[{"_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",5988388,"mediaKeyId","5759047-3e3c86018145864a4be6a36319c6980f","parentId",5759047,"title","Commission debates agenda format and limits on public comment for quasi‑judicial hearings; proposed change fails","audioSeconds",212,"startMs",2114000,"endMs",2326000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5759047-3e3c86018145864a4be6a36319c6980f&start=2114&end=2326","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5759047-3e3c86018145864a4be6a36319c6980f/thumbnail_2114000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5988388/Wasilla/Matanuska-Susitna-Borough/Alaska/Commission-debates-agenda-format-and-limits-on-public-comment-for-quasijudicial-hearings-proposed-change-fails","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988388-633f4bcad6f6ce44f8be29edeb351d4a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770557732&Signature=NdaGZFqWU3o0iJD1XPz3xHvG8kAAwKLMhN~LMK0xTy70QM1JVwslkkLITzthISd~u4NvmybcsVatx4dcWbiUpq3cejhkr7YtT28XY6D6v0U0mwVuGERRFd8YFKtliOhsqGoFXhaKg-l-15h8B1Xah9742CTUDJDq02qhta29ZwcH0m0JfLlvuND8fraynEukmMojOU6OsCn5SXREPohiBrZFpuZi7B~Afs7Sju3YB0GktqGxh05CJCySKlO5N4otCvPUUbMzEK6OiGEMz3yyFu9mwrItneBkKVccv~S9afPE6s0OokGIhFLKHSsl-QbbBGIuVxDjEhM-Lq6w503pCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Wasilla","date","2025-09-12T00:00:00Z","article","At the Sept. 9, 2025 meeting the Wasilla Planning Commission discussed a proposed change to its agenda format intended to clarify when members of the public may comment and to distinguish quasi‑judicial hearings from other agenda items. The item was introduced as Resolution Serial 25‑11; the motion to approve it died for lack of a second.

Acting staff and legal counsel said the proposed agenda language was meant to reduce public confusion by making clear that quasi‑judicial hearings are a different procedural category and do not automatically permit public comment as part of the formal hearing record. The city attorney explained the reasoning with an analogy: \"If there is a trial in court ... people can come and watch the trial, but they don't have a right to interject in the trial,\" the attorney said, adding the rule protects due‑process rights for applicants and interested parties and preserves the integrity of the hearing record.

Some commissioners objected to restricting public participation. Commissioner DeYoung said, \"They should be able to speak,\" arguing for broader public involvement. The transcript shows mixed views: several commissioners expressed the desire to preserve public comment generally while also recognizing the legal limits that apply to quasi‑judicial matters.

Staff told the commission the change would preserve public comment opportunities in general but remove public comment from the quasi‑judicial hearing block on the agenda to avoid giving attendees the impression that oral comment is part of the official hearing record. The planner and city attorney noted that interested parties — generally those who receive notice, often property owners within a prescribed distance such as 1,200 feet — have defined participatory rights in land‑use hearings and may need to submit written comment in advance to be considered a party to the proceeding.

