That whole
piece in there. And it's in several private hands the other way.
Sam McLane: Right, 'cause its platted off in government lots and
always was I believe. Smaller parcels.
Gloria Church: I have a question. I don't remember, in that
first drawing that you showed us at that meeting, is it specified
that only that small portion was going to be residential?
Sam McLane: Yes, this is ...
Gloria Church: In the first one that we looked at.
Sam McLane: Umhum. (affirmative) This is the drawing these blue
lines .. we submitted
Gloria Church: Is that the original that we looked at? Planning
Specialist Loper: The one on top is. Sam McLane: This is a copy
of this just run in a different color, prettied up for public
hearing purposes.
Chairman Smalley: If, if you, Commission and Council would like
to take a look at that I would like to call a motion of privilege
right now.
COMMISSION RECESSED FOR 10 MINUTES.
Chairman Smalley called the meeting back to order.
Sam McLane: If I could make a comment on introduction here, due
to the short notice, owner and applicant Royce Roberts was unable
to be here he had to go out of town Saturday evening and won't be
back 'til tomorrow, I believe and he asked myself to come and also
Rick Baldwin to represent him here and I think Rick has a few
comments to make.
Rick Baldwin: I'll try to be very brief, that is possible. I
haven't had a chance to talk to Royce about this, I did, I have
had a chance to look over all the documents that have been
generated and I'd like to offer my perspective. There's been a
lot of discussion apparently this evening concerning the wisdom of
whether or not this aught to be a commercial zone, and, as I read
what's happened, that issue has been decided by the City Council
in Ordinance 1213dash87. And, the appropriate way to bring before
the Council now the issue of whether or not there should be a
rezoning here would be to follow the ordinance and to petition for
a rezoning. It appears as though the only, the only step to keep
the actual zoning from happening is the, the filing of a plat.
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 17
j Because as I read the ordinance it says that, its rezoned at the
time of the filing of a final plat. And so perhaps, perhaps it
wouldn't be, rather than a rezoning, another procedural way would
be to rescind Ordinance 1213dash87. Prior to its becoming effect
even. But, both of those appear to be prerogatives of the Council
and I would suggest that, ah, that would be the appropriate form
for, for revisiting this issue, of whether or not it should be
rezoned if indeed that needs to be revisited. The issue tonight
appears to be whether or not there should be certain vacations
granted and, as indicated on this plat, to vacate the old plat to
make the new plat conform to exhibit B, the concept map which the
City Council has directed this property be zoned, rezoned in
accordance with. And that being the case, the, the issues that I
see, are whether or not sufficient ROW's are dedicated to serve
the surrounding properties, whether or not sufficient easements
will be granted to serve, to serve surrounding properties, whether
or not any surrounding properties. Whether or not any surrounding
properties will be denied access and utilities, those seem to be
the primary issues rather than whether or not there should be a
rezoning, so, you know ... I guess that's really about all, all I
have to say, I didn't come prepared to make any kind of a pitch
whether it should be rezoned one way, to be rezoned commercial or
residential or whatever, and I don't, I'm not sure Sam did either,
because of the, the limitation that appears to be on this body
tonight to decide the issues of ah, vacation or not, so I think
I'll jsut stop my comments with that, thank you.
Chairman Smalley: Any other input from Council members present or
Commission?
Councilman Measles: I just want to make a couple of comments to
address what Rick, brought up there. Vacation of easements is
the, the question that is immediately before both the Planning and
Zoning Commission and the Council, or really the Council, the
Council asked P and Z to have this special meeting tonight to
address this because of the questions that were raised both at P
and Z and at Council in regards to, whether we made a mistake when
we approved the rezoning and that ordinance. The reason for
looking at it at this time moving through a special meeting and
attempting to get some more input from the developer, it was the
feeling of the Council and P and Z at the meeting last week that,
that, if in fact there, its decided that we don't want to do that,
this will be the time to stop it rather than waiting for the
applicant to go through the expense and work of getting a final
plat ready. This vacation of easements will go into effect the
morning of the ninteenth if the City Council does not object to it
and it was our feeling that if we do plan to rescind that
ordinance or whatever, that, maybe we should stop it at this point
before anything further happens. And if we decide that we don't
want to stop it, then we don't have to do anything. Thursday
morning, the vacation of the easement is effective. If we don't
~ do anything further, Royce can go on with his final plat. But we
didn't want to wait until that point, he's spent the money and the
time and everything to get the final plat ready for filing and
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 18
~ then the Council say well, we're going to rescind that ordinance,
we just felt that this was the time to do it. If we were going to
do anything different than what we were already doing with that
ordinance.
Rick Baldwin: Could I just respond, I haven't had a chance to
talk with Royce but the sense I have is that if, that he's willing
to take that risk. That, that the Council really wants to revisit
this issue, to not do so on a relatively short notice, rather
follow basically the same process it followed initially in, ah,
establishing this commercial zone and allow for more public input
and so forth. In other words begin a process of viewing,
(partially inaudible, speaking from the audience) I think Mr.
Roberts is willing to take the risk of having to perhaps spend a
little bit more money and (inaudible) unnecessary development
costs. But still allow for the process to perhaps repeat itself.
