CHAPTER 17.18: CHICKALOON SPECIAL LAND USE DISTRICT

Section

Article I. General Provisions

17.18.005    Definitions

17.18.010    Established

17.18.020    Purpose

Article II. Application of Regulations

17.18.040    Conformance required

17.18.050    Permitted uses

17.18.060    Conditional uses

17.18.070    Prohibited uses

17.18.080    Compliance

17.18.090    Lot area

17.18.100    Setback requirements

Article III. Conditional Use Permits

17.18.110    Intent

17.18.120    Application and fee

17.18.130    Public hearing

17.18.140    Planning commission action

17.18.150    General standards

Article IV. Variances

17.18.160    Applications and procedures

Article V. Regulation of Alcoholic Beverage Uses

17.18.170    Applications and procedures

Article VI. Flood Damage Prevention and Coastal Management Plan

17.18.180    Flood damage prevention and coastal management plan

Article VII. Appeals

17.18.190    Appeals

Article VIII. Amendments

17.18.200    Report

17.18.210    Public hearings

Article IX. Enforcement and Penalties

17.18.220    Violations and enforcement

ARTICLE I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

17.18.005 DEFINITIONS.

(A)    General.

(1)    Words used in the present tense include the past tense.

(2)    The singular number includes the plural.

(3)    The masculine gender includes the feminine.

(4)    The term “shall” is always mandatory and not discretionary; the word “may” is permissive.

(B)    Specific definitions.

(1)    “Access” means a legal way or means of approach to provide physical entrance or egress to a property.

(2)    “Accessory” as applied to a use or a building or a structure, means customarily subordinate or incidental to, and located on the same lot with a principal use, building or structure.

(3)    “Alteration” means any change, addition or modification in the construction, location or use classification of any building, structure or use.

(4)    “Area, Lot” means the total area within the property line, including easements but excluding dedicated rights-of-way.

(5)    “Automobile wrecking” means the dismantling or wrecking of automobiles or other motor vehicles, and the storage or keeping for commercial sale of dismantled or partially dismantled, obsolete or wrecked motor vehicles, or the parts resulting from such activity.

(6)    “Automobile wrecking yard” means the location of automobile wrecking activities as defined. (See also “junkyard”)

(7)    “Buffer” means a means of protection against negative impacts which provides a physical separation or barrier.

(8)    “Building” means any structure, including mobile homes, intended for the shelter, housing or enclosure of any person, animal, process, equipment, goods, use, materials or services of any kind or nature.

(9)    “Building height” for the purposes of determining the maximum height of a building, means the vertical distance from the average finished grade adjacent to the building to the highest point on the roof, but not including radio antennas, water towers, church spires, penthouses constructed primarily for mechanical equipment, or similar incidental building features.

(10)    “Campground” means a plot of ground upon which two or more campsites are located, established or maintained for occupancy as temporary living quarters for recreation, education or vacation purposes.

(11)    “Church” means a building or structure, or a group of buildings or structures, which by design and construction are primarily intended for the conduct of organized religious services and accessory uses associated therewith excluding a single-family dwelling (parsonage) for use by the pastor or caretaker. Additional on-site quarters for clergy or nuns, facilities for training of religious orders, or for daily educational purposes are excluded from this definition.

(12)    “Commercial use” means any activity other than a home occupation where goods or services are offered or provided for sale or for profit.

(13)    “Conditional use” means a use of a structure of land which may be allowed by the planning commission after a public hearing and review and subject to certain prescribed or imposed conditions.

(14)    “Conditional use permit” means a written document which may specify additional controls and safeguards to ensure compatibility with permitted principal uses.

(15)    “Dwelling” means a building designed or used as the living quarters for one or more families.

(16)    “Dwelling, Multi-family” means a detached building designed for or occupied exclusively by three or more families and constituting three or more dwelling units.

(17)    “Dwelling, Single-family” means a detached building designed for or occupied by and providing housekeeping facilities for one family, including factory-built and prefabricated dwellings but not mobile homes.

(18)    “Dwelling, Two-family” means a detached building designed for or occupied exclusively by two families and constituting two dwelling units.

(19)    “Dwelling unit” means a structure or portion thereof providing independent and complete cooking, living, sleeping and toilet facilities for one family.

(20)    “Family” means one or more persons occupying a premises and living as a single housekeeping unit, as distinguished from a group occupying a group home, rooming house, club, fraternity house or hotel.

