Cities across the U.S. fervently cry for more affordable housing. Anchorage is no different. Letters, opinion pieces and even the ADN editorial board encourage a solution in AO 2023-66, which is on the Assembly agenda for Aug. 22.
There is much misinformation about AO 2023-66 (in its several versions) and whether it will bring the desired result. Moreover, the legality of overriding our public process and adopted land use plans need to be vetted.
Nearly all neighborhoods have their unique land use plan that went through a long, public process.
Residents assessed what they wanted for their community. And an extensive public process preceded the adoption of our overarching 2020 Land Use plan and its various components, such as the often-mentioned 2040 Land Use Plan. These plans call for infill/ redevelopment in various parts of town with targeted density increases, including mixed-use residential and commercial areas.
Why hasn’t the city followed these plans that spell out where infrastructure might accommodate density with roads, schools, useful everyday businesses, transit, and parks? How will AO 2023-66 result in more affordable housing? Other cities — even those without zoning — have not succeeded, so what’s different about AO 2023-66? We are left with a shell for an ordinance, where all residential zones are reduced to one, with promises that we can fill in the blanks later and affordable housing will somehow result. Were professional land use planners even part of this process?
AO 2023-66 is not how a public process works. Instead, it’s like paying for a new car that you’ve not driven; now all you can do is change the color of the seat covers. AO 2023-66 will not get us what we need. Let’s work with our current land use plans; modify what’s needed without homogenizing our neighborhoods.
— Dianne Holmes
Anchorage
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