Current Initiatives
Transit Supportive Corridors
Sponsored by Assembly Member George Martinez.
On November 6, Assembly Member Martinez introduced AO 2024-104 to update the Transit-Supportive Corridors Map to encourage development along key transportation routes. For years, properties in a "transit-supportive corridor" have had access to property tax incentives. The ordinance proposes adding new corridors to the map along popular bus routes. A draft of the ordinance was reviewed during the November Community & Economic Development Committee (CEDC) meeting and a public hearing on this item is scheduled for December 3, 2024 with the intent to continue to December 17.
Ending the Use of Special Limitations
Sponsored by Assembly Members Anna Brawley, Daniel Volland and Meg Zaletel.
On October 22, Assembly Members Brawley, Volland and Zaletel introduced AO 2024-99 to eliminate "special limitations," a practice of establishing land use restrictions by ordinance in the official zoning map, from municipal code. In addition, the ordinance prohibits the Planning & Zoning Commission and Planning Department from recommending future special limitations. A public hearing on this item is scheduled for December 17, 2024.
B3 Dimensional Standards
Sponsored by Assembly Members Anna Brawley, Daniel Volland and Meg Zaletel.
On October 22, Assembly Members Brawley, Volland and Zaletel introduced AO 2024-102 to simplify standards for housing in the B-3 commercial zone. B-3 is a popular zone for multifamily housing. Since the Title 21 rewrite in 2014, more housing units have been built in the B-3 zone than in any other zone, with 22% of total new units built. The ordinance increases the maximum height in the zone from 60ft to 70ft, eliminates open space requirements in the zone and exempts development in the zone from multifamily residential design standards. A public hearing on this item is scheduled for January 7, 2025.
A Pause on Residential Design Standards
Sponsored by Assembly Members Anna Brawley and Meg Zaletel.
On October 8, Assembly Members Brawley and Zaletel introduced AO 2024-104 to pause multifamily residential design standards for a two-year period. A public hearing on this item is scheduled for January 7, 2025..
Previous Initiatives
Planned Unit Development
Sponsored by Assembly Members Randy Sulte and Meg Zaletel.
On October 8, the Assembly approved AO 2024-83(S), As Amended, to streamline the public process for planned unit development (PUD) projects. PUD is an approval process that allows for controlled flexibility to the underlying standards of a zone, allowing for smaller lot sizes and more diverse housing types, so long as the criteria for conditional use is met. The ordinance empowers the Planning & Zoning Commission to allow exemptions to existing special limitations on a lot and eliminates redundant variance requirements.
Short Term Rental Data
Sponsored by Assembly Members Randy Sulte, Daniel Volland and Meg Zaletel.
On September 10, the Assembly approved AO 2024-81(S), As Amended, to require hosting platforms submit more detailed data alongside their regular tax returns to the Municipality. Beginning January 1, 2025, hosting platforms will be required to report the following:
- Total Number of Operators: The platforms are required to report the total number of operators included in the tax return.
Data by Month: An amendment was approved to require the data by month, to better reflect seasonal fluctuations in the market.
Unit Characteristics: To get further details, the platforms will report the general location and type of lodging (such as single-family homes, single rooms, apartments, etc.) for each unit.
Look forward to more information about the short term rental market in 2025.
The HOME Initiative
Sponsored by Assembly Members Anna Brawley, Daniel Volland and Meg Zaletel
In Fall 2023, Assembly Members Brawley, Volland and Zaletel introduced AO 2023-87 to establish the Housing Opportunities in the Municipality for Everyone Initiative, or the HOME Initiative, to reform residential zoning in the Anchorage Bowl. The Anchorage Assembly approved the
“Substitute (S-1) Version” as amended at the June 25, 2024 Regular Assembly Meeting.
