Assembly Report for March 14, 2006

PEOPLE MOVER CUTBACKS MAY FORCE RETURN TO TRADITIONAL MODE OF TRANSIT: Cuts in the operating budget for the People Mover proposed by Assembly conservatives forced Mayor Mark Begich on March 4, 2006 to consider the reintroduction of sled dogs to handle public transit in Anchorage. Cleverly disguised as mushers participating in the ceremonial start of the 34th Iditarod, People Mover drivers tested possible routes (here at 14th and Cordova) to haul former bus riders to work in Anchorage. Assemblyman Ken Stout, whose daughter DeeDee Jonrowe was among the 80 mushers on the streets, insisted she was not seeking employment with the People Mover, but instead, was simply passing through Anchorage on her way to Nome.

SCHOOL BUDGET INTRODUCED: With the recommendation of the Anchorage School Board, Assembly members introduced and set for public hearing on March 28, 2006, an operating budget for the Anchorage School District in 2006-7. Overall expenditures are $607.9M, up $35.7M or 6.25% from last year. Local taxes to support the proposed budget will rise to $191.2M, up 7.9%. Two thirds (62.5%) of the revenues needed to support the Districts’s General Fund will likely come from State sources, down from recent years. Federal funds will make up only 3.2% of the district’s General Fund in 2006-7. Rising fuel costs, required pension contributions, and declining state revenues were blamed by Superintendent Carol Comeau for the increases.

SIGN ORDINANCE SHENANIGANS HEAD TO ASSEMBLY SHOWDOWN: The Assembly is still scheduled to hear Dan Sullivan’s attempt to gut the city’s sign code on March 28, 2006, but confusion over public notice given for a hearing held by the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday, March 13th may prevent the Assembly from acting on the measure. Commissioners were dismayed on Monday to receive a new version of Sullivan’s ordinance because the public had not seen his latest changes before the hearing. Ignoring the Commission, however, Sullivan convinced Assembly leaders to go ahead with a hearing on March 28th, denying Commission a chance to comment. Alternatively commissioners may decide to hold a special meeting to make their recommendations, but without adequate public participation.

Under Sullivan’s proposal, amortization or phase out of outlawed "pole signs" and older signs that do not meet current dimensional requirements would be repealed, thereby allowing these nonconforming signs to rust in place, forever. Examples would include the airport parking sign on International Airport Road, the Outback sign on C St and those monster golden arches under which "Billions and Billions" of hamburgers have been served. Sullivan would also increase the allowable area of signs devoted to "changeable copy" (electronic messages) from 30% to 80%. His law would also bring back moving or rotating signs along the streetscape. keeping the community guessing, Sullivan's third version of this ordinance, AO 2005- 163(S-1), is now the version he will ask the Assembly to pass.

ALDEN TODD REMEMBERED: Assembly members on Tuesday paused to reflect on the life and accomplishments of Anchorage resident Alden Todd who passed away on March 8, 2006. A formal resolution commemorated Todd’s decorated service as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne in Belgium during World War II, his distinguished career as a journalist and writer, and later community service on municipal library boards and commissions. A Liberator and Man of Letters, Todd was 88.

ETHICS CODE STIRS AGAIN: With the help of Assembly counsel, Ken Stout promised members on Tuesday he will have a new draft Code of Ethics for introduction on March 28th. Stout’s draft comes after an earlier ordinance written by the municipal Board of Ethics was rejected by the new Assembly leadership last year. Details of the new draft are not known.

FAIRVIEW NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PROGRESSES: Assembly members unanimously commissioned the Fairview Community Council to prepare and present a new neighborhood plan for Fairview. An active planning committee of the council has engaged local residents, businesses, and community organizations in a planning process that will result in an officially sanctioned neighborhood plan as part of the city’s larger 2020 Comprehensive plan. Fairview is the first of several areas, including Mountain View, Government Hill, the Hillside and West Anchorage which are also considering their own neighborhood plans. Neighborhood plans are distinguished from other official planning efforts because they are drafted by affected residents under municipal supervision, rather than by paid consultants.

ASSISTED LIVING ORDINANCE HELD OVER, AGAIN: With two members absent on Tuesday night, remaining Assembly members postponed until April 11, 2006 further action on amendments to city zoning ordinances governing assisted living facilities. The mayor’s staff and assembly members are taking the extra time to iron out differences between competing versions of the legislation. The ordinance, AO 2005-124 and a substitute, would set occupancy limits for assisted living homes in residential neighborhoods. The Administration’s version allows up to 8 residents in certain facilities, the assembly draft reduced that number to 6 in certain zones but allows operators to increase occupancy through an administrative process. The assisted living ordinance is scheduled to come before the Assembly again for final action on March 28th.

VOTE ON 120 ACRE REZONE IN SOUTH ANCHORAGE POSTPONED: Assembly members took no action on a large rezoning of 120 acres in South Anchorage on Tuesday night. Forest Heights, LLC had proposed zoning the property as R-7 with density limited to two units per acre. Many residents of the area had protested the action, arguing traffic impacts, wildlife, and surface run off problems. According to Art Weiner, the area will look like a "moonscape" once the "digging and blasting" is completed in order to build the subdivision. The parcel is located off Goldenview Drive and is one of the largest, undeveloped tracts within the municipality. The public hearing closed on February 28th, the ordinance will return to the Assembly for action on April 11th. A valid written protest by residents adjacent to the area to be rezoned requires a supermajorty vote of 8 assembly members to approve the rezoning.