Chairman Smalley: Are there any other comments by Council, men,
women, present, Commissioners? Ok, the issue we have before us,
ah is there anything from the City? Planning Specialist Loper:
no. Chairman Smalley: The issue we have before us is to accept or
reject the vacations of portions of, I won't try to pronounce
their names, but, vacate portions of utility easements adjacent to
Rights-of-Ways or adjacent to tracts D-one through D-seven
Dena'Ina Point Estates. Is there a motion. The Chair entertains
a motion. (laughter} The Chair can't give one himself. Pat
Nault: the Chair can't huh? Chairman Smalley:. no.
Chairman Smalley: I have a question, point of clarification.
Gloria Church: Yes. Chairman Smalley: It has to be, whatever
the motion comes up it has to be in a positive form, is that
correct? Planning Secialist Loper: That's correct, number one,
you're not going to say we approve or disapprove, you're going to
say we recommend to the Council approval or disapproval. Chairman
Smalley: And then .. Planning Secialist Loper: Number two
placed in an affirmative action. You must say something, for
example, we recomend approval of, as an example, then when you
vote, if you don't want it you vote no, if you do want it you vote
yes. But the motion must always be placed in an affirmative
action. Chairman Smalley: And if it, if there, if its, the vote
is not then there must be a reason. It would be better if there
was a reason. Planning Secialist Loper: As long as you're
recommending to the Council, it would be very advisable to give a
reason for it, for whatever you feel you wish to recommend, if
like Rick says you want to go back to square one and look it over
again or whatever you want.
Margaret O'Reilly: So if you wanted to have them go back to
square one and look it over again then you would vote no.
Chairman Smalley: correct.
Councilman Measles: That wouldn't really take it back to the
beginning. Chairman Smalley: Well actually it just takes it over
to Council and Council has that authority tomorrow night, whatever
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 19
~ action they take, is that correct?
Margaret O'Reilly: But we would be recommending (inaudible)
Councilman Measles: That would only stop this vacation it would
nto change the ordinance.
Chairman Smalley: It would not change, we, we, its not within our
power to rescind 1213-87. Chair is still entertaining a motion.
Pat Nault: I'm working on it. (laughter)
Councilman Measles: Chair is not being entertained very well.
Pat Nault: See if I got this straight. Where's the request.
MOTION:
Pat Nault: I'll move to recommend that the City Council approve
the vacation of easements and right-of-ways within Tracts D-1 to
D-7 of Dena'Ina Point Estates.
Chairman Smalley: Is there a second.
Gloria Church: Repeat the motion please.
Planning Specialist Loper: I think I understood you to say you
~ recommend the City Council approve it? Pat Nault: No, recommend
that we, we, I moved that we recommend to City Council. The
approval of the vacation.
Chairman Smalley: Is there a second.
Pat Nault: Come on folks we can't go anywhere until we put
something on the table here, vote it up, vote it down, whatever.
Gloria Church: Ok, I'll second it.
Chairman Smalley: Ok, we have a motion and a second to recommend
approval of the vacation as submitted. Discussion.
Pat Nault: I've got a question for Mr. McLane, if we recommend to
the Council not to, to disapprove the vacation of the easements,
where does this go, does Mr. Roberts have the capability to again
go back to the Borough Planning Commission and ask to do that all
over again.
Sam McLane: This. To quickly go back from square one, we
presented it, there was the ordinance, the resolution passed by P
and Z, for the rezone amendment based on filing of the final plat,
and in that, in the memorandum we stated we would have to vacate
the easements and put the ROW's around it. So, that being done, I
would imagine, if the vacation is turned down, that recommendation
goes to the Borough, I'm not exactly sure how that happens but
then that plat showing those vacations will not be filed.
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 20
{inaudible) Janet.
Planning Specialist Loper: It's a state statute, ah, that a
municipality meaning Council, has the right to veto within thirty
days,
Sam McLane: Right.
Planning Specialist Loper: Irregardless of what the Borough
action was.
Sam McLane: Right and thats correct so what that does to the
zoning amendment I can't tell you actually, at this point.
Pat Nault: No, I'm not talking about the zoning amendment, I
think what I'm doing is just, ah, well I think being respectful of
Mr. Baldwin's suggestion that if we're going to reconsider the
whole thing maybe this is not the form to do it, I think I'm
looking at a way to buy some time to do a reconsideration without
doing it in a real piece meal fashion. So my question is, if we
recommend against this vacation of easements, and then the whole
question is looked at again and its decided this ought to go
forward, is there a process for him to resubmit the whole proposal
to the Borough.
Planning Specialist Loper: He would have to resubmit it as a
whole new proposal.
Sam McLane: Right it would have to be resubmitted, there's
certain requirements but since it was the City that turned it down
rather than the Borough, I think, you know, there's another two
hundred dollar application fee, public hearings and so forth but
I'm certain that, that procedure could be repeated.
Councilman Measles: If the City does not approve this, since it
is a Borough decision is there not a means of appeal?
Planning Specialist Loper: No. According to Dick Troeger there
is not. Because the Borough approved it, we're not, so the only
appeal they really have is not a formal appeal, they can only
address the Council over the recommendation of the Planning and
Zoning, they cannot go to the Borough to appeal.
Councilman Measles: Right, but they can appeal it to the Council
even after the fact. If we object to it, it does not go into
effect, then he can appeal it to the Council, but back it up for a
minutes, I think what Rick was talking about was letting this go
ahead. Mr. Roberts would go ahead with his final plat and at the
time of the final plat was presented, if I understood you right,
that would be the time to say yes or no and rescind the ordinance
or whatever or let it go. Is that ...
Rick Baldwin: The City always has the right to change its zoning
ordinances.
