ITEM TITLE:
Public Hearing for Conditional Use Permit Application #19-02 from the City of Valdez for a Proposed Fire Station at 401 West Pioneer Drive (Lot 1, Block 6, Block 20, Mineral Creek Subdivision)
SUBMITTED BY: Kate Huber, Senior Planner
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
N/A - public hearing only.
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
On February 1, 2019, the Planning Department received an application (see attached) for a conditional use permit (CUP) from the City of Valdez Capital Facilities Department and their contractor, Wolf Architecture, Inc. The proposed site for a new Fire Station 1 is located at 401 Pioneer Drive (Lot 1, Block 6, Block 20, Mineral Creek Subdivision) on the corner of Hazelet Avenue and Pioneer Drive.
The current zoning of this parcel is single-family residential. The single-family residential district is intended to include primarily single-family dwellings, and allows for other noncommercial structures to meet the needs of residential areas.
On August 22, 2018, Valdez City Council voted to approve the selection of this site for a proposed new Fire Station 1. After site selection approval, the Capital Facilities Department worked with the Planning Department to determine the required land use actions necessary to proceed with the Council selected site.
On December 19, 2018, the City Council approved an amendment to the existing snow storage agreement for this area with the State of Alaska Department of Transportation. Following the approval of this amendment, on February 13, 2019, the Planning & Zoning Commission approved a re-plat of the parcel, removing lot lines that dedicated part of the proposed site to snow storage. The final plat approved by the Planning & Zoning Commission is attached.
The next step in the process of pursuing this site for the proposed Fire Station 1 is to obtain a CUP. This public hearing is a time for the Planning & Zoning Commission and staff to hear from both the applicant and the public regarding the proposed use. At the March 13, 2019 Planning & Zoning meeting, staff will present a more detailed findings & conclusions report to the commission for consideration and a decision regarding the CUP. A public notification (see attached) regarding this hearing was published in the Valdez Star online newspaper starting February 8, 2019. The notification was also posted in multiple locations throughout the City, including City Hall. A notification letter (see attached) was mailed on February 15, 2019 to all property owners within a 300 foot radius of the parcel in question.
Below is more information regarding the property and proposed use. The attached application addresses questions related to need for the conditional use and specifically why the site is suited to the proposed use.
Property Information
Street Address: 401 West Pioneer Drive
Legal Description: Lot 1, Block 6, Block 20, Mineral Creek Subdivision
Property Owner: City of Valdez
Current Uses: Snow storage, memorial skate park, ice skating rink, and open space
Zoning District: Single-Family Residential (RA)
This district is intended primarily for single-family dwellings, excluding mobile homes, at moderate densities. Structures and uses required to serve recreational, religious and other noncommercial needs of residential areas are allowed as permitted or conditional uses subject to restrictions intended to preserve the residential character of the R-A district. (VMC 17.14.010)
Allowable Conditional Uses:
• Church services;
• Community buildings and halls;
• Private schools (not more than six students);
• Quasi-institutional homes;
• Water reservoirs;
• Buildings intended for the conduct of religious services along with customary accessory uses including parsonage, day nurseries, and meeting rooms;
• Child care centers (VMC 17.14.040)
Community buildings are defined in Valdez Municipal Code as “a building or structure owned and operated by an agency or political subdivision of the United States, state of Alaska, or city of Valdez providing service to the public.” (VMC 17.04.400)
Adjacent Zoning Districts: The lots immediately adjacent to and surrounding this parcel have a variety of zoning designations including; multi-family residential, single-family residential, light industrial, and general commercial.