ITEM TITLE:
Approval of Recommendation to City Council to Repeal and Reenact Title 16 of the Valdez Municipal Code Titled Subdivisions
SUBMITTED BY: Kate Huber, Community Development Director
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: n/a
Unencumbered Balance: n/a
Funding Source: n/a
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve recommendation to City Council to repeal and reenact Title 16 of the Valdez Municipal Code Titled Subdivisions
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Plan Valdez, the 2021 Valdez Comprehensive Plan identified the revision of the Title 17 Zoning Code and the Title 16 Subdivision code as high priority action items. Following adoption of the comp plan, Community Development Department staff completed a full revision of the Title 17 Zoning Code which was adopted by City Council in 2024. In 2025, Community Development staff joined with a consultant team from R&M Consultants in Anchorage to revise Title 16.
The goals identified for the code revision project were as follows:
- Bring Title 16 into conformance with the comprehensive plan and the revised Title 17
- Balance individual property rights with the community vision and goals
- Address unique characteristics of Valdez, including provisions for required snow storage dedications
- Increase ease of code administration and refine procedures
- Incorporate easy to understand language
On May 7, 2025, The Valdez City Council and Planning & Zoning Commission held a joint work session to learn more about the code revision project and provide input to guide the project team.
After completing the first draft of the revised ordinance, a public comment period was held for two weeks, officially ending on February 27, 2026. During the comment period two sets of written comments were received from professional engineers who work frequently in Valdez. Those comments will be provided to the Planning & Zoning Commission in writing prior to this meeting. At the time of publishing, no other public comments have been received.
Due to the extensive nature of the comments received, the project team opted to revise the draft ordinance. The draft attached for consideration tonight includes changes made in response to the public comments received. Also attached for review is the existing text of Valdez Municipal Code Title 16. Because of the extensive changes proposed, including reorganization of the title, a separate draft for the revision was necessary.
Significant changes to the title include:
- Added administrative approval process for minor plats, subject to approval by the Community Development Director.
- Clarified the process for transferring required snow storage lots to the City of Valdez.
- Added variance process and criteria for approval.
- Added public way vacations process and requirements.
- Incorporated plain, easy to understand language throughout.
- For ease of reading and interpretation, provides additional definition of terms used throughout the title.
- Rewrite is done in formatting and organization similar to Title 17.
- Increases the public notification period from 10 days to 14 days and updates the notification requirements to explicitly require published, mailed, and posted notice.
- Updated the plat monumentation section to reflect current survey practices.
During this meeting a public hearing will be held for the commissioners to hear any additional public comment. If a member of the public would like to provide written comment on the proposed ordinance, they can email comments to communitydevelopment@valdezak.gov <mailto:communitydevelopment@valdezak.gov> or provide them in person at the Community Development window in City Hall.
Following a decision by the commission on the recommendation, staff will bring forward the ordinance to City Council for adoption with the details of the Planning & Zoning Commission decision and any recommended changes for Council to consider as amendments. Staff will also provide a summary of public comments received. City Council will hold an additional public hearing during their first reading of the ordinance.
If the revised Title 16 is adopted by City Council, The City Clerk will submit an additional ordinance change to VMC Title 2, clarifying the roles of the Planning & Zoning Commission and Community Development Director in the platting process. Community Development staff will also bring forward a simple revision to Title 12 to add clarification regarding driveway requirements and bring Title 12 in alignment with Titles 16 & 17.