(21)    “Grade, Finished” means the lowest point of elevation of the finished surface of the ground, paving or sidewalk between the building and a line five feet from the building or, when the property line is less than five feet from the building, between the building and the property line.

(22)    “Grade, Natural” means the elevation of the ground surface in its natural state, before man-made alterations.

(23)    “Gravel pit” means an open land area where sand, gravel and rock fragments are mined or excavated for sale or off-tract use.

(24)    “Group home” means a legally licensed residential use which is a home for the elderly, or which serves as a dwelling for persons seeking care, rehabilitation or recovery from any physical, mental or emotional infirmity, for rehabilitation of criminals, or any combination thereof, in a family setting.

(25)    “Group camp” means an organized, often seasonal retreat with or without overnight accommodation which is operated as a profit or nonprofit business with planned recreational or educational activities and to which people come for scheduled visits.

(26)    “Home occupation” means an activity carried out in a dwelling unit or detached appurtenance provided that:

(a)    no more than one other person in addition to members of the family who reside on the premises may engage in such occupation,

(b)    the use of the dwelling unit or detached appurtenance for the home occupation is clearly incidental and subordinate to its use for residential purposes;

(c)    there is no change in the outside appearance of the building or premises or other visible evidence of the conduct of such home occupation other than one sign, not exceeding two square feet in area, non-illuminated and mounted fiat against the wall of the principal building;

(d)    traffic is not generated by such home occupation in greater volumes than would normally be expected in a residential neighborhood;

(e)    equipment or process is not used the home occupation which creates noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors or commercial electrical interference, in violation of applicable government rules and regulations. In the case of electrical interference, no equipment or process shall be used which creates visual or audible interference in any radio or television receivers off the premises, or causes fluctuations in line voltage off the premises; and

(f)    outdoor storage of materials or equipment is not required.

(27)    “Industrial use” means any activity which includes manufacturing, processing, warehousing, storage, distribution, shipping and other related uses.

(28)    “Junk” means any worn out, wrecked, scrapped, partially or fully dismantled discarded tangible material, combination of materials or items, including motor vehicles which are inoperable, machinery, metal, rags, rubber, paper, plastics and building materials. The above-listed materials are not intended to be exclusive; “junk” may include any other materials, which cannot, without further alteration and reconditioning, be used for their original purposes.

(29)    “Junkyard” means an outdoor location where junk is gathered together and stored for a commercial or public purpose.

(30)    “Landfill, Sanitary.” (See “Sanitary landfill” and also Title 8, “Sanitary Fill Sites.”) (31) “Landfill site” means a dumpsite where only natural, organic materials such as tree stumps, brush and/or topsoil resulting from land development efforts, can be disposed of or dumped.

(32)    “Lot” means a designated parcel, plot, tract or area of land established by plat, subdivision or, as otherwise permitted by law, to be used, developed or built upon as a unit. (See also Title 16)

(33) “Mobile home” means a detached single-family dwelling designed for long-term human habitation and having complete living facilities; capable of being transported to a location of use on its own chassis and wheels; identified by a model number and serial number by its manufacturer, and designed primarily for placement on a non-permanent foundation. Travel trailers as defined herein are not to be construed as mobile homes.

(34)    “Park” means a tract of land, designated and used by the public for active and/or passive recreation.

(35)    “Parking space” means a space for the parking of a motor vehicle within a public or private parking area.

(36)    “Parsonage” means the house provided by a church for use by its pastor.

(37)    “Permitted use” means a use of land or a structure which is allowed within a certain zoning district according to the regulations in this code and subject to the applicable restrictions.

(38)    “Principal use” means the primary or predominant use of any lot, building or structure. (39) “Recreational use” means any formal or informal leisure time activity.

(40)    “Recreational vehicle park.” See “Travel trailer park.”

(41)    “Refuse area.” See “Junkyard.”

(42)    “Right-of-way” means a strip of land reserved, used or to be used for a street, alley, walkway, airport or other public or private purpose. (43) “Salvage yard.” See “Junkyard.”

(44)    “Sanitary landfill” means a legally permitted site which has been designed, constructed and approved to accommodate the disposal of solid waste. (See Title 8, “Sanitary Fill Sites.”)

(45)    “Setback” means the area of a lot adjacent to a lot line within which structures as herein defined may not be erected.

