[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6290414,"mediaKeyId","2530982-37c56fcb50004389fa69b2452feb2242","parentId",2530982,"title","Votes at a glance: Anchorage Assembly passes municipal loans, appointments and code updates; marijuana protest resolution approved","audioSeconds",1610,"startMs",10400000,"endMs",12010000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2530982-37c56fcb50004389fa69b2452feb2242&start=10400&end=12010","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2530982-37c56fcb50004389fa69b2452feb2242/thumbnail_10400000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6290414/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/Votes-at-a-glance-Anchorage-Assembly-passes-municipal-loans-appointments-and-code-updates-marijuana-protest-resolution-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290414-e7da62f57d720c825e4d5abdbadc09b7/orig.mp4?Expires=1777772755&Signature=ewYlyMTJ-nkBTQzB1jQ1ulXWZeLJrR7u96Y9~FQtgozPcOfvc1HbdUYbZeMKQwQ96pYkSO3ws8OkLCp8hX03xIx38cx7I1PdkahBbgFmgl4GqvNREZV1bDU8t1uLO~Q6JPgX4q9yZxdnzTnAWsKjri-PpVvc8YO43xChmo~RqtvUFSbbDb9mj-CP-PoN8ETcXV4wyL~vMfdj9wnWuch-jmm6OtsXDzZ~-67Z4F1V1Bqm3KRP5tdy6EQ~NvXudfzhxyXO~e4Ock7ZYlwoFMT6hqiaasFBlL3QNV0V6RE7pyD~95X-eGZgNbr6AOIwNoypu~Ng-hC6SFzJyVzrcb8C5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Municipality of Anchorage","date","2025-02-25T00:00:00Z","article","The Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday approved a slate of routine and technical actions, including municipal loan agreements, code updates and board appointments. A contested zoning/land-use ordinance (the Girdwood comprehensive plan) was postponed for further review after extended public testimony (see separate coverage).

Items approved at Tuesday’s meeting

- AO 2024-122 (property-tax foreclosure claim process): The Assembly adopted code language implementing procedures following the U.S. Supreme Court decision cited in staff materials; the ordinance passed unanimously. Staff said the change updates municipal procedures for claiming excess value after tax foreclosure.

- AO 2025-21 (water wells): The Assembly repealed and reenacted AMC chapter 15.55; the new language requires a hydrogeologist or qualified engineer to determine whether a full aquifer test is warranted. The measure passed unanimously.

- AO 2025-22 and AO 2025-23 (AWU borrowing): The Assembly authorized Anchorage Water & Wastewater Utility to accept State of Alaska Clean Water Fund loans (not to exceed $10,000,000) and Drinking Water Fund loans (not to exceed $19,500,000) to finance portions of AWU capital projects. Both loan ordinances passed on voice votes as recorded by the clerk.

- AO 2025-24 (sanitary sewer conversion): The Assembly authorized the conversion of portions of two sanitary sewer mains to private sanitary service extensions in two Tracts (Union Village and a specified US survey tract). The ordinance passed unanimously.

- AO 2025-21 (water-well code rewrite) passed and is noted above.

Appointments and administrative approvals

- Board and commission appointments: The Assembly approved appointments to several municipal boards, including the Board of Adjustment (AM 158-2025 appointment of Janet Mueller) and Anchorage Community Development Authority appointments (AM 131-2025 and AM 130-2025). Votes on these appointments were unanimous where recorded.

- AM 121-2025: The Assembly designated the Great Alaska Archery Challenge at Hilltop Ski Area as a community event; staff presented a safety plan and described event mapping within the Hilltop bounds. The Assembly approved the recommendation.

Resolutions

- AR 2025-61 (supporting HB 13 optional municipal property tax exemptions): The Assembly adopted a resolution supporting a state bill that would add optional tax-exemption categories for local governments; the Assembly approved an amendment clarifying the sponsor’s intent and passed the resolution as amended.

- AR 2025-60 (municipal protest of state marijuana license renewal): The Assembly approved a resolution registering a municipal protest against the renewal of a state marijuana cultivation license for AKGLD2 LLC (License 724); the resolution passed.

Votes and process notes

Most items on the consent agenda were approved by unanimous voice vote or by recorded roll calls showing unanimous passage; the clerk recorded individual tallies where required. The Assembly paused action only on AO 2024-114 (the Girdwood plan) to allow a March 6 work session and to resume final action March 18.

What to watch next

- The Assembly is scheduled to resume consideration of the Girdwood comprehensive plan on March 18 following a staff-led work session March 6. Several community town halls and public meetings related to other items also remain on the calendar.

