ITEM TITLE:
Approval of Land Use of Tract B, USS 455 for a Police Impound Lot and Storage
SUBMITTED BY: Lisa Von Bargen, CED Director
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve Land Use of Tract B, USS 455 for a Police Impound Lot and Storage.
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Action on this item was originally brought before the Council on November 22, 2016. The Council postponed action on the item so the Police impound and storage needs could be looked at in conjunction with other proposed City facility development and land acquisition. At the January 17, 2017 work session on the subject the Council gave direction for Administration to bring this item back for consideration as maximizing the use of City-owned property for facility expansion is the desire of Council. The remaining portion of this agenda statement remains virtually unchanged from the November 22nd meeting.
On October 12th, 2016 the Planning and Zoning Commission held a work session to discuss junk cars and abandoned vehicles. Bart Hinkle, the City of Valdez Police Chief, was at the work session to discuss the specific issue of enforcement of Valdez Municipal Code, Chapter 10.12 Parking. The code states that any vehicle in violation may be impounded by the city. The city does not have a proper place to impound vehicles, rendering enforcement of the code ineffective. This is specifically problematic with regard to vehicles in the street impeding snow removal. As of early January 48 cars would have been impounded for impeding snow removal if an impound lot had been available.
Chief Hinkle also addressed the need for storage space for vehicles impounded and held for active investigations or pending police cases.
During the work session, the Commission identified the immediate need for an impound and storage location as the top propriety for staff deliverables. In considering a location for an impound lot, staff looked for the several defining characteristics. Tract B, USS 455 meets the needed criteria for an impound/storage lot based on size, proximity to town, plow-ability, inconspicuousness, and ability to block access to the general public.
In reviewing specific land-use approvals staff utilizes the goals, objectives, policies, and standards in the City of Valdez Comprehensive Plan for guidance on recommended land use.
The land use goal in the comprehensive plan states the following:
Goal - Land Use: Provide a community land use pattern that is compatible with existing land use patterns in the community, which is physically safe, environmentally sensitive, and consistent with the provisions and requirements of the Valdez Coastal Management Program.
The three land use goal objectives that apply to utilizing Tract B, USS 455 for a police impound and storage lot are discussed below.
The proposed use of Tract B, USS 455 meets the objective of providing adequate separation of incompatible land uses. Tract A, USS 455 adjacent to the east of Tract B is privately owned and utilized as a lay-down yard and storage yard for oil spill response equipment. The land to the north and west of Tract B is undeveloped. Tract B, and the parcels east, west, and north are all zoned Light Industrial.
The proposed use of Tract B, USS 455 meets the objective which prohibits the location or construction of structures in hazardous or environmentally sensitive areas. Tract B is not located in regulated wetlands. Tract B is in not located in a regulated special flood hazard area. There is a salmon fish stream located on a portion of USS 455 directly to the west of Tract B; however, the mandatory 25ft buffer prohibiting development next to the bank of the salmon stream is entirely outside of Tract B, as can be seen on Plat # 2002-11 (see attached).
The proposed use of Tract B, USS 455 meets the objective which reserves shoreline areas for water-dependent uses and activities or reserves shoreline areas for uses and activities which there is no feasible and prudent inland alternative to meet the need for the use or activity. Whether or not this parcel constitutes as shoreline could be debated as there is a 100ft road corridor between the parcel and a portion of the Duck Flats zoned Conservation. However, staff has evaluated a multitude of alternative locations and finds that there is not an inland alternative that meets the need for this use.
On November 9, 2016 the P&Z Commission approved a recommendation to Council that Tract B, USS 455 be approved for use as a police impound and storage lot.
The 2017 Major Maintenance budget includes $230,000 to prepare the land for use and to construct a much needed storage building for the Police Department. As the project develops a finalized budget and all necessary approvals will be brought to Council for action.
Three staff deliverables were outlined at the aforementioned work session. The first (Police Impound Lot identification) is before the Council on this agenda. The second and third items will be brought to the P&Z Commission and Council at subsequent meetings. Those include 1) recommendation of a policy for the City’s role in addressing the junk car issue; and 2) identification of a city-owned junk car storage and prep yard (based on policy decisions made by the Commission and the Council).
Attachments:
Plat # 2002-11
Map of Tract B, USS 455