History

The City of Anchorage was incorporated under Territorial law on November 23, 1920.  Zoning was first enacted on June 10, 1946.  The first zoning complaint (for an oversize church sign in a residential district) was heard by the City Council on February 11, 1947.

The Greater Anchorage Area Borough (GAAB) was incorporated on January 1, 1964.  Interim zoning regulations for all areas outside the City were enacted on June 7, 1965, and final zoning regulations were adopted in 1969.  In 1970, the Borough began the process of "areawide" rezonings - each covering several square miles - to classify land and implement the zoning ordinance.  This process was only completed under the Municipality in 1986.

The Municipality of Anchorage was formed by the "unification" of the GAAB, the cities of Anchorage, Basher, and Girdwood, and Spenard Public Utility District No. 1 on September 16, 1975.  The zoning regulations of the Borough continued in force until they were replaced by Title 21 of the Municipal Code on November 22, 1977.  Anchorage is a "home rule municipality" under Alaska Statute 20.04.010.