(46)    “Sign” means a structure or device for advertising intended to direct attention to a business, which is placed upon or within a building, structure or parcel of land and which can be read from a public right-of-way, excluding:

(a)    signs not exceeding one square foot in area and bearing only property numbers, post office box numbers, name of occupants or premises, or other identification of premises not having commercial connotations;

(b)    flags and insignia of any governmental agency except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion;

(c)    regulatory, identification, informational or directional signs erected or required by governmental bodies or reasonably necessary to regulate parking and traffic flow on private property where such signs have no commercial connotation; (d) integral decorative or architectural features of buildings; and

(e)    holiday or special event banners. (47) “Signs, Animated” means any sign or part of a sign which uses movement or change of lighting to depict action or to create a special effect or scene.

(48)    “Sign, Flashing” means any directly or indirectly illuminated sign which exhibits changing natural or artificial light or color effects by any means whatsoever.

(49)    “Sign, Portable” means a sign that is not permanent, affixed to a building, structure, the ground, set on wheels or otherwise designed to be moved from one location to another.

(50)    “Structure” means anything that is constructed or erected and located on or under the ground, or attached to something fixed to the ground, or an edifice or building of any kind, or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner. For purposes of minimum setbacks and building separation requirements, the following are not considered structures unless specifically addressed by code: fences; retaining walls; parking areas; roads; driveways or walkways; window awnings; a temporary building when used for 30 days or less; utility poles and lines; guy wires; clothes lines; flag poles; planters; incidental yard furnishings; water wells; monitoring wells and/or tubes; patios, decks or steps less than 18 inches above average grade.

(51)    “Temporary structure” means a structure without any foundation or footings and which is removed when the designated time period, activity or use for which the temporary structure was erected has ceased.

(52)    “Travel trailer” means a vehicular type portable structure without permanent foundation, which can be towed, hauled or driven and primarily designed as temporary living accommodations for recreational, camping and travel use, identified by a model number, serial number or vehicle registration number.

(53)    “Travel trailer park” means any parcel, tract or lot or portion thereof where space for two or more travel trailers is leased, rented or held for rent for occupancy for less than 30 days excluding: automobile or travel trailer sales lots on which unoccupied travel trailers are parked for inspection and sale.

(54)    “Use” means the purpose for which land, a building or structure is arranged, designated or intended, or for which either land or a building is or may be occupied or maintained.

(55)    “Variance” means a grant of relief from one or more of the requirements in MSB title 17 as provided for by state law.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.010 ESTABLISHED.

(A)    There is established a special land use district, which shall include all territory lying within the area designated as the Chickaloon community and further described in subsection (B).

(B)    The Chickaloon Special Land Use District includes the following area:

Township 19 North, Range 4 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 1 and 2    Lying southeasterly of the thread (center of the braided channels) of Kings River

Township 19 North, Range 4 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 10 and 11    Lying southeasterly of the thread (center of the braided channels) of Kings River

Township 19 North, Range 4 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 12, 13 and 14    All

Township 19 North, Range 4 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 15 and 16    Lying southeasterly of the thread (center of the braided channels) of Kings River

Township 19 North, Range 4 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 21, 22, 23 and 24    All

Township 19 North, Range 5 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
10, 11, 12, 13, 14
15, 16, 17, 18, 19,
20,21, 22, 23 and 24    All

Township 19 North, Range 6 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17 and 18    All

Township 19 North, Range 7 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17 and 18    All

Township 20 North, Range 4 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Section 36     Lying southeasterly of the thread (center of the braided channels) of Kings River

Township 20 North, Range 5 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21,
22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,
28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33,
34, 35 and 36    All

Township 20 North, Range 6 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,
17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,
23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,
29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34,
35 and 36    All

Township 20 North, Range 7 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12    All

Township 20 North, Range 7 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 13 and 14    Lying westerly of the thread (center of the braided channels) of Purinton Creek

Township 20 North, Range 7 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 15, 16, 17, 18,
19, 20 and 21    All

Township 20 North, Range 7 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 22 and 23    Lying westerly of the thread (center of the braided channels) of Purinton Creek

Township 20 North, Range 7 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 26    Lying westerly of the thread (center of the braided channels) of Purinton Creek

Township 20 North, Range 7 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 27, 28, 29, 30,
31, 32, 33 and 34    All

Township 20 North, Range 7 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska

Sections 35 and 36    Lying southwesterly of the thread (center of the braided channels) of Matanuska River

(Ord. 95-162, § 2, 1995; Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.020 PURPOSE.

