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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRABBIT CREEK Block 2 Lots 4-10 #CU 81-27 MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTFI CASE REVIEW WORK SHEET ~:1 PLATTING BOARD Eli PLANNING & ZONING CASE NUMBER NAME CU81--27 A request for an amendment to a conditional DATE RECEIVED March 12, 1981 COMMENT TO PLANNING BY March 19~ 1981 FOR MEETING OF use for a quasi-institutional house called "s a ct ' Creative Living Center. CASE OF ~ PUBLIC WATER NOT AVAILABLE TO PETITION AREA Ld PUBLIC SEWER NOT AVAILABLE TO PETITION AREA R EVI EWER'S COMMENTS: '~"~-014 (Rev. 2/78) C request to rezone appro×imate!y to RETURN COHHENTS TO: HUNICIPAL PLANNI~iG DEPnR!,'IEL'I~ Zoning and Platting Division Pouch 6-650 .Anchorage, Alaska 99502 26,1-4215 acres from A request to amend Title 21 to A request for concept/final approval of a conditional use to permit a in the zone. A request for an amendment to a conditional use A site plan review for C O:'.!i.l ENTS: D!STRI:~U t IO~: STANDARD DISTRIBUTIO:'I (Public Projects) Urban Beautification Commission --(ordinan99 hmendmej~ts) Hunicipal Attorney's Office OUR OWN LANE D E--.L~ MOUN ROAD .INE 14 7 ~ 13 12 -/ R-~ 2e 3 TR .4 f.t' 3 FINAL CONDITIONAL USE APPLICATION Municipality o! Anchorage ,' Planning Department Pouch 6-650 Anchorage, Alaska 99502 · OFFICE USE Case F,o No ~¢'C ¢~1 Fee '~ ~ Received by ~/ Verificalion of ~nership Assembly P,H, Da{e ~ Approved Denied I, The undersigned hereby applies to the Municipality of Anchorage for final approval of: clleck one ~ new conditional use ( ) amendment to a conditional use II. Description: (use additional paper Jf necessary) Legal description of the area requested for the conditional use Lot:s 4 throu~ 10~ Block 2, Rmbbit ~Creek Subdivision Area (square feet or acres) of the petition area 8,37 acres Current zoning of the petition area Present ownership of the petition area ~ ~ ~on III. Application Information: (use additional paper if necessary) Section or subsection of ordinance under which conditional use is authorized f?: A,~,"f'*;,"q't 21.40.080/1t-6 Suburban Residential District. Explain the planning objectives to be achieved, including a description of tl~e character of the proposed development and an explanation of the factors that determined the particular scheme proposed Ple,~,~e see attac~nt"A" IV. Provide the starting and completion dates for construction (for each phase, if applicable) Core facilitv is cc~plete in and of itself. Perhaps, if mcnev permits, a tennis court will be added one day, Provide a statement of intent as to final ownership O~T~P*' .~ 1 1 1 ~.~.~. ~-~,~ ~nchora~e C~ea~ive Livir~_. Cancer, a not for prof~ Alaskan corporation. Conditiona~ Use Findings: (use additional paper if necessary) A resolution granding final abproval may be adopted only if it includes Ihs following findings. Explain how your proposal satisfies these findings. that the proposed construction and use of the conditional use will not be detrimental to the general welfare of the community Please see At~ac_h~nt , .m,,, that the conditional use meets the standards and requirements prescribed by the zoning regulations Please see Atta~t "~" that there are adequate existing sewage capacity, transportation localities, energy supply and water supply to serve the proposed conditional use Ple~.~ ~ At?~ch~n+' '~" that the conditional use conforms to the intent of the zoning district that the use or uses proposed are appropriate to the character of the area in which the project will be located ~ ·" that the development will not have a substantial negative aesthetic effect on the locale of the project Please see A~tachment '~" .... that the conditional use is in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan Plebe Ree Attachrmnt that the proposed use will not subject surrounding properties and pedestrians to hazardous traffic conditions Please ~ee V. At least 18 copies of a detailed site plan must be submitted with the application. The site plan must show: - vicinity map showing the proposed development in relation to surrounding development. streets and utilities ,~,f~,C~,'J - topography showing contours at 10' intervals (if applicable) - exact tocation of all buildings, and structures (existing and proposed) -existing and proposed vehicular access circulation and