As approved, the HOME Initiative makes ‘Two-Family Dwellings’ a permitted use in every residential zone and redefines ‘Two-Family Dwellings’ to include detached structures. An amendment was approved to require administrative site plan review for two-family construction in the R-10 Zone, a zone intended for areas with environmental factors including slopes, alpine and forest vegetation, and geologic hazards.
About the HOME Initiative
Housing Action Plan
Sponsored by Assembly Members Anna Brawley and Felix Rivera
Building on the momentum of the Assembly's work on housing action and Housing Action Week in fall 2023, the Anchorage Assembly is working alongside the community to develop a Housing Action Plan.
Public Engagement History
November 3 | Anchorage Community Housing Action Summit: Assembly Members Anna Brawley and Felix Rivera unveiled the Draft Housing Action Plan.
November 16 | Community & Economic Development Committee Meeting: The sponsors presented the draft plan and sollicited feedback from municipal professionals and industry experts.
December 4 | Deadline for Public Comment: Comments were received via email, including:
- 100 people participated in providing comments during the Case Studies section of the Housing Action Summit
- 177 suggestions submitted via email from 26 individuals and 10 agencies: Anchorage Community Land Trust, Catholic Social Services, MOA Planning Department, Anchorage Community Development Authority, AARP Alaska, Cook Inlet Housing Authority, Sightline Institute, AKPIRG, NeighborWorks Alaska, Alaska Literacy Program
December 19 |
Assembly Action: The Anchorage Assembly approved AR 2023-433, adopting the
Housing Action Plan.
Short Term Rental Permitting
AO 2023-110 sponsored by Assembly Members Randy Sulte and Meg Zaletel
During the October 10 Regular Assembly Meeting, Assembly Members Sulte and Zaletel introduced AO 2023-110, a proposal to establish a municipal permit process for licensing short term rentals throughout the Municipality.
As proposed, the ordinance would establish an annual $400 permitting process for properties to be used as short term rentals, including AirBnB, VRBOs and independent rentals. The licenses would be issued to property owners, and would not be transferrable through the sale or transfer of a property to a new owner.
What's Next for AO 2023-110?
The Anchorage Assembly approved AO 2023-110(S-1), As Amended, at the March 19 Regular Assembly Meeting. On March 20, the Mayor vetoed the ordinance.
Bringing Back the Triplex +1
Sponsored by Assembly Members Kevin Cross, Randy Sulte and Daniel Volland.
In Fall 2022, local researcher and journalist Jeannette Lee published a piece with the Sightline Institute:
Can Anchorage bring back the triplex? The question sparked a year-long process, informed by a working group of municipal staff, industry experts and housing enthusiasts, to resolve the problems in code that drive up the cost of building small multifamily housing.
AO 2023-103 - Title 21, Land Use
The first of two ordinances sponsored by Assembly Members Kevin Cross, Randy Sulte and Daniel Volland aimed at making triplexes and fourplexes easier to build in zones where they are already allowed, the Anchorage Assembly approved
AO 2023-103(S), As Amended, in
December. The ordinance revises Title 21 – Land Use to align three- and four-unit developments with the same regulations as single family homes and duplexes in zones where multifamily housing is allowed in accordance with the Anchorage 2040 Land Use Plan. Amendments were approved to require snow storage and standardize height and setback restrictions for any project with 1-4 units.
AO 2023-130 - Title 23, Building Code
The second, complementary ordinance,
AO 2023-130(S), As Amended, to revise Title 23 – Building Code, was approved in January. This ordinance defines three unit projects as residential construction and lowers permitting fees for 3-4 unit construction. It also requests the Administration pursue procedural changes to make the permitting process faster and easier to navigate.
Holtan Hills Development Proposal
The Holtan Hills project in Girdwood has brought the attainable housing crisis to the forefront. In simple terms, the plan brought before the Assembly proposed to sell three Heritage Land Bank Parcels to CY Investments, LLC in order to develop a new housing subdivision. On February 7, 2023, the Assembly voted
to postpone AO 2022-103(S-1) indefinitely, effectively stopping the plan as proposed.
