Our next meeting is Thursday December 18 at 7:00 pm
at O'Malley Elementary School.
Agenda
O'Malley Elementary School
Thursday, December 18, 2003
For some time now, spending by LRSAs has been counted towards the total for the Tax Cap. When the city budget hit the cap, the mill rate the LRSAs voted to tax themselves was decreased so that amount of money would be available for other uses.
There was some panicking by people who thought the MOA was taking LRSA money and spending it elsewhere. Nothing that sinister happened, but the amount collected was less than your LRSA boards felt was necessary. It seems logical that if you want to tax yourselves more for better roads, you should be able to.
The previous city attorney said LRSA spending should count towards the tax cap. So what's one to do? Find another attorney! An opinion by current Municipal Attorney Frederick Boness on November 17 cleared up this confusion and showed that LRSA spending was never supposed to be under the Tax Cap. The opinion is posted on the councils' website. It's interesting reading that shows a literal interpretation of a law might be incorrect when the legislative history is considered.
To pull LRSA spending from the Tax Cap calculations, an ordinance was introduced placing LRSAs and, potentially, other road service areas such as Glen Alps, Eagle River and Girdwood, outside the Tax Cap. This ordinance would subtract the LRSA funds from the total tax cap and treat it separately. It will not, however, allow the general tax cap to be increased by the amount removed.
At our December meeting, we'll consider a resolution in support of this change.
The Service Area concept works great for Anchorage. This change will help keep this system viable. Add Mr. Boness to your holiday mailing list!
Take a look at http://www.weddleton.com/cc/RSAreas.htm for lots of info on LRSAs.
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BRAGAW/ABBOTT LOOP EXTENSION UPDATE We'll get an update by Bob Kneiffel
on this fast tracked project. Also, mark in your calendars that the next Abbott
Loop Extension Public Meeting will be on January 5, 2004 at Service High School.
The meeting will present the project Reconnaissance Report, discuss the comments
they have heard to date and take public comments.
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The South Anchorage High School will open in the Fall of 2004. We'll
be honored to have its first Principal, Chuck Fannin, at this month's
meeting. He's busy getting the school ready for next year but you can call him
at 742-6872 or email fannin_chuck@asdk12.org.
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STILL IN THE STABLE is ordinance 2004-006 amending Title 21 (Land Use Rules) to add Private Equestrian Facilities as a Conditional Use Permit in R-6, R-8, R-9. (That's us.)
Apparently, there is no specific mention of equestrian facilities in the current rules for areas zoned R-6 through R-9. This ordinance may say that up to a certain number of horses, they are okay. The title also implies that people with even one horse may have to apply for a conditional use permit. That could be a real hassle.
We don't have a lot of information on this as the newsletter is being written. Al Barret from the MOA Planning Department will be at our meeting with info on this and a couple other horse related ordinances in the works.
According to Mr. Barret, the standards should be "ground" based not "zoning" based. More relevant than lot size is waste management, proximity to creeks, slope of the property, depth of bedrock. The actually zoning does not address these issues.
This also raises the question of what level of commercial activity is acceptable in a residential area. Is it okay for people to accept payment for boarding a horse? If that's allowed, how about other businesses?
Three equine ordinances are heading for the arena and will gallop their way around the barrels over the next 12 months or so. Giddap!
For more info see: http://munimaps.muni.org/website/htmlviewer/generic/casebody.asp?case=2004-006
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CHANGE TO THE SNOWMACHINE LAW? Some neighborhoods have problems with
snowmachines zipping around. That can be dangerous and aggravating so it's illegal
to ride along public roads. It has been hard for police to nab offenders. Following
a track to a home doesn't really tell them who was riding.
A proposed change in the law would make the registered owner of the machine liable for its illegal use. This might cause some unfair fines, but overall it should heighten the sense of responsibility owners have and increase the sales of padlocks.
Take a look at the minutes of our meeting of November 15, 2001 for some info on snow machining in our area. They are available on the councils' website. Hit the Minutes button on the left and scroll down.
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PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES FOR MORE PEOPLE? On Tuesday, December
16th the Assembly will consider an ordinance to provide that public hearing
notices be mailed to all property owners within 1,000-feet of a proposed zoning
issue. The current limit is 500-feet.
500 feet is nothing! On the Hillside, that can be as few as three houses over! Changing the rule to 1,000 feet would notify a lot more people who might care about a change.
There's always a downside and with this it's increased mailing costs for the MOA. There are a lot of zoning issues citywide. In some areas this could mean a lot more stamps.
Issues in our area have shown that it is better to get more people involved early than to have them find out late. The 1,000 foot notification may save time and money later.
Let your assembly members know how you feel!
Janice Shamberg jcshamberg@gci.net
Dick Tremaine tremained@ci.anchorage.ak.us
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A COUPLE NOTICES FOR ZONING ISSUES ARRIVED. (Your
Community Council is within 500 feet of everything!) We'll have more detail
on these are our meeting.
BED & BREAKFAST SITE PLAN REVIEW Clifford Stratton wants to expand the Highland Glen Lodge Bed & Breakfast to four beds at 11651 Hillside Drive. Planning & Zoning will consider this on Friday, Jan 16. It's Case Number: 2004-015.
TWO LOTS INTO ONE LOT Robert & Christine Gravley want to subdivide two lots into one North of Talisman Road, south of Upper Huffman Road, east of Neher Ridge Drive and west of Micheal Road. It's to be heard Monday, Jan 12 as Case Number: S11220-1.
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Mid-HillsideBoard Members
John Weddleton President 349-8370 john@weddleton.com
Brian Johnson Vice President 345-5883 brian.johnson2@akanch.ang.af.mil
Tom O'Grady Secretary 345-6948 ogrady@gci.net
Linda Perkins Treasurer 346-2558 miniaturehorses@alaska.com
Amy Johnson 258-0168 ajohnson@gci.net
Shirley McGrath 345-1606 smcgrath@alaska.net
James Perkins 346-2558 miniaturehorses@alaska.com
Hillside East Board Members
Tom Newins, President
345-8881 newins@gci.net
Bjarne Holm, Vice President
robinholm@gci.net
We meet at 7pm on the third Thursday of the month at O'Malley Elementary School on Rockridge off O'Malley. For more info see www.communitycouncils.org/hillmid.html