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 21
Councilman Measles: Up until the time that final plat is approved
and filed.
Rick Baldwin: My understanding is that any time the City wants to
change its zoning ordinances it can rezone.
Planning Specialist Loper: This is a little different, this
doesn't go into effect until the final plat is filed which is
different from the other rezonings that we've done. Ah, under
normal circumstances when a rezoning is done by ordinance it goes
through City and Borough, that's it, it's done. In this case it
is not, it will be contingent upon the filing of a final plat
which in the wording in the ordinance which you have, ah, states,
I think its called exhibit B, so in this case you wouldn't have to
undo a zoning because the zoning doesn't take effect until the
final plat.
Rick Baldwin: I understand. I think we're saying the same thing.
Planning Specialist Loper: Oh, ok. Sorry.
Rick Baldwin: (inaudible) this process would go through
(inaudible) final commercial zone sitting up here. The final plat
being filed that doesn't take away from the City power to at any
time come back in and rezone this residential again if they so
desire.
Councilman Measles: Well, that's true but, if the final plat was
fired .. filed, and the developer started any kind of construction
out there, I think the City would be hard pressed to try to change
the zoning at that point.
.Chairman Smalley: At that point in time right.
Councilman Measles: Now, I think, at whatever point, if that was
what the City wants to do, it has to be done prior to filing of
that final plat, we'd have to reject the final plat, have to
reject this, have to rescind that ordinance.
(inaudible)
Councilman Measles: Until that final plat is filed, that whole
area is still zoned residential.
Rick Baldwin: Yes, but, trying to pull together what I think has
happened, I think maybe you've already comitted the irrevocable
step, at least as far as this particular process is concerned
because it, it, as I see it, and I don't want to try to give you
any legal advise, the ordinance has been passed that says the
rezoning will happen upon the filing of the final plat. And I, I
don't think now the City could, could, without some real strong
justification, for the ability now of Mr. Roberts to file his
final plat. Because the City would have to say, we are, we are
not allowing the vacation of these roads, for reasons other than
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 22
~ the reasons specified in the statute for turning down a vacation.
I.e. we don't like the zoning, rather than, you are not providing
for sufficient access. So that's, the way I see it, the kind of
irrevocable step and I hate to see get into, further into
(inaudible) a real procedural nighmare where, this process gets
slowed down and then the ordinance gets rescinded and then there's
real question as to whether or not an ordinance could have been
validly rescinded because the step leading to that were improper.
(inaudible) think about that.
Councilman Measles: Its kind of a fiasco because if we allow this
vacation of easement to go through and then at any point after
than the City decides to rescind that ordinance, then at that
point we're stuck with these new easements and the City would then
have to go, or, the developer, the owner would then have to go
back and redo these easements if he wanted to put it back in a
residential form.
Rick Baldwin: That's correct.
Pat Nault: Is that correct or did the easements actually take
effect with the filing of the final plat.
Rick Baldwin: The easements take effect with the filing of the
final plat. I'm sorry, maybe I misunderstood....
(Many voices overlapping and much is inaudible).
Councilman Measles: The vacation of easements, its my
understanding takes effect Thursday morning.
Chairman Smalley: Right if we don't or if the Council doesn't ...
Rick Baldwin: Boy I'd have to look at that, I couldn't even
guess. Sam probably could tell me.
Sam McLane: If I might, until this plat, this one right here,
gets recorded, you don't have new ROW's but your time frame for
stopping the recordation of the plat runs out thirty days from the
date of the notice sent out but you don't, you don't have
easements in effect until because this has the certificate of the
ownership and dedication which states we're the owners of the
property described hereon and dedicate all ROW's to public use and
grant all easements as shown and when this is signed by the owner,
signed by the City signed by DEC, then it gets recorded then you
actually have those easements in place. But the process is, you
got your thirty days to alter that process, but, I would tend to
and I would, had short notice of this and had very short
conversation with the owner on this and I think, based on that
short conversation with Mr. Roberts I would agree with Mr. Baldwin
that, ah, that we would like to see the process, if it is going to
be rescinded, lets not talk about ROW's because its coming down to
me I don't think we're really talking about ROW's here, at this
point, because we, there's not a heck of a lot of different
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 23
between the ROW's shown here and on here except you don't have a
loo road in here that's the different. But I didn't come here
tonight to be prepared to make a presentation and bring all my
data we prepared for the public hearings, the four of them we went
through about eleven months ago and I don't believe we had
adequate notice to do that tomorrow night and we certainly, I
don't have an opportunity to consult with the owner and so forth
so we would like, if, if it is I guess I'd request and I'd be at
teh Council meeting tomorrow that if the zoning is going to be
rescinded we'd like the public hearings and or whatever, as Mr.
Baldwin said, some sort of process due process to go that, so, ah
we would have the adequate notice to respond. And also I would
think that since we had, ah, four public hearings, on establishing
zone with that ordinance, 1213-87, there probably should be some
public comment, ah, be allowed if that ordinance is going to be
overturned. I sort of viewed the ordinance as, the zoning then
approved if the, the owner of the property did his survey, got the
plat in order and filed it, I didn't see that worded as a
stipulation where it was approved but if the City bounced the
plat, ah, then it wasn't approved. So, I'm not an attorney on
that, but ah, this has all come up rather quickly on here, and
we'd appreciate more time, I'd sure like to talk to the owner of
the property again before this is resolved.
