LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which  distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

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Daily Sitka Sentinel

Planning Panel Rejects Charteris Zone Change

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer

The Sitka Planning Commission at its Wednesday meeting turned down a request for a zoning map change on Charteris Street, city staff said.

Planning Director Amy Ainslie, reporting on the action taken at the meeting, said the vote was 1-4 on the motion to grant the request, for 303 Charteris Street, and the motion failed.

The property is zoned as R-1 LDMH single family, duplex, or manufactured home low-density district. Jere Christner asked the commission to change the zone to R-1, to open the option for him to subdivide the lot without a platting variance. 

The 15,015-square-foot property is owned by Christner Alaska Community Property Trust. The minimum lot size for the R1 LDMH zone is 15,000 square feet; R-1 minimum lot size is 6,000.

Ainslie recommended approving the request, saying that, given the surrounding R-1 zoning and substandard lots in the area, she didn’t think it would alter the character of the neighborhood or negatively impact neighbor harmony.

“My thought was that along Edgecumbe Drive and Charteris, most of it is zoned R-1,” she said. “There are some smaller lots and more diverse developments in this general area. My opinion was it was not a huge departure from the character of the neighborhood.”

In her report she also noted the Comprehensive Plan provisions to “encourage higher density development” and reduce minimum lot sizes.

A few neighbors weighed in against the plan, the planning director said. Emma Edson, at 307 Charteris Street, wrote a letter against the proposal, saying she believed it would change the character of the neighborhood. Don McCarthy, at 322 Wortman Loop, testified in person against the request.

Ainslie said there was some debate on the issue before the vote.

“There was disagreement between the commission and staff about whether it constituted spot zoning,” Ainslie said today. “They felt it would adversely affect the character of the neighborhood.”

Katie Riley cast the lone vote in favor of the zoning change request for the lot, with Wendy Alderson, Darrell Windsor, Stacy Mudry and Chairman Chris Spivey voting against.

“These are tough decisions the commission has to make,” Ainslie said. “We have a comprehensive plan that pushed us to create smaller lot sizes and encourage higher density. When you have opportunities to do infill development, that’s going to be less expensive and easier to do – people are going to be looking at removing land from low density and into more general zoning designation.”

 

In other business, the Planning Commission:

– approved an amendment to a conditional use permit to Zak Wass, who lives at 1705 Sawmill Creek Road. The property is owned by his father, Morgan Doubleday. Wass was granted a permit in 2016 to build an accessory dwelling unit on the property. The unit is still under construction, and Wass asked for an amendment to his permit to allow him to add a 320-foot addition to the ADU. The lot is 90,000 square feet. Spivey expressed concerns about future owners, and access to the steep driveway, in casting the only vote against. One of the conditions approved is that one of the three dwellings on the property (a duplex and ADU) must be occupied by the owner, Ainslie said.

– approved on a 5-0 vote a conditional use permit for a marijuana product manufacturing facility, extract only, at 120 Jarvis Street, Unit E, in the I – Industrial district. Darren Phillips made the request, and the property is owned by Baranof Investments LLC.

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.

50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.

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