This roundup captures formal actions and vote outcomes recorded in the Feb. 25 Assembly meeting; separate articles cover the Girdwood hearing and the water-well code change in more detail.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Assembly Regular - February 25, 2025 - 2025-02-25 17:00:00","oneSentenceSummary","On Feb. 25 the Assembly approved several ordinances, loan agreements, board appointments and a resolution protesting a state marijuana-license renewal. Most items passed with unanimous or near-unanimous votes; contested items were postponed for further review.","taxTitle","Anchorage Municipality, Alaska","taxId",2653,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6290419,"Assembly adopts updated water-well rules after years of staff work; hydrogeologist review replaces automatic test requirement",128,10690000,10818000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2530982-37c56fcb50004389fa69b2452feb2242&start=10690&end=10818","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2530982-37c56fcb50004389fa69b2452feb2242/thumbnail_10690000.jpg","/articles/6290419/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/Assembly-adopts-updated-water-well-rules-after-years-of-staff-work-hydrogeologist-review-replaces-automatic-test-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290419-96f8919af71b34314d26092a0487a993/orig.mp4?Expires=1777772755&Signature=dly-5e1hv9A9zmd5ZzE4i6oScISOnwALRekkpQx8YkVWPuyoQ9IT3RA33USzpfOk1NUq-JR5SUTuERt7fJgos9-yfTvl~QNdoRRJnsIIMEUbJBExbfKO355zhwYR9YJtx3OHyp1fIlTGMUcOgXopt5hI92tLkPNmI6KMl6Phq7UysWkjvFCiyn-E6eVvaXSmVMYx2oEi5SWyE~klw8Stbz6k12aVqx-M-juGlNJAZZu2rYsIGYBbrVdphr7jRfKE-exoOFm6p8If~F1F5llHI6ub1y9u5tjyX38mscbxbX1zxy776DZF0rM2cJ~RTqb6xHtjCHwoAQll4ROsfTHd3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Anchorage Assembly voted Tuesday to repeal and re-enact municipal rules governing private water wells, replacing a long-standing requirement for automatic aquifer testing with a more flexible, expert-driven review.

The ordinance (AO 2025-21) passed unanimously after a brief staff explanation and one technical question from members. Assemblymember Rivera, who described the issue as having roots in a 2017 constituent concern, thanked staff and singled out Lance Wilbur for shepherding the code update.

What changed: Under the old code, subdivisions proposing more than five lots triggered an aquifer study — a field test that typically requires drilling multiple boreholes and pumping tests to measure subsurface water flow. Planning and building staff told the Assembly they met with developers and the state’s hydrogeologists to find a practical middle ground. The new code requires a hydrogeologist or qualified engineer to evaluate a site and determine whether a full aquifer test is warranted; it does not mandate boreholes in every case.

Staff context: Deputy building official Daniel King said the 1999 requirement was originally adopted by the Anchorage Health Department and later became inconsistently applied when zoning code changed. King said the revised language restores a consistent review process while avoiding unnecessary tests for sites where a hydrogeologist’s desktop or field assessment indicates a full aquifer test is not needed. Planning and development staff said they consulted the two hydrogeologists in the state available to perform these assessments and refined the language accordingly.

Why it matters: Speakers noted that a formal aquifer test can be costly and time-consuming; Assemblymember Myers asked about capacity constraints and the availability of qualified hydrogeologists. City staff confirmed the intent is to require expert judgment where needed, rather than a blanket test in every subdivision.

Outcome: AO 2025-21 passed by voice vote; the clerk recorded the passage as unanimous. The administration and planning staff will implement the updated review process through the Building Safety and Project Review workflows.

What the ordinance does not change: It does not remove the municipality’s authority to address nuisance properties or emergency responses to unsafe sites (those remain covered under other municipal code sections). It also leaves specific technical methods to the professional judgment of hydrogeologists and qualified engineers, as the code now calls for an initial professional determination.","The Assembly approved an ordinance repealing and reenacting Anchorage Municipal Code chapter 15.55 governing water wells. The new language replaces an automatic aquifer test requirement for subdivisions of more than five lots with a hydrogeologist or qualified engineer review to determine whether a full aquifer study is needed.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6290424,"Anchorage Assembly delays final vote on Girdwood comprehensive plan after hours of testimony",5201,4361000,9562000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2530982-37c56fcb50004389fa69b2452feb2242&start=4361&end=9562","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2530982-37c56fcb50004389fa69b2452feb2242/thumbnail_4361000.jpg","/articles/6290424/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/Anchorage-Assembly-delays-final-vote-on-Girdwood-comprehensive-plan-after-hours-of-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290424-683a9781d05c5ff71008effe36fe9690/orig.mp4?Expires=1777772755&Signature=R3HVVr1i0UDA3zl8kMful~8ycwHOPtgBDLDf4HMzhvJiuvSZj9u8I8~wHvDSVKT5Ev4WtbSU8ED8WlROyQMcqFt1EYL3mNNcm2dwByjl3Uy8VehW9NRDgYldTizROsgSDkZV5lk4u0PhNF0ku6jdP~wOexmMEgyisCWHPPerRcN77z2xOdH76aGEHz164PCI4IZ1T9dvgliJXRgf3B~eoIa3M0bW11w9IeI3sc8tLsb2NRiVxCFQ3HUo4SaQ7BP6RECKiFb7MxWVgJOoiIyWAiWzQdnzSf7iwIg0kSzgbgdpjAPyw55GgRbX5pfI~ZKkeGNTgcQ9AvIRzctgcKKvRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Anchorage Assembly postponed a final vote on the Girdwood comprehensive plan Tuesday after a marathon public hearing that drew dozens of residents, planners and stakeholders.