Chairman Smalley: Councilwoman ... well we have
Councilwoman O'Reilly: yea, a couple of convents, I happened to be
on P and Z when this was presented a year ago, eleven months ago.
I had, the time frame crunch right now Sam is the City's probably
because of that thirty day thing, I think we had some questions
for our City Attorney as to what, I mean it would be ok by me to,
first of all get a sense of what the Council's feeling is and I
don't know that its black or white at this point, secondly,
delaying things, it might be easier and cheaper and cleaner and
kinder to do it earlier if the Council is at all considering
rescinding the ordinance. But since Mr. Roberts and his
representatives would like us to let the progress, the process
move onward, I wouldn't object to that either, except I would like
to know if the City is losing anything by it, should they decide
at some point in the future to really look at turning that
ordinance around. Its a delaying action.
Chairman Smalley: Its a legal question though.
Councilwoman O'Reilly: Yes I know. Its a mixed up bag.
Chairman Smalley: I would like to, try to talk and think at the
same time, I would like to, propose a rejection of this approval,
ah, from a standpoint of finding of facts I think sufficient
rights-of-way should be dedicated to serve surrounding properties
and so forth and I think that might be the issue regarding
screening and rights-of-ways as the potential effect, ah, that
has, that could exist on existing properties at this point in time
and I highly recommend, as, as Mr. Baldwin indicated, that the
KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Special Meeting - May 17, 1988
Page 24
1 property owner and developer sit down with the City, ah, and
discuss this particular issue. And let it work out in that manner
because you know if, if, if a mistake is made its best to stop it
now. One of the avenues of at least getting it to be looked at is
to reject the zoning. The City Council, again its not a black and
which issue at this point in time, can do whatever it wishes, take
our recommendation, ah, or reject it. Its entirely in the
Council's hands no matter what we do here tonight.
Chairman Smalley: Comments, other comments. Discussion.
Gloria Church: What was the motion again.
Planning Specialist Loper: Recommend to the City Council,
approval of the vacation and easements and ROW's within the
described property.
Gloria Church: So if we vote yes ...
Much overlapping discussion, portions inaudible.
Chairman Smalley: Question.
VOTE:
Planning Specialist Loper:
Hal Smalley - no
~ Gloria Church - no
Pat Nault - no
Margaret O'Reilly - yes
Planning Specialist Loper: ok, three no one yes, the motion
fails.
Chairman Smalley: So at this point in time, then they would
probably go before Council tomorrow night ....
Planning Specialist Loper: With the recommendation that it had
been turned down. I will do my best to have the minutes done for
everyone concerned by tomorrow.
Chairman Smalley: Meeting Adjourned.
Janet A. Loper
Planning Specialist
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION DATE⢠~,C ~ ~ %~~
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NOTES:
(Portions of the following minutes are verbatim)
1 PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 1987
Page 22
of this state to rebuild another hotel, pawn shop, liquor store or club
on this same premises. This would be you know, almost (inaudible) after
35 year of contributing to the economy of this area, you know, property
taxes, sales taxes, and so forth. All she wants to do is get this zoned
commercial. This will also enhance the sale that she is, so to speak
forced to sell her business. Its only for that one lot, the other lots
will remain light industrial. Lot 3 has a repair garage which falls
into either zone. The other lots are vacant and the trailers which are
illegal there are advertised for sale. There is no attempt to make a
trailer park out of the other lots." -
Chairman Lewis called for comments from the public, there were none.
Chairman Lewis brought discussion back to the Commission. ,
MOTION;
Commissioner Smalley moved for approval of PZ87-4, Lot 1, RM Thompson
S/D Henderson Replat, seconded by Commissioner O'Reilly.
_ Chairman Lewis stated that,looking at the Comp Plan the area is being
designated as Medium Density Residential. The Commission concurred.
Commissioner Bryson asked to have the existing zoning clarified through
the Comp Plan now in use, answer still the 1980 as the new one has not
been approved. It was noted that the lot in question is just under the
one acre limitation, while if the petitioner would consider zoning the
lot which includes the shop, the inclusion would bring the acreage well
over the one acre. The petitioner stated that ideally, she would like
to rezone the entire area which would include the club, the garage, and
the lots with the trailers... The Commission concurred.
MOTION AMENDMENT:
Commissioner Smalley moved to amend the motion to include the entire
property outlined, with approval of second.
VOTE:
Motion passed unanimously.
c. Resolution PZ87-3: Rezone Tracts D-1 through D-7, Dena'Ina
Point Estates, from RS to CG - Roberts and McLane
Sam McLane, representative for Royce Roberts came forward to present the
proposal. Mr. McLane stated that since this is a continuation, he would
briefly recap the plan. "I have added some acreages on these tracts
shown on this land use concept map. Once again, we are making
residential to the northwest, the First Baptist Church is located here,
all the property across the highway is City of Kenai and presently all
this property is undeveloped, there is one old dozer trail with a small
~ clearing in here, but all the areas shown where the screening easements
are shown here have natural vegetation, the intent of the screening
easements is to leave the natural vegetation intact. "
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 198
Page 22
of this state to rebuild another hotel, pawn shop, liquor store or club
on this same premises. This would be you know, almost (inaudible) after
35 year of contributing to the economy of this area, you know, property
taxes, sales taxes, and so forth. All she wants to do is get this zoned
commercial. This will also enhance the sale that she is, so to speak
forced to sell her business. Its only for that one lot, the other lots
will remain light industrial. Lot 3 has a repair garage which falls
into either zone. The other lots are vacant and the trailers which are
illegal there are advertised for sale. There is no attempt to make a
trailer park out of the other lots."