The area within the boundaries of this special land use district will be utilized so that land uses will be consistent with the objectives of the Chickaloon comprehensive plan and to protect the public health, safety and welfare.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

ARTICLE II. APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS

17.18.040 CONFORMANCE REQUIRED.

No building, structure, land or water area located within this special land use district shall hereafter be used or occupied, and no building, structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected except in conformity with the regulations specified in this chapter.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.050 PERMITTED USES.

Those uses not identified as conditional uses or prohibited uses are permitted.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.060 CONDITIONAL USES.

(A)    The following uses may be permitted by obtaining a conditional use permit in accordance with MSB 17.18. 110 through 17.18.150:

(1)    group homes;

(2)    churches and related buildings;

(3)    utility substations and electrical transmission lines;

(4)    highway maintenance yards;

(5)    commercial gravel and quarry pits over one acre in size;

(6)    group camps;

(7)    natural resource extraction or processing;

(8)    mobile home parks;

(9)    uses that cause physical changes to the lot exceeding one acre in size, excluding agricultural uses as well as roads and parking lots when used as ancillary uses.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.070 PROHIBITED USES.

(A)    Prohibited uses and structures within the Chickaloon special land use district are all uses and structures not specified as permitted or conditional uses, including:

(1)    junkyards, salvage yards and automobile wrecking yards; and

(2)    sanitary landfills and refuse areas. (Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.080 COMPLIANCE.

No building, structure, land or water area located within this special land use district shall hereafter be used or occupied, and no building, structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, repaired or structurally altered except in conformity with the regulations specified in this chapter.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.090 LOT AREA.

The minimum lot area for any use shall be 4.75 acres, except that if a ten-acre aliquot part parent parcel when surveyed is less than ten acres, the parcel may be divided into two equal size parcels.

(Ord. 17-097, § 3, 2017: Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.100 SETBACK REQUIREMENTS.

The setback requirements specified in MSB 17.55 shall apply.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

ARTICLE III. CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.

17.18.110 INTENT.

It is recognized that there are certain uses which are generally considered appropriate in this district; provided that controls and safeguards are applied to ensure their compatibility with permitted principal uses and to protect the public health, safety and welfare. The conditional use permit procedure is intended to allow the community and planning commission to consider the impact of the proposed conditional use on surrounding property and the application of controls and safeguards to assure that the conditional use will be compatible with the surrounding area and in keeping with the character and integrity of the Chickaloon community.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.120 APPLICATION AND FEE.

(A)    An application for a conditional use permit shall be filed by the owner of the property concerned or the owner’s authorized agent.

(B)    Application for a conditional use permit shall be in writing on forms prescribed by the planning director. The application shall include:

(1)    a legal description of the property involved;

(2)    a statement of the proposed use; and

(3)    a detailed site plan showing the proposed location of all buildings and structures on the site, access points, visual screening, buffering, drainage, vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns, parking areas and the specific location of the proposed land use or uses, specific location of septic and waste water facilities, together with other information as may be required to comply with the standards for a conditional use listed in this chapter and in other pertinent sections of this chapter. For those conditional uses involving natural resource extraction or gravel pits acceptable groundwater monitoring and reclamation plans shall be submitted for review and consideration by the planning commission.

(C)    A non-refundable fee as prescribed by MSB 17.99.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.130 PUBLIC HEARING.

(A)    The planning commission shall hold a public hearing to consider any conditional use permit application.

(B)    Notice of any public hearing required under this code shall be given in accordance with this section.

(C)    Forms of notices are as follows:

(1)    publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the borough 15 days prior to the public hearing;

(2)    mailing a public hearing notice at least 15 days prior to the public hearing to all record owners of property within a distance of 600 feet of the exterior boundary of the property that is the subject of the application, or to the record owners of the five tax parcels nearest the property that is the subject of the application, whichever is the greater number of persons; and

(3)    in addition to the requirements of subsection (C)(2) above, if the public hearing is for a conditional use permit within a recorded subdivision, all persons holding a legal interest in property within that subdivision shall be mailed a public hearing notice.

(D)    When the property that is the subject of an application lies within the boundaries of a community council recognized by the assembly, notice shall be mailed to the community council at least 15 days prior to the public hearing.

(E)    Record owners in this section refers to the owners as shown in the records of the borough tax assessor.

(F)    The failure of any person to receive any notice required under this section, where the records of the borough indicate the notice was provided in a timely manner, shall not affect the validity of any proceeding under this title.