The hearing, on ordinance AO 2024-114 and its S version, opened with a staff overview and more than two dozen speakers from Girdwood and Anchorage who gave mostly opposing views about two recently proposed changes that would allow new low-intensity residential development near Virgin Creek and allow mixed-use development on about 72 acres north of the Girdwood airport (frequently called “the mitten” or “Enchanted Forest”).

Why it matters: The plan is intended to guide land-use, recreation and housing decisions in the Girdwood valley for years. Opponents said the contested changes would remove irreplaceable old-growth forest and fragment a core trail network; supporters said the amendments create limited new housing opportunities close to services and utilities.

Dozens of residents testified. Gabrielle Markle, who identified herself as born and raised in Girdwood, urged the Assembly to “maintain the mitten as open space and not make it mixed use.” Seth Anderson, who said he is working with Pomeroy Lodging and the Heritage Land Bank on a housing and outdoor recreation concept, asked the Assembly to “support an amendment that would keep the Mitten area’s land use category to accommodate housing,” and described a proposal that would include “mixed density housing, compact cluster housing, new trails, space for a Nordic ski center, parking areas for access to existing trails, restrictions on short term rentals, and programs to ensure that the homes would be owned by people that live and work in Girdwood.”

Several long-time residents and community organizations testified in favor of keeping the mitten and the Virgin Creek/west Timberline areas designated as open space. Amanda Tuttle, who described herself as an “old Girdwood business owner and landowner,” told the Assembly she believed the amendment “is not legally compliant” with existing conveyances and local plans. Julie Raymond Decobian and other speakers said the community process that produced the plan should be honored. Christine Bonnell, a former municipal long-range planning manager, supported the S version crafted by the Girdwood planning team and said the plan “projects and supports the right amount of development focused in the areas where it needs to be.”

Assembly action and votes: The Assembly first adopted a staff-and-sponsor technical amendment (Johnson/Salt Amendment 1) that planners and Imagine Girdwood supported; that amendment passed unanimously, 11–0. After debate on a separate and more controversial amendment related to the Virgin Creek/Timberline area (Amendment 3), Assemblymember Rivera moved — and the Assembly approved — a motion to postpone further action until the March 18 meeting so members could review materials and hold a work session. The motion to postpone carried 10–1. The chair announced a planning work session will be scheduled about 1:15 p.m. on March 6 to provide additional briefing.

Clarifying context and limits: Multiple public speakers cited an estimate that Pomeroy’s concept could include about 365 residential units; other testimony noted that the draft plan already designates roughly 500 acres elsewhere in the valley for residential or mixed use. At least one speaker (a Heritage Land Bank commissioner) noted the HLB and other land-owners are part of the larger feasibility and ownership discussions. Planning staff told the Assembly the Virgin Creek strip could yield only a limited number of lots because of topography and rights-of-way; they also said the S version already incorporated many of the Planning & Zoning Commission’s earlier recommendations.

What’s next: The Assembly will resume the item where it left off — starting with the outstanding amendments — at its March 18 meeting. Members and staff said they will hold a work session on March 6 to walk through the contested changes, show updated maps, and let Planning, the Heritage Land Bank, Imagine Girdwood and other stakeholders present updated analyses.

The Assembly’s delay leaves the community’s adopted S version and the planning department’s later suggested changes in circulation; members said the extra time is intended to let them see the latest technical studies and give residents one more opportunity to present focused evidence about trails, wetlands, old-growth forest, infrastructure and housing capacity.","The Anchorage Assembly heard more than two hours of public testimony Tuesday on the proposed Girdwood comprehensive plan and last-minute staff amendments. The body adopted one technical amendment but voted to postpone action on a contested land-use change until March 18 to allow more review and a March 6 work session.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Anchorage Assembly passes municipal loans, appointments and code updates; marijuana protest resolution approved

Assembly adopts updated water-well rules after years of staff work; hydrogeologist review replaces automatic test requirement

Anchorage Assembly delays final vote on Girdwood comprehensive plan after hours of testimony