Chairman Lewis called for comments from the public, there were none.
Chairman Lewis brought discussion back to the Commission.
MOTION;
Commissioner Smalley moved for approval of PZ87-4, Lot 1, RM Thompson
S/D Henderson Replat, seconded by Commissioner O'Reilly.
Chairman Lewis stated that,looking at the Comp Plan the area is being
designated as Medium Density Residential. The Commission concurred.
Commissioner Bryson asked to have the existing zoning clarified through
the Comp Plan now in use, answer still the 1980 as the new one has not
been approved. It was noted that the lot in question is just under the
one acre limitation, while if the petitioner would consider zoning the
lot which includes the shop, the inclusion would bring the acreage well
over the one acre. The petitioner stated that ideally, she would like
to rezone the entire area which would include the club, the garage, and
the lots with the trailers. The Commission concurred.
MOTION AMENDMENT:
Commissioner Smalley moved to amend the motion to include the entire
property outlined, with approval of second.
VOTE:
Motion passed unanimously.
c. Resolution PZ87-3: Rezone Tracts D-1 through D-7, Dena'Ina
Point Estates, from RS to CG - Roberts and McLane
Sam McLane, representative for Royce Roberts came forward to present the
proposal. Mr. McLane stated that since this is a continuation, he would
briefly recap the plan. "I have added some acreages on these tracts
shown on this land use concept map. Once again, we are making
residentia'1 to the northwest, the First Baptist Church is located here,
all the property across the highway is City of Kenai and presently all
this property is undeveloped, there is one old dozer trail with a small
clearing in here, but all the areas shown where the screening easements
are shown here have natural vegetation, the intent of the screening
easements is to leave the natural vegetation intact. "
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 1987
Page 23
` "These tracts range from 1.3 acres to 7.1 acres, so the intent is to go
through the rezoning process, and get a conceptual or conditional
approval, then vacate the existing ROWS, replat with this modified ROW
alignment and return to the tract status as the property exists now,
only with the general commercial zoning. And as we discussed at the
last meeting, that is going to take some vacation hearings and so forth
for the existing ROW's, easements and so forth. I took the liberty of
drawing this in on the zoning map so you could see how it fit in with
the existing residential zones and this west Kenai neighborhood, some
limited commercial along the highway here and this commercial area we
just discussed adjacent to that last rezoning request."
"In reviewing the existing Comp Plan some of my remarks, the existing
Comp Plan is a little out of date, I know you have a new one that's
under consideration. I looked at some of the items in each Comp Plan
and the newer one - relating to the growth factors, there's expectations
of the City growing from a 1984 population of approximately 6200 to 9350
in the year 2000 with the Kenai/Soldotna central region going from
approximately just under 25,000 to 36,500. This would have an increase
in housing units in the Kenai area from 2446 to 3591, an increase of 11
or 1200 housing units. On the commercial space in Kenai, using the new
Plan figures, a little over a million square feet of commercial space,
and that's all categories, in 1985 to an expected amount of over 1.6
million square feet in the year 2000. Now these figures out of the new
Plan did not assume the start up of Diamond Shamrock or Beluga Coal
coming or any new petrochemical or that type of industrial growth in the
central peninsula area. The Plan addresses economic development
strategies, these are suggesting promoting a positive climate for new
business development, preparation of an economic development strategy,
maintenance of the city's policy of putting city-owned land into
productive use by the private sector when there is a demonstrated public
benefit and an enhancement of the contribution of recreational visitor
industry to the city's economy and encouragement of tourism. Those are
the majors items addressed in those documents."
"Regarding the land use, the Comp Plans encourage infilling of the
central area. Strip development is along the highways and major
arterials is discouraged. In 1980, the Plan said there was about 340
acres of commercially zoned property of which around 120 acres were
developed at that time. What I've done here is shown, as we all know
this, this in-filling is going on in a rather orderly fashion, in this
area east of the older downtown area, I've highlighted these areas that
have filled in. In other words, assuming these properties that were
available in the 1980's (inaudible) you've got this development along
the Spur and out here to the pizza place, HEA using this tract, King
Oscar using this large tract here, under option for large (inaudible)
type development. I'm using this to illustrate the fact that these
larger tracts have basically, well they were originally the airport
leased lands, they've gone into private hands, we've had orderly
development here, starting, we've had, its been back and forth a little
~ bit regarding landscaping and so forth, but we started out with
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 1987
Page 24
development here, the Uptown Motel and essentially this has filled up to
the end of General Commercial Zone in this portion of town. There are
scattered tracts through the central area that haven't filled up and as
Commissioner Michou mentioned, at the last public hearing and in
Commission discussion he would get a land inventory and I don't know if
you've all seen it, I've got a copy of it here".
"There isn't that much commercial property on the market right now,
these were highlighted by Leighton, just to show, and these are not all
the properties available but this is off the multiple listing service
and in the commercial designation and a lot of these are not in the
central area, these highlighted here, there are some tracts in the
Wildwood area, they are a quarter of an acre and on 61/4 acre parcel in
the Radar S/D area, then these listings here are all in the Thompson
Park area and they are the small 1/3 acre size lots. I know there is
commercially zoned property out there, but you know that you've had a
lot of resident comment from that area whenever commercial development
has gone on .. Mr. Michou looked around and there are various tracts
available that aren't colored in here that you can see, there's this
corner here next to Beaver Loop and so forth".
