Community Comp Plans & SpUDs Get Updated Direction

The Mat-Su Borough Planning Commission is recommending a more formal approach to community comprehensive planning. 

Commissioners heard from staff and the public about proposed updates to the community comprehensive planning process. It’s a process that individual communities have used to develop plans specific to their areas. That process could lead to a community developing a special use district, or SpUD. According to Borough Long Range Planner Julie Spackman, the SpUD enables communities to have enforcement behind their plans. And the process has not been updated since 2009. 

Members of the public that spoke all were opposed to options that gave community councils authority to develop the comprehensive plans. Their reasoning was that community councils are limited to residents only, excluding local businesses from the process. Spackman says all options would go through a public comment period, including sending notice to all property owners.

The public attending the meeting pushed for a more formal approach. That option would mean the Mayor and Assembly appoint residents, local business owners, and others to the planning group. With the guidance of Borough planning staff and public input, the group would develop the comprehensive plan. 

The Commission’s recommendations will be considered by the Assembly on October 1st in the Consent Agenda.