Although Resolution Serial 25‑11 did not pass, the legal guidance and staff explanation were put on the record. Commissioners and staff said they would continue to clarify agenda language and public outreach during Title 16 implementation and in public notices for hearings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Regular - 09 Sep 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners discussed Resolution Serial 25‑11 to update the Planning Commission agenda and to clarify that public comment is separate from quasi‑judicial hearings. The motion to approve the resolution failed for lack of a second; the city attorney reiterated that public participation in quasi‑judicial hearings is limited by law.","taxTitle","Wasilla, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska","taxId",52178,"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},5988392,"Acting city planner outlines growth, infrastructure projects and Title 16 effects for Wasilla",913,635000,1548000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5759047-3e3c86018145864a4be6a36319c6980f&start=635&end=1548","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5759047-3e3c86018145864a4be6a36319c6980f/thumbnail_635000.jpg","/articles/5988392/Wasilla/Matanuska-Susitna-Borough/Alaska/Acting-city-planner-outlines-growth-infrastructure-projects-and-Title-16-effects-for-Wasilla","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988392-1b991eff96f2e67899ae13caa3a90257/orig.mp4?Expires=1770557732&Signature=CrWkUTJ5RziOpbJB5KK69XAFXgR6mcQy-k20idyC9mc0ActulFkrMYfLMg7VEEAi3cyEy9BEDfASQBTZ8to7~LIzAT8g4ZA~GhLNk2AWd~T6b1Uxk7dBN-xWt7yUy5AolEKZ-B9mWtgNWSugZ8vepuImoYGhwWqfrXIloA7UpVO3dA3loGCTht2H2XJaMSRhSh72O83HUpUXnI3T8CvERsAyYhWdFACAh2pEYJCzZjRd7xoOSddE3yDwIjDZu0NJ8EYOi~FoxLBmgZ9VBG24DI8Cvh8xDTuJvuzjpMPfdBgIS8w-8IJjOMq6BCxi3K6GO0t3JgZFMMexuVvfiANOcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Sept. 9, 2025 meeting, the acting city planner delivered a broad update linking planning to economic development, outlining ongoing projects, permit activity and forthcoming work tied to the city’s Title 16 rewrite.

The planner reported that the city currently has about 2,900 business licenses, 3,300 remote sales accounts, and 228 permits issued so far this year for projects under 10,000 square feet. The planner said the commission had issued four conditional‑use permits and two rezonings year‑to‑date. \"If you can't if you can't measure it, you can't manage it,\" the acting planner said, summarizing the department's approach to tracking job and permit metrics.

Major developments described include a 107‑room hotel (the planner estimated about 220 construction jobs and about 50 full‑time positions), a 44,000‑square‑foot mixed‑use facility in Fish Hook, and a clinic expansion at \"Canicus Bay\" of about 150,000 square feet (estimated 200 construction jobs and 125 medical jobs). The planner also said a large retail project of roughly 105,000 square feet had limited construction jobs but would create full‑time retail positions.

On infrastructure, the planner listed several projects: a new million‑gallon water tower and interconnect with Palmer, pump‑station upgrades to meet hydrant flow requirements, upgrades managed by SCADA, and a $5,900,000 appropriation for sewer upgrades focused on sludge management and disposal alternatives. The airport program was outlined as well: Taxiway K drew about 11 bidders on a roughly $7–8 million procurement; the master plan is nearing 90% completion with NEPA and FAA requirements underway; a runway expansion includes land acquisition, wetland delineations and SHPO archaeological review.

The planner noted constraints that affect development: limited five‑acre commercial parcels, supply chain deadlines tied to Buy America rules, and a persistent shortage of construction labor. The planner said the city is coordinating with the borough, state DOT, Palmer, and tribal partners to pursue MPO funding and match dollars for downtown and roadway projects.

The planner also previewed outreach and administrative changes tied to Title 16, including map updates to reflect eliminated use permits, a digitization and mapping program with the borough for ArcGIS access, and public education: an economic summit on Oct. 15 and a family event in October called \"Follow the Yellow Brick Road.\" The planner said November outreach will cover mobile food vendors, short‑term rentals and home occupations and described those as a licensing‑style endorsement process.

After the report, Commissioner Brown moved, and Commissioner Langille seconded, a motion requesting that the city public works director deliver a presentation to the commission in October addressing infrastructure sustainment and operations. The motion passed unanimously.

The planner also said the mayor has authorized canceling the second commission meeting in September because there were no permits scheduled for review and noted a candidate for the full‑time planner position is expected to start around Nov. 1.