"The point of this is to show that, and also the zoning map, I took the
liberty of adding this line here because the zoning map indicated these
larger tracts downtown and they are more than downtown they are over the
bank. That really reduces the size on those when compared to a parcel
here. The request we're making and you can see the acreages we're
talking about. The Comp Plans have always encouraged., the earlier Comp
Plan said confine your commercial area between these wooded revines and
that was a good plan at that time, it still is good for in-filling,
that's very desirable, but as you can see this is a small scale map, we
don't have any parcels left in this area of any size, particularly
there's no bluff parcels available of any size to allow commercial
development or a planned commercial development where you would have
numerous segments, an orderly development that would fit in together,
allow room for adequate parking, snow storage and drainage, and your
landscaping easement".
"The, just some statistics on this, it was called the west Kenai
neighborhood, when fully developed the 1980 Comp Plan estimated it 26
and a half thousand people could live in this west Kenai area and that's
this side of the ravine. And that would be housing approximately 8,000
housing units. Now thats full development of all residential land. By
1990 that particular plan projected 4270 people in this area. Now we all
know we have a slump, a slump, these Comp Plans are supposed to get us
through, now the new one's addressing it to 2000 calendar year,
somewhere in that area where we look ahead. I've looked at Comp Plans
for the area around here, I'm not, I haven't developed any of them but
I've always had a, I'll just admit this right up front, a little bone to
pick with the Comp Plan that the consultants come down and give to the
local area, I don't know it seems to me they're based on a small town
that doesn't go through the growth cycles like we've experienced here in
the Central Peninsula. For instance, this plan that says keep all your
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 1987
Page 25
commercial development here, well
as you can see, this is about 4 y.
correctly, this development shown
spurt it doesn't take too long to
you're talking little lots".
that's good to in-fill there, and I,
cars worth right here if I can remember
in pink, well when you have a growth
fill up this area, particularly when
"So these incongruities become apparent. The Plans, desires to
encourage economic development, enhance the contribution of the tourism,
visitor industry, thats a real buzz word these days because that's the
thing thats projected to hold now that the Borough tourism report is
anticipating a decline this year, but not a drastic decline, but a
temporary one that's based on a slower economy in Anchorage and a lot of
our visitors are out of Anchorage. Those planners that did that project
for the Borough Resource Development also pointed out that the Peninsula
is really lacking as a visitor destination point, we do get some people
down here but we're not really living up to our potential".
"Another thing they say, lets in-fill these areas, well as I pointed
out, that's going on. When you look at the basic property inventory
we're filling up the commercial. Now we do have, I don't have the whole
area here but of course we go out to Thompson Park and the area by
Morgan Steel and the old Beaver Creek S/D that the state did years ago,
there's commercially zoned property there, but you can't really
associate that with the central area. And that's why this, this doesn't
fit the Comp Plan, I went through it, you can't make it fit and you can
quote some things out of the new Comp Plan that Janet put together
regarding land use and the things we want to do regarding commercial
development and that's cited on page 28 of the draft, "establishing
commercial districts due to the highway neighbarhood and central
district settings, concentrate commercial development on strategic
locations along the Spur Highway where you can control the traffic
movement, require that the access to commercial sites be restricted to
arterials or collector streets, and not have commercial sites accessed
through residential areas, and enact some neighborhood commercial zone
and designate selected neighborhoods within the general commercial land
use category."
"These are suggestions in the new Comp Plan. Well I would submit that
this sort of plan, to do here, we can accomplish this sort of thing
although the Comp Plan says specifically to encourage growth in the
central area, but general if we're going to say that, you know, looking
to the year 2000 or perhaps a little further into the future, it would
be nice to have some bluff property that takes advantage of the city
sitting here at the mouth of the river and Cook Inlet. All the property
when you're talking about trying to develop tourism and visitor
potential, and you don't have a hotel or a restaurant site anywhere
where you can virtually even see the inlet or the mountains across and
so forth, we're certainly not utilizing the city's potential to the
fullest. The city was probably established here because of the inlet
and the mouth of the river and has grown significantly because of that".
"The Air Force added a bunch, we've got this property available out here
and where some new hotel sites have gone in here and hotels that needed
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 1987
Page 26
to be downtown which are convenient transportation wise and road wise
and airport wise, but they certainly don't have the visitor appeal or
the esthetics that would be available to a bluff location in this area"
"Another thing here, we have the opportunity now, if, you can see all
the is in here, this is either rural residential or suburban
residential, but this whole area, as I stated earlier, can hold
something on the order of 25,000 people, that's a long way off, we have
a lot of room for residential, we certainly don't want to put
(inaudible) back in here. The fact of the matter is the traffic
particularly from the development out north as people come in to town
from Nikiski area or Salamatof area, this is the part of the town that
they are going to encounter first. And I think we could use some more
commercially zoned property, not for development tomorrow or next year
perhaps but to have some tracts of this size available, this particular
tract here or block has about 1100' of bluff front. There's a lot of
things that can go on there, we're not deciding any specific thing, I've
heard there are some rumors going around but this rezone is not intended
for a specific use at this time, what it is is to get some commercially
available property, commercially developable property available within
the city limits so when we come out of this slump which, hopefully won't
last too much longer there will be some areas. That people can look
at".
