MAT-SU—The Matanuska-Susitna Borough is conducting the first comprehensive update of its zoning ordinance, making it much easier to read and more efficient to use.
The Zoning Code, or Title 17, manages development and growth within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough outside the cities of Palmer, Wasilla, and Houston. The Borough’s current zoning code was started over 40 years ago, and has been amended more than 650 times.
“Even the simplest of text amendments has become extremely complicated, making it difficult to cross-reference interwoven sections and to prevent unintended consequences,” said Borough Planner Lauren Kruer. “The first phase of the update has resulted in the streamlined zoning code and has eliminated loopholes and consolidated piecemeal regulations,” Kruer said.
The Borough’s Planning and Land Use Department began the process of rewriting the Borough Zoning Code in the fall of 2008 by hiring LSL Planning Inc., a nationally recognized planning firm, which specializes in comprehensive code revisions.
The project has been broken into two phases. The draft available for public review is part of phase one. Phase one includes a newly formatted and reorganized code. The new code format is a draft and will be presented to the Assembly for their consideration.
Proposed new standards will be discussed through an open forum process in phase two. Revising the Special Land Use District process, agricultural, parking, lighting, and signage standards are proposed for phase two.
The Borough Planning and Land Use Department is seeking public comments on the phase one draft and will host two community meetings.
In addition to public meetings, an informative and interactive website has been created, www.zoingupdate.info. Members of the public will be asked for comments on the draft and opinions on what types of development they would like in the community.
The meetings are:
The phase one draft streamlined zoning code is available for public review through the project website, http://www.zoningupdate.info Paper copies of the draft will be available at the meetings, community libraries or may be obtained from the Planning Department office in the Dorothy Swanda Jones Building at 350 E. Dahlia St., Palmer, AK 99645, or by request. Public comments will help refine the draft of the zoning code update.
For more information regarding this project, visit the website at www.zoningupdate.info
Or contact the planning department at: 745-9833 or zoningupdate.info
See the Borough's third commercial on the zoning code update click here
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