Wasilla considers land use restrictions for downtown

WASILLA — Officials said they are considering restricting land use in the downtown core of the city here.

The downtown overlay district would also enhance public safety, boost commerce, and create a walkable downtown for a city that has a reputation — justly or unjustly — as being more car-friendly than foot-friendly. The district would be the area bordered by the Parks Highway to the South, Bogard Road/Nelson Avenue to the North, Lucille Street to the West, and Yenlo Street to the East. A small extension would run from Yenlo along Swanson to Lang Street, then into the northern boundary at Bogard.

The district is only in the preliminary phases, and will likely face a public hearing sometime in the next two months, said city planner Tina Crawford.

A draft plan for the district identifies seven reasons for the overlay district, which has been included in the city’s Comprehensive Plan.

The district is necessary in part to encourage the shopping, dining, and other economic uses for the land and in part to increase sales tax revenues, Crawford added.

“What you want is shop fronts and storefronts and nice wide sidewalks,” she said.

To that end, the draft plan lists 24 types of businesses which would be prohibited from operating inside the district, ranging from “adult businesses” to cemeteries, check-cashing shops, flea markets, gas stations, industrial operations, kennels, and transmission towers over 10 feet high. Storage areas would also be excluded.

The vast majority of businesses listed are good citizens, Crawford said, but the district is intended to be as walk- and shop-friendly as possible.

Take funeral homes, for example.

“A funeral home … that’s not an every-day business,” she said. “That’s in response to an unfortunate episode in your life.”

Ditto garden centers and nurseries (although flower shops are permitted).

“We don’t want them taking up an entire city block with growing things,” she said. “We don’t need that in a downtown core. A floral shop or retail location to sell their goods here is okay, but not their actual growing and processing.”

Existing businesses would be grandfathered in, meaning current businesses can stay open. Major renovations (identified as adding an addition or a canopy or replacement of 25 percent or more of the building) would be subject to approval by the city planner, as would landscaping or parking changes, or the demolition of any buildings inside the overlay. The renovation or replacement of 75 percent of the street-facing side of a building would also require approval.

Among the listed reasons for the denial of the improvements is “Failure to comply with any of the restrictions set forth in this section,” which means some businesses in the area may face a choice of either operating as-is or relocating elsewhere in the event that they are successful.

Appeals of those decisions would go to the planning commission. Officials will send out correspondence in the next couple months informing business owners in the downtown overlay district about the public hearing. Officials hope to hold the public hearing at either the Jan. 13, 2015 meeting or the Feb. 10, 2015 meeting.

Contact Brian O’Connor at 352-2269 or brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com