What to watch: the public works presentation in October and forthcoming council and commission steps tied to Title 16 and the master plan for the airport.","The acting city planner presented permit counts, major development projects, water and sewer upgrades, airport work and Title 16 implications; commissioners asked the public works director to present an infrastructure update in October.",{"_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},5988394,"Wasilla planning commission unanimously recommends repeal of Downtown Overlay District",164,1960000,2124000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5759047-3e3c86018145864a4be6a36319c6980f&start=1960&end=2124","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5759047-3e3c86018145864a4be6a36319c6980f/thumbnail_1960000.jpg","/articles/5988394/Wasilla/Matanuska-Susitna-Borough/Alaska/Wasilla-planning-commission-unanimously-recommends-repeal-of-Downtown-Overlay-District","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988394-5d0d4096677784e528eb0a9a9babdd51/orig.mp4?Expires=1770557732&Signature=XLECIyRFpSr6tA3jcv4enaH~MQrEmKad-NIkCsmPc9LB-5~JmfGcbZeW1TURvWXkxE5DYe-V67E-PdUEeH0VP7SuUCBNiJmVD~uCnjAHRsYnGsxzMzOxgUTC8rM2B1mBY1rvWNymFifDH3FbKgddDxbAfPJgO4OH~xg6G3O1wLzXdMAftDscpzzvjmqvHQw5iztr5m2QujOuNRL2-lXtCXuu~JTiN4MzqbpSeoDnMiAElHD5oJTRviZru1Rm0JnkHD8Yiw1UncHN7nNiyTUJfEzLVAY~UfyYsWpmi0Hek6e7MKqgs4q1ONbx~Th4Vk7ImN0~Vffmpz46PTxTtiQn3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On Sept. 9, 2025, the Wasilla Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve Resolution Serial 25‑10, which proposes and recommends that the Wasilla City Council adopt an ordinance repealing the city’s Downtown Overlay District. The commission’s vote was 4‑0; Commissioner Seals was absent and excused.

The commission approved the resolution after City legal staff and the acting city planner told members the new resolution corrects errors in an earlier attachment and aligns the proposed language with the city’s updated zoning code, Title 16. The city attorney told the commission the replacement resolution is needed so the council will have a corrected proposed ordinance to consider. \"We're really just redoing something based on my error, and I am sorry for that,\" the city attorney said.

The motion to approve Resolution Serial 25‑10 was made by Commissioner Brown and seconded by Commissioner DeYoung. After brief discussion — including a statement that one commissioner remained \"rather uncomfortable\" but would support the measure following the attorney's explanation — the planning clerk called a roll: Brown, Langille, DeYoung and Stafford all voted yes. The clerk announced, \"By a unanimous vote, the resolution serial number 25‑10 proposing and recommending an ordinance repealing the Downtown Overlay District to Wasilla City Council is approved.\"

A member of the public, Stu Graham, identified himself as a resident of Wasilla and a Wasilla City Council member speaking in a personal capacity. Graham urged commissioners to support repeal, arguing the overlay had not achieved intended goals and instead had limited market-driven reuse of downtown property: \"The Downtown Overlay District ... has failed to do that. As a matter of fact, it's actually had kind of a negative impact on the downtown area we have here in Wasilla,\" Graham said.

The planning commission’s approval is a recommendation; the ordinance must still be introduced and acted on by the Wasilla City Council. The commission and legal staff repeatedly described this action as a corrective step to ensure the proposed ordinance submitted to council reflects the updated code provisions in Title 16. The city attorney explained that a later resolution can supersede an earlier non‑code resolution to the extent the newer resolution conflicts with the older one.

What happens next: the approved resolution will be forwarded to the Wasilla City Council for its consideration. The commission did not adopt an ordinance itself; it recommended that council consider repealing the Downtown Overlay District by ordinance.","On Sept. 9, 2025, the Wasilla Planning Commission unanimously approved Resolution Serial 25‑10 recommending that the City Council consider an ordinance to repeal the Downtown Overlay District, citing updated code provisions and a public comment urging repeal.","actionData","errors"]

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Commission debates agenda format and limits on public comment for quasi‑judicial hearings; proposed change fails

Acting city planner outlines growth, infrastructure projects and Title 16 effects for Wasilla

Wasilla planning commission unanimously recommends repeal of Downtown Overlay District