"The Plan says that there's a lot of businessesanc~ so forth that have
been established outside the city. Certainly some of those are more
suited to be outside the city, but probably some of them, it might be
desirable to have within the city for the taxes. We have an opportunity
now to take a look at this are, this largely undeveloped, this is a photo
taken last year so it's pretty current. As you can see Inlet Woods
streets are in and so forth. So you can see this is undeveloped and the
city owns this, I don't know if its just a planning commission yet I
would assume there are some proposed ball park going in in this area and
of course the close out of the landfill there will be some sort of
contoured and drains site that's seeded there will be no developed
there, but across the street from this there's going to be a lot of
green areas so while this could be categorized as strip zoning or spot
zoning. I think there are some reasons for it, we have this, all this
residential development starting here at Woodland and coming clear
through, along Forest Drive and out to the bluff and Redoubt Terrace
that is not going to be supplanted any time in the near future. Its not
going to be forced out".
"But we have a natural break here with the city property and this dog
leg and the bluff where it comes in right behind the First Baptist
Church which has a sizable parcel here. There is room to continue a
road through here but certainly for the area here, this is one inch
equal 600 feet so for a sizable area in here there isn't room for bluff
lots and have an adequate bluff setback. So we do have a natural
necking down, more or less a tapering down of the residential zone and
then its beginning further on down the road so what we're requesting is
that residential begin a little further down. And if we, if this rezone
goes
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 198
Page 27
~ through now before this is developed, and residences are built in here
we won't have the situation that occurred earlier here tonight, we can, I
believe we can adequately address the buffer zones, the traffic flow,
and those sort of items now and look ahead. Like I said we're not
expecting development on this next year or the year after, but looking
ahead to the future. So while it isn't, right in with the Comp Plan I
believe these Comp Plans are perhaps a little lacking in this commercial
area. Although when we're talking about development of commercial
districts this type of development does, in my opinion fit with the
goals laid out in the Comp Plan. Regarding the buffer areas, the
street, access, and so forth. So, that's all I have on that. I wish I
could pull out the land use map where it says lets have some commercial
zoned property with some bluff front and beautiful view available but
there isn't any in the Comp Plan. I certainly think the city could use
some."
Chairman Lewis opened the issue to the public for comment.
John Cooke: "In listening to Mr. McLane, I'm wondering and in sitting in
on some of the comprehensive planning reviews that took place years ago
I think the comprehensive planning review basically tried to keep the
development of the city into a core area to avoid, remember discussion
was to avoid the spreading out of our commercial endeavors to make it
look more like a cohesive city. And this is, I don't know if anybody
has ever taken an opportunity to walk or to drive through this area, I
guess you'd have to walk through most of it, but it does afford a
beautiful view, esp. if you had a large home (inaudible, papers
rustling) structures of the inlet. It seems like it would be more
compatible to keep it residential over spreading out the commercial
center of the city. And I think the city has done a tremendous job with
its Comprehensive Plan to this point, I would hate to see you start
spreading the city farther away from the core."
Chairman Lewis closed the public hearing and brought the issue back to
the Commission..
MOTION:
Commissioner Bryson moved approval of Resolution PZ87-3, seconded by
Commissioner Osborne.
Commissioner Smalley, "I question that Councilman Wise brought up last
time this came up, has the petitioner, what are the petitioners thoughts
on having to completely pay for the parcel or is it completely paid for,
if its resubdivided under current ordinances, I think it has to be paid
for prior to ... correct?"
Sam McLane: "I really didn't go over that totally, there's, as I said
what we're requesting here is a conditional rezoning approval at this
time, because we don't have an accurate legal description. The intent
is to request the, once the conceptual approval or the conditional
approval is granted is to request the necessary waivers to do the
replatting and end up with the large blocks available that would
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 1987
Page 28
~ essentially return the site to the way it exists now only with a
different zoning category so its the intent of the owner to ask for
those waivers. In other words, right now for instance, on a
rededication of the ROWS in a slightly shifted position there isn't that
much difference really other than this new one here keeps access into
the residential from having to go through all the commercial so the city
would have to be signatory to the plat as the city was the one that
dedicated all these ROW's to the public. So additional waivers to the
various platting authorities would be requested at that time. The idea
was rather than to request a conditional approval on the rezone, rather
than coming in here with the vacation, well it was just a lot of paper
work associated .....
Commissioner Smalley, "In other words no". Mr. McLane, "yea. But we
know all those steps have to be gone through".
Commissioner Bryson, "Question. He's asking for a conceptual approval,
which....I'm not sure we have that vehicle, ..... that a conceptual
zoning .... could be approved. Correct?" Chairman Lewis, "As I
understand it its either a conceptual .... Commissioner Smalley, "it
either is or it isn't". Chairman Lewis, "Yes. There's nothing
conceptual about it at all. If we vote for it." Commissioner Michou,
"Either we have it or we don't, its either commercial or it ain't".
Commissioner Smalley, "In other words the vehicle we would have to
approve of this or not, not of the conceptual basis." Chairman Lewis,
"we're not approving the concept, we're approving the actual rezoning".
Mr. McLane, "I hate to interrupt again but I used the term conceptual
and conditional because at this time, this parcel is in tract, legal
configurations that are different from what's shown here. So the reason
I said, say we use the term conditional rezone, there isn't a legal
description for this tract right now, that's why, even though this part
is the remaining residential, we asked for rezoning or advertisement of
all the tracts because the ... this is, this is what the tracts look
like now. You see they're slightly different but in other words this is
Tract D-9 of Dena'Ina Point Estates as recorded on plat 84-107, so ...
this is a concept we're asking for approval for, but when you grant the
rezone you have to have the legal description and we don't have a legal
description until we go through all that platting process."
