ITEM TITLE:
Ordinance #21-02 - Adoption of New Official Zoning Maps. Second Reading. Adoption.
SUBMITTED BY: Bruce Wall, Senior Planner
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve Ordinance #21-02
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
The planning department would like to update its paper-based zoning maps to more accurate GIS-based zoning maps that can be easily shared with the public online. This ordinance will not rezone any properties.
VMC 17.10.020(A) states that the use districts are defined on official zoning maps and identified by the signature of the mayor and attested to by the city clerk.
There have been 34 rezone ordinances from May 1996 to today. Several of the rezones were not updated in the City’s GIS mapping system. Several of the rezone ordinances have been found to contain incorrect or insufficient legal descriptions. It has become increasingly apparent that the official paper maps are difficult to interpret in certain areas.
VMC 17.10.020(C) states that in the event that the official zoning maps become damaged, destroyed, lost or difficult to interpret because of the nature or number of the changes and additions, the city council, after recommendation from the planning and zoning commission, may by ordinance adopt new official zoning maps which shall supersede the prior official zoning maps.
The city needs good official zoning maps before additional rezones can be done; such as, the Meals Hill and Mineral Creek conservation areas. These rezones will take place after the adoption of the comprehensive plan.
On January 27, 2021, the City of Valdez Planning & Zoning Commission recommended adoption of the proposed maps as the Zoning Maps of the City of Valdez, Alaska.