Planning Department
We encourage the public to reach out to us through e-mails, telephone, or Microsoft Teams as much as possible. The Planning Department is open for business, but to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of customers and staff and to limit exposure, the Department has implemented changes in service until further notice. The most recognizable of the services will be the reduction in face-to-face customer interactions between the public and Planning staff.
Information about application submittals, virtual public meetings, and more during COVID-19 can be found on our COVID-19 information page. Here is a link to our staff directory.
Department Mission
The Planning Department's mission is to guide Anchorage land use development and community resources to meet the quality of life, economic, social, environmental, and physical needs of present and future residents.
Good planning makes for livable neighborhoods, a safe and healthy community, and a sustainable economy. How land use fits in with housing, transportation, community and economic development gives Anchorage its character.
The Planning Department has three divisions that are responsible for a wide range of planning, zoning, and development activities:
Current News
April 30, 2021
Wetlands Notice
As of April 30, 2021, the Municipality of Anchorage will no longer issue General Permits for wetland fill projects in "C" wetlands. All development projects located in wetlands throughout the Municipality must go to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for an authorization to place fill.
Contact the Corps of Engineers by telephone at (907) 753-2712 or through the Corps of Engineers' Permitting website.
April 15, 2021
Girdwood Historic Resources Survey
Community Kickoff with the Historic Preservation Commission
Date: Thursday, April 29, 2021
Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Location: Virtually via Microsoft Teams
View Agenda
The Girdwood community and Historic Preservation Commission met virtually as they began the Girdwood Historic Resources Survey.
Small Area Implementation Plan (SAIP)
PZC Case No. 2021-0039
The Planning Department has released the public hearing draft of the Small Area Implementation Plan, a new item in the Master Planning section of Title 21, Chapter 21.03: Review and Approval Procedures. Please see the project page to view the draft ordinance and for information on reviewing and providing comments. A Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing is scheduled for Monday, May 3, 2021, at 6:30 p.m.
Homeless and Transient Shelters: Title 21 Proposed Changes
PZC Case No. 2021-0025
The Planning Department has prepared a community discussion draft of changes amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 - Land Use Planning for homeless and transient shelters. The Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing was on March 1, and the Commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the Anchorage Assembly in late spring.
Homeless shelters are facilities designed to provide minimum necessities of life, including overnight accommodation, on a limited, short-term basis for individuals and families during periods of dislocation or emergency pending formulation of longer-term planning. The staff report and more information about the proposed change are provided on the project page.
Local Landmark Register Ordinance
PZC Case No. 2021-0005
The Planning Department released the public review draft of the Local Landmark Register Ordinance in June 2020. A public hearing draft was reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission on January 4, 2021, and its recommenda-tion was forwarded to the Anchorage Assembly for public hearing. A hearing was held and the ordinance was adopted on April 13, 2021. More Information is available on the project page.
October 16, 2020
Multifamily Residential Mixed-Use District (R-4A Zones) Project
PZC Case No. 2021-0025
The Planning Department has released the community discussion draft of the R-4A Zone Mixed-Use Text Amendment. The amendment proposes changes to the existing R-4A Multifamily Residential Mixed-Use District that are intended to create a more pedestrian‑oriented environment, simplify and consolidate the zoning district's requirements, and allow for higher proportions of commercial space within mixed-use developments.
Please see the project page to view the community discussion draft, for further information on providing comments, and for project team contact information.
Spenard Corridor Plan, AO 2020-74
PZC Case No. 2020-0043
A public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission was held in May, and the commission's recommendations were forwarded to the Assembly. The Anchorage Assembly adopted the public hearing draft of the Spenard Corridor Plan on September 15, 2020. More information is available on the project page.
Public Hearing Draft of OUR DOWNTOWN - Step 1
AO No. 2020-38 (PZC Case No. 2020-0002)
The Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved the Our Downtown – Step 1 reformat of the B-2A, B-2B,
and B-2C Downtown Zoning Districts on April 28, 2020. The reformatted Downtown zoning regulations
of AO 2020-38 (as amended) went into effect on Thursday, May 28.
The “old” Title code applied to applications filed for
development in Downtown zoning districts until May 27.
Applications filed on or after May 28 are reviewed under the reformatted Title 21 Downtown zoning regulations.
More information is available on the Our Downtown project page.
Compatible-Scale Infill Housing (R-2 Zones) Project
PZC Case No. 2019-0009
A public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission was held last year on March 4, 2019. The Commission will deliberate and take action late in 2020.
The project proposes to update specific standards in R-2A, R-2D, and R-2M zoning districts as part of Anchorage's 2040 Land Use Plan implementation.
The public hearing draft documents comprising Planning and Zoning Commission Case No. 2019-0009 are on the R-2 zones project webpage.
Anchorage 2040 Plan
Information on the Anchorage 2040 Plan is available on the Anchorage 2040 Implementation Projects page.
February 04, 2019
New Public Hearing Notice Signage
In an effort to provide clarity on public hearing notices, the Municipality of Anchorage Planning Department will be introducing revised “Notice of Public Hearing” signage. The new, color-coded notices are intended to convey the planning case type and number in a more user-friendly format. Each planning case type (subdivision, marijuana, zoning, and alcohol) will now have an individual sign, depicted by color and letter to provide more information at a glance. The signage types are below:
S- Subdivision (Yellow): Subdivisions that require public hearing at the Platting Board.
M- Marijuana (Green): Cultivation, retail, test, and manufacturing special land use permits that require public hearing at the Anchorage Assembly.
Z- Zoning (Blue): Zoning map amendments, site plan reviews, site selection studies, variances, and conditional use permits that require a public hearing at the Planning and Zoning Commission or Urban Design Commission.
A- Alcohol (Orange): Package stores, clubs, breweries, and beverage dispensary special land use permits that require a public hearing at the Anchorage Assembly.
June 2018
Cases On-Line and Planning e-Alerts
In 2015, the Planning Department introduced a new and improved on-line access to zoning and platting case information, as well as an updated e-alert system. Click here for instructions on how to sign up.