Assembly Report for December 13, 2005

A BROKEN SIDEWALK IN YOUR FUTURE? Assembly amendments to the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) approved on October 25, 2005 stripped the plan of policies favoring pedestrian amenities such as sidewalks and trails. Statements approving of "aesthetics" in local transportation systems were removed from the Plan. This sidewalk at 5th and C Street is the result of those changes.

MUSEUM CONTRACT HELD PENDING TALKS WITH AFFECTED EMPLOYEES: Mayor Begich asked assembly members on Tuesday to delay approval of a new managment agreement with the Anchorage Museum Assoication for operation of the Anchorage Museum pending negotiations with city employees affccted by the plan. The mayor reported progress in negotiations which may enable affected employees to accept other municipal positons or hire on with the Museum Accociation. A public hearing on the agreement is now scheduled for December 20, 2005.

TESTIMONY ON BOWL PARKS PLAN MIXED: Three years in the making, a new Anchorage Bowl Parks Plan drew mixed reviews Tuesday night in several hours of public hearing. Plan proponents, including the city's parks board urged members to approve the Plan without signficant amendments. Opponents, focusing largely on general plan language referencing the southern extension of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, urged Assembly members to cut the trail out of the plan altogether. The plan would guide future decisions in a city park system consisting of 10,600 acres of parks, 200 parks, 75 playgrounds, 110 athletic fields, 240 miles of trails, 25 indoor facilities, and 8 public lakes. Public testimony on the plan concluded on Tuesday; the assembly has postponed action on the plan and expected amendments until January 31, 2005.

ASSEMBLY MAJORITY KILLS PLAN FOR CLEAN, ENERGY EFFICIENT GAS TURBINES AT ML&P: ML&P brass unleashed a barrage of technical objections to defeat an ordinance proposed by Allan Tesche to require ML&P to use the newer, more energy efficient combined cycle technology in replacing older gas turbine generators. AO 2005-108 would have mandated use of the newer technology which, in the Ship Creek area, would have provided a source of steam to heat sidewalks and other public areas.

COMING UP SOONER THAN YOU THINK: Key issues coming before the Assembly during the next two months range from the location of medical cylotrons in residential areas to a proposed 3% sales tax in Anchorage. Here's the schedule:

December 20, 2005
- Public hearing on location of medical/industrial cyclotrons in residential areas
- Public hearing on Chris Birch's ordinance limiting exercise of condemnation power
- Assembly vote on proposed Assisted Living ordinance
- Public hearing on Dan Coffey's parking enforcement charter amendment
January 10, 2006
- Public hearing on large domestic animal ordinance
- Continued public hearing on new ethics ordinance
- Public hearing on Dan Sullivan's proposed sign ordinance rollbacks
January 24, 2006
- Public hearing on Dan Coffey's 3% sales tax ballot proposition
- Public hearing on Dan Coffey's second parking enforcement charter amendment
January 31, 2006
- Assembly action on Anchorage Bowl Parks Plan
- Public hearing on Janice Shamberg's new land clearing ordinance
- Last day to introduce ballot propositions for Spring, 2006 election