Does the borough have zoning?

Yes, zoning began in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough with the adoption of the first zoning district in 1966, associated land use regulations, and penalties for violations. There are 15 existing zoning districts in the borough. Most of these are commonly referred to as SpUDs or special land use districts.

Who initiated this project?

This project was initiated by staff after many comments from the community and elected officials.

What is the “zoning code update”?
“Zoning code update” is a comprehensive revision of the borough zoning code, Title 17. The project includes 2 phases. Phase 1 will include streamlining and simplifying the existing code. Phase 2 will look at and introduce new sections of code that are needed.

What areas will be affected by this?
Title 17 has sections of code that are both borough-wide and geographically specific. Since there will be revisions made to all sections of Title 17, all areas may be affected.

What is zoning?
• Traditional zoning divides a town into districts that regulate use, and the location
and density different development types.
• Traditional zoning designates areas (zones) of acceptable uses and separate
those that might conflict - manufacturing is separated from housing developments,
etc.
• Within each zone, standards are set affecting site design & structural features

What's the rationale behind zoning?
• First called Euclidean Zoning because of a court case (Euclid v. Ambler Realty;
1926)
• Conflict is minimized, it is argued, by locating different uses in separate zones.
This will serve the general public health, safety & welfare.
• Early zoning initiatives sought to segregate working people and factories from
upper class people and their homes
What sorts of beneficial outcomes is zoning designed to bring about?
• Protects property values by limiting uses, activities and physical outcomes that
might undermine a given zone’s uses
• Can supports comprehensive plan implementation
• May allow community to direct development to minimize public costs
• Can protects neighborhood quality of life, a shared community resource
What are the problems inherent in zoning?
• Can promote single- or similar-use sprawl by filling each developable parcel
with “what’s permitted”
• Lot sizes not flexible therefore:
o Creates “cookie-cutter” development
o It’s challenging to achieve efficient densities
• Hard to mix uses for community benefit, e.g., residential uses near/accessible
to retail, schools, services
• Limits social diversity & economic dynamism
• Sets up rigid trade-off: natural resource protection or development
How should zoning connect with your adopted Comprehensive Plan?
• Zoning recommendations – made by the plan commission – and zoning decisions
– taken by the municipal board or council – link directly with visions,
values, goals, policies and strategies identified in your plan.
• Plan Commission and local Board members should always look for consistency
between Comprehensive Plan content and local zoning recommendations
and actions.
What are some alternative approaches to zoning?
• Overlay zoning can supplement traditional zoning to address specialized
needs, e.g., protection of topography, natural resources & features
• Incentive zoning rewards developers who help community meet its development
and/or conservation goals within a given zone
• Performance zoning – there are two types:
♦ One establishes expectations for certain outcomes over time related to
site-related activities like traffic, noise, light, etc. and then rewards or
punishes the owner/operator; performance can be tied to permit issuance
& renewal; EXAMPLE: Home-based biz in residential neighborhood
♦ The other approach reverses traditional zoning by emphasizing macro
site analysis/design on front end, then fits development to site and resource
needs via flexible lot sizes, clustering, design standards,
♦ Planned Unit Development (Floating Zone) creates flexible options
for certain types of development. Generally, a floating zone maintains
goals of underlying zone while encouraging:
o Creative designs
o Natural resources protected
o Amenity-rich

More FAQs to come…..