At the December 19 Regular Assembly Meeting, Assembly Member Meg Zaletel introduced a new version of the Holtan Hills proposal, AO 2023-137. The ordinance proposes that the sale of HLB land to CY Investments for a multi-use residential development is contingent upon the designation of a multifamily unit to a future Girdwood housing trust or non-profit entity and the engagement of the Girdwood Board of Supervisors throughout the project. The Assembly approved the agreement on January 23, 2024.
The approved agreement sets out a partnership with the Municipality, who is providing the land, CY Investments will develop on-site infrastructure including: roads, water, sewer, gas, electric, and trails. Proceeds from the lot sales will be split 50/50 by HLB and the developer. With multiple provisions to the effect, the Municipality’s intent for this development in all phases is to provide community housing opportunities
attainable for year-round residents of Girdwood and to ensure
diversified housing types,
sizes,
ownership models, and
price points consistent with the Assembly’s approved Housing Action Plan. Learn more about the agreement.
Get the Facts: Holtan Hills
2023 Investments
At the April 25 Regular Assembly Meeting, the Anchorage Assembly approved legislative items to finalize the 2023 General Government Operating Budget in the first quarter. Amendments emphasized the Assembly’s top priority of 2023: Housing Action.
1st Quarter General Government Budget Amendments toward Housing Action
- Fund the 2023 Assembly Housing Summit to set a long-term, community-driven vision and action plan for housing development across the Municipality
- Fund a municipal-wide housing study of short term rentals (STR)
- Fund a feasibility study for developing manufactured housing communities
- Fund a real estate consultant to protect Heritage Land Bank’s public interest in the potential Holtan Hills land development
- Fund the revival of the municipal Graffiti Busters Program
- Leverage private, federal and state grant funding to restore some public transit services to South Anchorage, Eagle River and Chugiak, increase evening, weekend and holiday service and accommodation services
- Fund a direct grant to the Anchorage Affordable Housing and Land Trust (AAHLT) to support tenants, enhanced staffing operations, security and training
Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are housing units built on private property in addition to existing housing structures. Often smaller than most single-family homes, ADUs are an important component of the Anchorage 2040 Land Use Plan, which sets a target of 1,000 new ADUs in the Anchorage Bowl by 2040.
On January 10, 2023, the Assembly passed AO 2022-107, As Amended, an ordinance amending Title 21 to make building ADUs and increasing this type of housing more efficient, affordable and desirable to property owners. Changes include:
At a worksession on December 16, the MOA Planning Department and community stakeholders presented their proposal for the ADU Code Update Project, including the research prompting proposed changes.
Elimination of Parking Minimums
At the November 22 Assembly meeting, the Anchorage Assembly voted unanimously to eliminate parking minimum requirements in all areas of the municipality and add requirements for bicycle parking through the adoption of AO 2022-80(S), As Amended, sponsored by Assembly Members Daniel Volland, Kevin Cross and Forrest Dunbar.
Get the Facts: Abolishing Parking Minimums
The approved version of the ordinance makes the following changes to Title 21 in the Anchorage municipal code that addresses parking and site access:
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Eliminates parking minimum requirements citywide - as a result,Title 21 will no longer require developments in the Municipality to provide a minimum number of off-street parking spaces and developers will decide how many parking spaces to include on each site.
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Increases accessible spaces (ADA parking) ratios when parking is provided.
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Creates requirements for bicycle parking.
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Establishes a menu of alternative transportation amenities that developers can choose from for larger developments.
When crafting the ordinance, the sponsors set the following goals:
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Make it more affordable to build housing and commercial development in Anchorage
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Give designers and developers increased flexibility
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Simplify proposed changes to Title 21
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Encourage adaptive re-use of vacant properties
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Prioritize the creation of connected public spaces over empty swaths of pavement
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Help accommodate non-motorized, multimodal travel