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Minutes for HALO Board Meeting April 6, 2006
Holy Spirit Retreat Center
President Chris Hamre opened the meeting at 7:10 pm. Other board members present were Dianne Holmes, Beth Terry, John Weddleton, Rodney Powell, Dan Stone, Katie Nolan, Jim Barnett.
Approval of Minutes: Motion by Barnett and Stone to approve the March minutes. Passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report: none
Old Business:
Baronik Church site plan: Katie reported the site plan review has been finalized and some improvements were made.
Forest Heights Subdivision (Legacy Point): Dianne reviewed the key issues of this 120-acre rezone on south Goldenview Dr. The main issue aside from density is traffic and the urgent need for a collector road that invites people to go out to Potter Valley Rd instead of Goldenview. The hearing before the Assembly is closed and that body is to take action April 11th although there is talk of a delay and possibility of the developers keeping the property in PLI status and building a senior housing development.
Sub-Area Transportation Study (Bear Valley school south to Mt McKinley Dr): Mar. 17th was the latest deadline for the final draft to come up for review. But after a yr of little action, Lance Wilbur, Traffic Director, still has not gotten the final draft done. In the meantime, more land is coming to plat with roads that lead off to other undeveloped lands and all this without a plan for the larger area. The area along south Goldenview is in dire need of another Sub-Area Transportation Study because of the large developments coming up for platting including a possible school site.
Land Use Plan Map (LUPM): It is part of Title 21 and the deadline for commenting has been extended. Tom Nelson explained that the LUPM will go to the Assembly soon for “concept approval” but it will not carry the weight of law until the Title 21 rewrite is approved. The LUPM has to do with future rezoning.
South Coastal Trail Extension: dead. The Federal Hwy Administration recommended a no build position due to the lack of support from city and state officials.
Hillside District Plan (HDP): Planning Director, Tom Nelson, introduced the new project manager, Lindsey Holmes. She will be available to HALO and the councils. Tom then explained the new organizational chart with the Oversight Committee (including three community members) that will communicate directly into Lindsey, with another committee that includes the mayor, and some dept heads feeding into Lindsey also. This Oversight Committee will be meeting frequently in the beginning and will help select the Lead Consultant and also will have a part in developing the RFPs for the numerous studies that will be done. These three community members will also be on the larger, 12 to 15 person, Technical Committee/Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) along with various MOA staff and all will answer to the Lead Consultant. Oversight Committee should be operational in a few weeks; the CAC by June, and the Lead Consultant should be in place by June.
Barnett said he’d like to see that the Lead Consultant has historical knowledge of hillside issues.
Katie expressed concern over the survey. Tom said it will be produced by professionals and will be reviewed by the CAC .
Another concern was raised about the RFPs that may be drafted by the depts. heads and then possibly driven by staff input. The Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) will be reviewing all studies and RFPs said Nelson and that the public should feel comfortable with the members in this capacity. Having the CAC do so much oversight means the project will go faster.
Question: how will the studies, such as drainage, be used in the end? Nelson said drainage would have to be coordinated with other studies, like transportation before projects are developed.
Nelson discussed the physical and technical problems that exist such as roads that cross various jurisdictions (state, LRSA, ARDSA, or no governing body).
The budget for two years for the HDP is $1.8 million with some funds coming from tax-supported services like AWWU fees, and AMATS. PM&E is budgeting $300K. The HDP should be done in late 2007. $400k has been budgeted for the Lead Consultant for two years.
A comparison was made between the HWMP (Hillside Wastewater Management Plan) report and the HDP, but the HDP will have many more chapters. The HDP will drive development and also the MOA’s Level of Service (LOS). One example given was the hodge podge of road service areas. The Anchorage Charter states each area will vote on the level of services desired and the HDP will be implemented (or not) by people voting for the LOS that may be called for in the HDP.
Janey Moen expressed concern that the community members on the Oversight Committee not have a financial interest in the area; nor should the Lead Consultant.
The MOA website should have information on the HDP progress.
Legislative/Assembly Reports: Janice Shamberg reported the Assembly passed the ASD budget. The sign ordinance will continue with its hearing on April 11th. There are so many development projects occurring that the Assembly authorized hiring outside help to do plan review. The Homebuilders Assoc. will be meeting with the Assembly. Potential new bars in town are causing distress among some residents. A work session on the Parks Plan will be held on Apr 14th (and then maybe it will come for a final vote soon afterward?). The Assisted Living ordinance will come up for a vote soon and it appears the outright permitted number of clients allowed will be reduced to six (for all zones), with up to eight allowed before a conditional use permit is needed.
Katie asked about the HDP’s citizen members and the previously expressed interest in not having any of them have a financial conflict of interest. She felt the survey part of the HDP should be moved up on the org. chart. Janice replied that she and Chris Birch will submit names for the HDP citizen members.These members should have good communication skills and be a team player. Nelson said that reps for the HDP committees should have geographic knowledge of the areas south of Rabbit Cr Rd because that area has the most undeveloped land.
New Business:
On-Site Services Review Board will be rewriting the code more for understanding by engineers than citizens. Chris stated we should watch this because the “failed septic” syndrome may end up making people and the city feel like there is a health hazard and that the automatic solution is to build public sewers. Dianne asked Nelson if the words “failed septic” could be banned in favor of something like “septic needs replacing.”
Annual meeting in May—we will need to get a newsletter out with articles to Jeff by April 19th. Donna Van Flein will be asked to do an article on Forest Hts, Lindsay will do one on HDP, Janice will cover the Large Animal ordinance. The suggestion was made to allow our south Anchorage Assembly members write a short piece. All articles can be up to about 250 words. Other meeting concerns are for a speaker, refreshments, and prizes. Jim Barnett was charged with some By laws issues and he would like to meet with Judy and Chris beforehand.
Meeting adjourned 9:10.
Submitted: Dianne Holmes, Sec
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