2030 Comprehensive Plan Seward, Alaska
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2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE VOLUME II CITY OF SEWARD Adopted: May 30, 2017 prepared by: PDC Engineers 2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SEWARD, ALASKA Prepared For: The City of Seward, Alaska Prepared By: PDC Engineers Anchorage, Alaska Adopted By the City Council of the City of Seward May 30, 2017 by Resolution 2017-028 Adopted By the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly August 15, 2017 by Ordinance 2017-18 Introduced by: Mayor, Carpenter Date: 07/1 8/1 7 Hearing: 08/15/ 17 Action: Enacted as Amended Vote: 9 Yes, 0 No, 0 Absent KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH ORDINANCE 2017-18 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING KPB 2.56.050 TO ADOPT VOLUMES I AND II OF THE SEWARD 2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE AS THE OFFICIAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THAT PORTION OF THE BOROUGH WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF SEWARD WHEREAS, the Kenai Peninsula Borough provides for planning on an areawide basis in accordance with AS 29.40; and WHEREAS, m accordance with KPB 21.01.025(E), cities requesting extensive comprehensive plan amendments may recommend to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Planning Commission a change to the comprehensive plan; and WHEREAS, with the completion of Volumes I and II of the Seward 2030 Comprehensive Plan, the City of Seward has prepared extensive comprehensive plan amendments for that area of the borough within the boundaries of the City of Seward; and WHEREAS, over the last two years the City of Seward Planning and Zoning Commission has held thirteen ( 13) public work sessions and meetings working on the updates; and WHEREAS, throughout the update process, members of the public were notified and attended work sessions and meetings, providing comments and input through several sources including hard copy and digital surveys, using the city and comprehensive plan webpages, Facebook, local newspapers and media sources; and WHEREAS, the revised comprehensive plan is a compilation of goals, objectives, and maps for guiding the physical, social, and economic development, both private and public of the City of Seward; and WHEREAS, the planning commission of the City of Seward held a public hearing on April 18, 2017, and recommended that the City Council of Seward approve the revised comprehensive plan; and WHEREAS, the City Council of Seward held public hearings on May 8, 22, and 30, 2017, and reviewed the revised comprehensive plan and recommended approval of the plan, dated May 30, 2017, to the Kenai Peninsula Borough; and Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska New Text Underlined; [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] Ordinance 2017-18 Page I of3 WHEREAS, Goal 1.1, Objective 7, of the 2005 Kenai Peninsula Borough Comprehensive Plan is to regularly update the comprehensive plan to reflect changing conditions, trends, laws, regulations and policies; and WHEREAS, AS 29.40.030(b) states that the assembly shall, after receiving the recommendations of the planning commission, periodically undertake a review of the comprehensive plan and update the plan as necessary; and WHEREAS, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Planning Commission at its regularly scheduled meeting of July 17, 2017 recommended approval of the revised comprehensive plan; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH: SECTION 1. That the assembly adopts Volumes I and II of the Seward 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update, dated May 30, 2017, as the official comprehensive plan for that portion of the Kenai Peninsula Borough within the boundaries of the City of Seward. SECTION 2. That KPB 2.56.050 is hereby amended as follows: 2.56.050. Seward comprehensive plan adopted. The assembly adopts Volumes I and II of the "City of Seward 2030 [2020] Comprehensive Plan Update" prepared by the City of Seward and recommended for approval by the Seward City Council in Resolution 2017- 028 [2005-26] on May 30, 2017 [AUGUST 8, 2005], as the official borough comprehensive plan for that portion of the borough within the boundaries of the City of Seward. SECTION 3. That this ordinance takes effect immediately upon its enactment. ENACTED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KENAI PE 15TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2017. Kelly Cooper, Assembly President ATTEST: \\\111111//f/t ,,\ 1;/ ,,, ~~SUI.A l!J. /,.z " ~:~ ........... o~ ~ ~ ~v. .. ··:'() ~ 2_~... -..~~ :::::w:-~ · ·Q-::x:- Jo =- ~ ~ .l = -~ ·. ~- ~ ··.... ...... .;::: ~ ........ ~ 'l4 1964 Ordinance 2017-18 t' Page 2 of3 Yes: Bagley, Carpenter, Dunne, Fischer, Hibbert, Ogle, Schaefer, Welles, Cooper No: None Absent: None Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska New Text Underlined; (DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] Ordinance 2017-18 Page 3 of3 PREFACE This document was prepared for the City of Seward over the period 2015 - 2017. Development of the 2030 Seward Comprehensive Plan was based on continued involvement with the City of Seward as well as research and review of the existing documents by the consultants. The elements of the 2030 Plan incorporate information gathered during public meetings, Planning and Zoning Commission meetings, and information from numerous background documents. The 2030 Plan was presented to the City of Seward for public review in 2017. City of Seward P.O. Box 167 Seward Alaska 99664 City Council Jean Bardarson Mayor Marianna Keil Vice Mayor Ristine Casagranda Council Member Sue McClure Council Member David Squires Council Member Eric Slater Council Member Deborah Altermatt Council Member Planning and Zoning Commission Cindy Ecklund Chair Martha Fleming Vice Chair Gary Seese Commission Member Margaret Anderson Commission Member Tom Swann Commission Member Craig Ambrosiani Commission Member David Carlton Jr. Commission Member City Administration Jim Hunt City Manager Ron Long Assistant City Manager Donna Glenz Planner Dwayne Atwood Planning Technician Citizens of Seward The involvement of many Seward residents in preparation of the 2030 Seward Comprehensive Plan is gratefully acknowledged. Kenai Peninsula Borough 144 North Binkley Soldotna, Alaska 99669 Consultant PDC Engineers 2700 Gambell Street, Ste. 500 Anchorage, AK 99503 907.743.3200 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update, Volume II II - 1 Table of Contents 1 HISTORY OF SEWARD 4 9.1 Seward Marine Industrial Center 23 2 NATURAL SETTING 5 9.2 Seward Boat Harbor 23 3 GEOLOGICAL SETTING 6 9.3 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 23 4 DEMOGRAPHICS 7 10 RECREATION 24 4.1 Population 7 10.1 Campgrounds 24 4.2 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 9 10.2 Parks, Ball Fields, and Picnic Areas 24 5 ECONOMY 10 10.3 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 24 5.1 Employment 10 11 PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES 25 5.2 Income 11 11.1 Education 25 5.3 Tourism 13 11.2 Health Care & Social Services 25 5.4 Factors Affecting Seward’s Economy 13 11.3 City Government & Finances 25 5.5 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 14 11.4 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 26 6 LAND USE 15 12 PUBLIC SAFETY 28 6.1 Land Ownership 15 12.1 Emergency Medical Services 28 6.2 Land Use Patterns 15 12.2 Emergency Preparedness 28 6.3 Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances 17 12.3 Library Museum 29 7 HOUSING 19 12.4 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 29 7.1 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 20 13 UTILITIES 30 8 TRANSPORTATION 21 13.1 Water 30 8.1 Parking and Traffic 21 13.2 Wastewater 30 8.2 Transit 21 13.3 Electricity 30 8.3 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 22 13.4 Solid Waste & Recycling 31 13.5 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 31 9 PORT AND HARBOR 23 II - 2 14 NATURAL HAZARDS 32 14.1 Tsunamis 32 14.2 Flooding and Floodplain Development 32 14.3 Avalanches and Landslides 33 14.4 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 33 15 QUALITY OF LIFE 34 16 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND COM- MUNITY APPEARANCE 35 16.1 Historic Preservation 35 16.2 Summary of Planning Issues and Trends 36 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update, Volume II II - 3 Background This section of the Comprehensive Plan presents back- ground information about the city that is needed to identify trends, understand patterns, and set the stage for Seward’s future. It is a snapshot of current conditions that includes historical data and forecasts to illustrate changes over time, as well as possible future conditions. Understanding these items is important to ensure that the comprehensive plan is a realistic and responsive document. At the end of each section is a summary of planning issues and trends. These summaries are a result of research, stakeholder interviews, and public outreach. The issues and trends are used to help inform and determine the long-term goals and objectives of the community. History of Seward II - 4 1 History of Seward Seward, founded in 1903 as the ocean terminus of a Seward’s small-town scale and historic character has fledgling railway to Interior Alaska, was incorporated been retained through the years. It has kept its original as a city in 1912. Congress purchased the private line town site as a vital residential and commercial center. in 1915 and completed the rail linkages that now consti- The town site, which was established in 1903 by the Bal- tute the Alaska Railroad. The Anchorage rail link was laine brothers while they were working for the Railway, completed by the year 1918; the rail to Fairbanks was features well-kept older homes that line paved streets, completed by 1923. The ice-free port facilitated export and downtown stores concentrated within easy walking of the state’s agricultural, mineral, and timber resources. distance of each other. Larger commercial and industrial Seward’s population gradually rose to about 1,000 people development is isolated from residential areas. The city until World War II, when it grew rapidly as a military shows less of the growing pains of haphazard development post. By the early 1950s, when the Seward Highway was found elsewhere in Alaska.