Assembly Report for January 24, 2006

ASSEMBLY ACTS ON LARGE ANIMALS: Months in the making, a revised version of an ordinance setting land use standards for keeping of large domestic animals (horses) in outlying areas of Eagle River and the Hillside was passed Tuesday evening. AO 2005-150(S-1) sets standards for size of corrals, buffering, vegetation, setbacks, and numbers of animals allowed in corrals and stables in rural areas. The Assembly plodded through a morass of floor amendments written by Debbie Ossiander of Eagle River for the benefit of horse owners. Members of the city's Animal Control Advisory Board debated planners over minute details of the ordinance and the finer points of equisterian arts. A notice of reconsideration was filed in order to allow municipal staff to prepare a final version of the measure for the Assembly to review one last time before the ordinance becomes law.

$100M SCHOOL BOND PACKAGE INTRODUCED: The Anchorage School District has asked the Assembly to present a $100M bond package to voters in the April, 2006 election. If approved, the bonds would allow the school district to continue a decade long program of repair and reconstruction of local schools. Subject to appropriation by the state legislature, a portion of the cost of these bonds will be reimbursed by the State. A public hearing on the proposed bond propositions will take place on February 14, 2006.

CYCLOTRONS DO NOT BELONG IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS: By a vote of 6-3, the Assembly passed Allan Tesche's AO 2005-178, which keeps medical or industrial cyclotrons out of residential areas or private residences as "home occupations". Most members rejected claims from businessman Al Swank, Jr., that a twenty ton medical cyclotron should be installed in his South Addition garage across from the Park Strip. Medical cyclotrons are used to manufacture radioisotopes for sale to area hospitals. The ordinance leaves intact existing zoning governing industrial, or institutional areas where medical cyclotrons are typically located in other communities. Voting against the ordinance were Assembly members Chris Birch, Paul Bauer, and Debbie Ossiander. Dan Sullivan and Janice Shamberg were absent and did not vote on the measure.

SHORT ASSEMBLY DELAYS ACTION ON ASSISTED LIVING ORDINANCE: Because two members were absent on Tuesday, action was delayed on a proposed ordinance setting standards for more than 200 assisted living facilities located throughout Anchorage. Prepared by the administration in consultation with assisted living providers, AO 2005-124 sets a limit of 8 persons in assisted living facilities. A competing substitute authored by Dan Coffey reduces allowed occupancies to 6 but sets procedures and standards governing administrative variances and conditional use permits. The public hearings on the ordinance have been closed Both versions of the ordinance will return to the Assembly for action on February 28, 2006.

ASSEMBLY STILL UNDECIDED ON SALES TAX PROPOSITIONS: The Assembly completed public hearings on the second of two sales tax proposals - AO 2005-188 proposed by Dan Sullivan - and has postponed action on the measure until January 31, 2005. Only a handful of people spoke, most in oppositon to the measure and arguing the proposed 3% sales tax would befnefit owners of real property at the expense of low income families or renters. A work session on proposed ballot propositions, including the competing sales tax proposals authored by Dan Coffey and Dan Sullivan, is scheduled for Friday, January 27, 2006 in City Hall.

PARKING ENFORCEMENT CHARTER AMENDMENT DELAYED TOO: The Assembly postponed action onDan Coffey ‘s proposal to allow voters in April, 2006 to repeal the charter provision which requires sworn police officers to handle parking citations and vehicle right of way violations. The current charter provision was enacted by initiative in 1997 after a community revolt over zealous parking enforcement and photo radar. The rationale behind Coffey's proposal is to reduce the costs of parking enforcement, vehicle impounds, and right of way enforcement by allowing non sworn personnel to handle these functions. Coffey’s proposed charter amendment (AR 2005-191) will return to the Assembly for final action on January 31, 2006.

ONCE AGAIN, INSTANT RUN OFFS? An idea rejected by the Assembly several years ago may see new life through an charter amendment proposed Tuesday night by Assembly member Chris Birch. The south Anchorage member introduced AO 2006-12 which would let voters decide whether to adopt "instant runoff" voting in municipal elections. If placed on the ballot and approved in the Spring, 2006 election, the measure would allow voters to prioritize their choices of candidates for the same office on the ballot in order to ensure that the candidate ultimately elected receives at least 50% of the vote without the delay or a run off election. A public hearing on the ordinance is set for February 14, 2006.