(G)    Every public hearing notice shall state the following information:

(1)    date, time and location of the public hearing;

(2)    brief description of the application; (3) description of the property that is the subject of the application and a vicinity map of that land;

(4)    legal description of the application; (5) the names of the applicants and the owners of the subject property;

(6)    identify the location of where the application and other supporting material will be available for public inspection; and

(7)    identify the planning department’s telephone number.

(H)    Prior to the date of the public hearing, the applicant shall pay the cost of all mailings or advertisements required by ordinance specific to that action.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.140 PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION.

(A)    The planning commission shall consider the recommendation of the Chickaloon Community Council, shall hear any interested parties and shall render a decision on the application for a conditional use permit within 30 calendar days from the date of public hearing. In recommending the granting of a conditional use permit, the planning commission shall state in writing the conditions of approval of the permit which it finds necessary to carry out the intent of this chapter. These conditions may increase the required lot or yard size, control the location and number of vehicular access points to the property, require screening and landscaping, and may require the reclamation of property to a character in keeping with surrounding lands. The commission may also impose other conditions and safeguards designed to ensure the compatibility of the conditional use with other lawful uses and the character and integrity of the Chickaloon community.

(B)    The planning director shall incorporate any conditions or requirements stipulated by the commission in the conditional use permit.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.150 GENERAL STANDARDS.

(A)    A conditional use may be approved only if it meets the requirements of this section in addition to any other standards required by this chapter.

(1)    The conditional use will not detract from the value, character or integrity of the Chickaloon community.

(2)    The conditional use fulfills all other requirements of this chapter pertaining to the conditional use in question.

(3)    The granting of the conditional use permit will not be harmful to the public health, safety, convenience and welfare.

(4)    The sufficient access, setbacks, lot area, parking space, buffers, and other safeguards are being provided to meet the conditions.

(5)    If the permit is for a public use or structure, the commission must find that the proposed use or structure is located in a manner which will maximize public benefits.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

ARTICLE IV. VARIANCES

17.18.160 APPLICATIONS AND PROCEDURES.

Applications and procedures for variances under MSB 17.18 shall be as prescribed in MSB 17.65. (Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

ARTICLE V. REGULATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE USES

17.18.170 APPLICATIONS AND PROCEDURES.

Applications and procedures for alcoholic beverage sales on dispensaries under MSB 17.18 shall be as prescribed in MSB 17.70.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

ARTICLE VI. FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

17.18.180 FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.

Compliance with flood hazard prevention and coastal management under MSB 17.18 shall be as prescribed in MSB 17.29 and the most recently adopted Matanuska-Susitna Borough Coastal Management Plan.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

ARTICLE VII. APPEALS

17.18.190 APPEALS.

Appeals from decisions of the planning commission may be made under the provisions of MSB 15.39.

(IM 96-013, page 1 (part), presented 3-19-96; Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS

17.18.200 REPORT.

(A)    Before any proposed change of this chapter may be acted upon by the borough assembly, the planning commission shall study the proposed change and make a report in writing to the assembly.

(B)    The report shall give consideration as to the effect the proposed change would have on the public health, safety, convenience and welfare. It shall also state whether the proposed change:

(1)    will adversely affect the character and integrity of the Chickaloon area;

(2)    is contrary to the established land use pattern;

(3)    will materially alter the population density pattern and thereby increase the demand for public facilities and services;

(4)    will create or excessively increase traffic congestion or otherwise affect public safety;

(5)    will adversely affect property values in the adjacent area;

(6)    will be a deterrent to the improvement or development of adjacent property in accord with existing regulations; and

(7)    will constitute a grant of special privilege to an individual owner as contrasted with the public welfare.

(C)    The Chickaloon Community Council should consider the request and provide a recommendation to the planning commission.

(D)    The report shall incorporate comments heard at the public hearing held by the planning commission and shall recommend as to approval and disapproval of the proposed change.

(E)    The report shall be forwarded to the borough assembly.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

17.18.210 PUBLIC HEARINGS.

Before the assembly may act on a proposal for amendment to this chapter, the clerk shall cause an ordinance to be prepared setting forth the details of the proposed amendment. Such ordinance shall be introduced at a regular or special meeting of the assembly and a date for a public hearing established. The clerk shall give notice of the public hearing in the manner prescribed in this title.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)

ARTICLE IX. ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES

17.18.220 VIOLATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT.

Violations and enforcement of this chapter shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of MSB 17.56.

(Ord. 92-145, § 2, 1992)