Planning & Zoning Commission

​To provide testimony when attending remotely

  1. E-mail PlanningPhoneTestimony@anchorageak.gov by 2:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.
  2. Subject Line should read "Phone Testimony."​​​
  3. Provide Name, Phone Number, and Agenda Item Number and Title.
  4. The Secretary will phone you at number provided when case comes up.
  5. One is allowed three (3) minutes to provide testimony on each agenda item; five (5) minutes for group representatives.

To provide written comments

  1. Provide comments on a board or commission case through Planning Cases Online. 
    • Under "Search," fill in Search for a Planning Application with the case number.​
    • Under "Community Council," choose the council name the case is located in.
      (If the case is not specific to a council, it may not show and using the case number is better.)​       
  2. When Planning Application Status comes up, go to end of "Summary"​ section and click on Submit case comments.​


Overview

The Planning and Zoning Commission is a nine-member board appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Assembly. The Commission prepares and recommends to the Assembly policies, plans, and ordinances relating to land use planning within the Municipality.

In most cases the Commission first holds a public hearing before recommendations are finalized. This Commission, staffed by the Planning Department, generally meets the first and second Mondays of each month in the Assembly Chambers in the Loussac Library (see calendar).

Duties of the Planning and Zoning Commission:
  • Develop, review, and recommend policies, plans, and ordinances to the Assembly, to implement the Municipal function of planning for the economic, social, and land use needs of the community
  • Develop and recommend to the Assembly a Comprehensive Plan and its elements
  • Review and recommend to the Assembly requests for changing any regulation in Title 21 (Land Use Regulations) except those concerning subdivisions (which are the responsibility of the Platting Board)
  • Review and recommend to the Assembly requests for changing a zoning district
  • Review and decide all conditional uses
  • Review and recommend to the Assembly and the School Board the annual capital improvement program and operating budget proposals of the Municipality and the Anchorage School District
  • Review and recommend to the Assembly the location of public streets (collector or greater capacity), dedicated parks (greater than 1 1/2 acres), and public facilities (more than 4,000 sq. ft.)
  • Investigate and report to the Assembly regarding location, design, demolition, or disposal of any public building, facility, major road, park, greenbelt or playground
  • Review and recommend transportation planning documents and road designs to the Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS) and the Assembly
  • Review and recommend to the Mayor the annual work program of the Planning Department.