Planning 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
November 28, 2022
Title 21 Text Amendment to Parking and Site Access Regulations
A.O. No. 2022-80(S) (PZC Case No. 2022-0026)
On November 22, 2022 the Anchorage Assembly adopted AO 2022-80(S), a substitute version of the Planning and Zoning Commission's (PZC) recommended Title 21 Parking and Site Access Amendments ordinance. AO 2022-80(S) removes off-street minimum parking requirements in all areas of the Municipality. This change to Title 21 becomes effective on January 23, 2023. See the project page for more information.
October 20, 2022
Reinvestment Focus Area (RFA)
A.O. No. 2022-62
A substitute ordinance was approved by the Assembly on October 11, 2022. Initially, the RFA ordinance was introduced to the Assembly on May 24, 2022, and a public hearing was scheduled for June 21. On June 21, the Assembly referred the ordinance to the Assembly Community and Economic Development Committee for review before being taken back for public hearing in October. See the project page for more information.
OUR DOWNTOWN - Step 2
Anchorage Downtown District Plan 2021
A.O. No. 2022-27
The “targeted" review and update of the 2007 Anchorage Downtown Comprehensive Plan helps carry out implementation Action 3.9, Step 2, of the Anchorage 2040 Land Use Plan. The plan can be downloaded from the Our Downtown project page.
OUR DOWNTOWN - Step 3
Anchorage Downtown Code
PZC Case No. 2022-0129
TThe Planning Department is seeking comments on a proposed text amendment to the regulations in the Anchorage Municipal Code Zoning Ordinance (Title 21) for the update of the Downtown code, Planning and Zoning Commission Case No. 2022-0129. See the Our Downtown project page for more information.
Title 21 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
PZC Case No. 2022-0090
On September 19, 2022, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the Public Hearing Draft for recommendation to the Assembly. It will be scheduled before the Assembly for Introduction in late November or early December and for Public Hearing in December/January. This updates ADU code language to facilitate additional provisions of housing and helps implements Anchorage 2040 Land Use Plan Actions 4-1 and 4-2. See the project page for more information.
June 10, 2022
Title 21 R-2 Zones Bulk and Height Amendment
PZC Case No. 2021-0111
A new public hearing draft Title 21 text amendment to the R-2 zones two-and-one-half-story (2½-story) height limit and other dimensional standards was heard by the Planning and Zoning Commission in November 2021, and action was taken in December. A recommendation of approval was forwarded to the Anchorage Assembly, and a public hearing was scheduled for March 15, 2022, continued to March 22, and the ordinance was adopted on April 26. More information is available on the project page.
Title 21 R-4A Zone Multifamily Residential Mixed-Use District Amendment
PZC Case No. 2022-0127
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 propositions of commercial space within mixed-use developments. A Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing was held on February 7, 2022. Additional information will be provided at another meeting and before action is taken later in the year. More information is available on the project page.
June 28, 2021
Wetlands
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.
Girdwood Historic Resources Survey
Community Kickoff with the Historic Preservation Commission was April 29, 2021. The Girdwood community and Historic Preservation Commission met virtually as they began the Girdwood Historic Resources Survey. For more information, please email Kristine Bunnell at kristine.bunnell@anchorageak.gov.
Small Area Implementation Plan (SAIP)
PZC Case No. 2021-0039, AO No. 2021-46(S)
The Planning Department 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. A Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing was held on May 3, 2021, and its recommendations were forwarded to the Anchorage Assembly for a public hearing and adoption on June 8, 2021.
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 recommendation 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.
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.
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.