Commissioner Michou, "so all we got to do is get it platted and since
we've already approved it as commercial, then we wind up with 13 quick
stops or video rental stores and we've had it". Mr. McLane, "in the
planning process, we have public hearings on the .... on the ROW
vacations and so forth, that have to go through that standard procedure
and so forth but yes, once, if you approve a conditional rezone on this
map, it is a rezone". Commissioner Michou, "I can't see the lines but
I'm saying if I can count 13 lots along the highway we could conceivable
wind up with 13 small businesses". Mr. McLane, "the intent at this
time, these were shown, these interior lines were shown at the time just
to show, just to give you an idea of some size that could be available,
the intent now is to plat the ROW's so the original intent of this
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 1987
Page 29
section 36 dispersal would be there. In other words, the access and the
corridor for water lines to get to this street and to this street would
be there. But essentially what we're asking for at this time is to have
these blocks just the way they are, shown here. No further platting of
small lots at this time. The platting would come some time in the
future".
Commissioner Smalley, "Is that not in a sense a replat then." Mr.
McLane, "yes this is a replat. But what I'm saying is the replatting it
into the blocks as the city did with the entire Dena'Ina Point."
Commissioner Church, "When you get to the final platting, say we do this
and you get to the final platting doesn't it come back to us for
approval?" Mr. McLane, "yes, the platting for this and then when
further subdivision is done with, when we get into the commercial you'll
have your site plan review and your landscaping and all those reviews
will be done, but if say, if there is a planned commercial development
for this tract here, where someone doesn't want to development and I'm
speculating into the future, to explain the process, doesn't want the
full 7.1 acres, but wants this portion here, then that plat would come
through the city."
Planning Specialist Loper, "If I may help the Commission a little bit,
we had a similar situation, and I think it was yours also, for Parsons
S/D? On that the Commission gave approval of the rezoning and it was to
be contingent upon the filing of a final plat which would be coming
before this Commission." Commissioner Smalley, "but right now the power
lies with the city as far as the sale of that property of the conditions
of the sale is that before it be resubdivided it would be paid for in
full. I think that's an agreement on the purchase contract.
CHANGE TO SIDE 2 OF TAPE.
Councilman Wise, "...Really the administration and Council and the
buyer, but is a material thing. The only comment I would make here is
that I, as I understand what is being requested is conceptually do you
agree with this. I would point out, a little bit in contrary to Mrs.
Loper is that the, not in my mind, be necessarily be binding in the
future. Is that, I think, you get a little play on words and though I
don't claim to be an attorney, I think that you approve of developing,
what they're asking, as I understand it, to approve further development
of the concept. Which does mean that you cannot in the future turn down
the concept. Its a little fine things that your not committing, as I
would envisage it, you're not committing yourself to approving this as
presented in final form, even the rezoning or anything. All you're
doing is, maybe I've got Mr. McLane wrong but this is not an action
which precludes you from reversing yourself in a future date. When you
get the final plat and the deliberate delineation of the plats be
discussed. He is very correct in that he can't final approval because
you don't know......" Planning Specialist Loper, "you don't have a
legal description". Councilman Wise, "you don't have a correct legal
description. You can't define some of these imaginary lines. On that
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MAY 13, 1987
Page 30
basis I would say and I think it has to be arrived at between the
applicant and the Commission is an understanding, are you committing
yourself to another step of approving a replat, vacations and so forth.
If that's the request then I think you should be very careful about ...
they are simply saying that as of this moment you have no problem with
never continuing developing, finalizing this concept, that's something
else again. Its a fine line of difference and I think its got to be
clarified, what you are doing and what you are being asked to do."
VOTE:
Mr. McLane, "May I clarify that, I know that this is resulting in
confusion here, but what we're requesting is a conditional approval
contingent upon the .filing of a final plat, recorded in the Kenai
recording district that looks just like this that would overlay right
here, it would actually have a tract designation on this bearing and
distances and exact acreage and a recording stamp down here just like
the original. Because like I said we have to go through the ROW vacation
process, the resurvey, the resubmittal of the plat and so forth into
the commercial configuration, that's a lot of work to go through its a
lot more time on the Commission's part, we felt it would be better to
get the conditional zoning request in, if you approved of the zoning and
the land use then we would do the platting. If we went right now and
went through that platting procedure, came in and just did a replat,
assuming that the City administration and the Council would be agreeing
to shifting the location of the ROWS and so forth and then got this done
and then came in and said ok, we want to rezone these areas I've
outlined in brown to a general commercial designation and it was turned
down, we would be left with a bunch of ROWS that weren't really in the
best configuration for residential. And then we would have to go back
through, vacate those and go back to the original. Thats why the intent
was to come in and request a conditional rezone for these and the
rezoning would be contingent upon a final plat that would have this
configuration to show the new ROW locations, the screening easements
would be platted and dedicated on the final plat. I call this concept,
call it a preliminary plat, but its really not a preliminary plat
because it has not been submitted to any commission. That's why this
plat is in this configuration and when that was done it would relieve
the contingency in the zoning, would become finalized".
Motion passes
Church - yes
Michou - yes
O'Reilly - no
Osborne - no
Smalley - no
Lewis - yes
Bryson - yes
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF April 22, 1987
Minutes were approved as submitted
? 6. OLD BUSINESS
None