parking, storage, service, and loading areas (if applicable) - any pedestrian circulation - any fencing, I~ndscaping, and buffering Petitioner's Agreement: ': I understand that payment of the fee(s) specified is to defray the costs of handling and investigation of this application and the cost of the necessary hearings by the PIanning Commission; and that payment of the fee(s) does not entitle me to, nor does it assure approval of this application, and that no refund of the fee(s) will be made. I hereby affirm that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge· I also affirm that I am the true and legal property owner or the authorized agent thereof for the property subject herein· Imura Lee c_aAhoo~ (Yzs, Ker~ed'~ E.) PRINT PE lONER'S NAME ~_~NO,N p~,T,O~A' ~ S~ ~x 20~, ~o~ge, 99507 ADDRESS Z7 Februaz-f 1981 OATE 276-1333 (Office) 344-7463 (Home) RHONENO. SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED AGENT" pATE Attachnmnt A III. .Application Information Explain the PLANNING OBJECTIVES to be achieved, including a description of THE CHARACI~ ~ the PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT and an explanation of THE FACTORS THAT DE~fERMINED THE PARTICLrLAR SCHEME PROPOSED: 1) PLANNING OBJECTIVES: SANCTUARY, "a wooten's place," would provide a year-round opportunity for wonmn to participate in a retreat for women who need and want to g~in more control over their living enviro~mnt, their health, and their work. 2he retreat would offer its women participants an oppor- tunity for re-creation and informal education in a women-defined space. SANC1Xi~RY would serve as a "Day Camp" for adult wo~mn of all persuasions, a "Teaching Center for All Faiths," a "Big" Girl's Club of Anchorage. Sponsored by the Anchorage Creative Living Center, a not for profit Alaskan corporation, it would be a "place away from it all, a place for healing, health and happiness." Our proposed theme has been taken from an old Bodhisattva attitude that translates as follows: "We shall becomm as magicaI persons to create a situation in which all beings are happy and free from suffez-ing." A framed quote that hangs in one of the rooms would set the tone for the many activities that would take place on the property: "Peace be unto thee stranger, enter and be not afraid. We have left the gate open and thou are welconm to our home. There is room in our house for all. We have swept the hearth and lighted the fire. The room is warm and cheerful and you will find comfort and rest within. The table is laid and the fruits of Life are spread before thee. The wine is here also, it sparkles in the light. We have set a chair for you where the sunbeams d~nce through the shade. Sit and rest and refresh your soul. Eat of the fr%~it and drink of the wine. Ail, all is yours, and you are welcome." ... Ez~est Holmes 2) CHARACTER of the PROPOSED DEVEIDPMENT: SANCTUARY, "a ~x~nan's place," "the enchanted farm" would be, in every s~zse, "the nearest faraway place." It would be a singularly-spectacular wc~n~n's body~mind retreat/feminine fitness farm/center for health enhancement ... cloistered only in the sense of its seclusion. It would be as an educational, recreational, conference and personal growth center for today's Alaskan women; women from all walks of life who want to "get it together," woman who want to look better, feel better, function better and B__E better. These things would be accomplished through rest, exercise, proper diet and soma of the most phenomenally-successful, internationally-acclaimed programs in esteem-building and self-image psychology ever developed. Attachement A (contintmd) Page 2 The sybaritic setting for this proposed salubrious center for health enhancemmnt is a nearly ten-acre fornmr working horse ranch just ten miles from the hes_rt and pulsebeat of downtown Anchorage, well within the reach of any woman who needs and wants to enhance her health, be it mind/emotional, body or spirit, or a combination of all, build her self-image, up her consciousness and polish up her public and persc~] personna. Just twenty minutes south of downtown Anchorage lies this nearly 10-acre stretch of densely-forested, tremendously=beautiful terrain. This property truly is a '~zale of perfection" caz-ved out of the heart of the Chugach Range. It's country ccmfort wrapped in wilderness with an ambiance all its own. It would offer the Alaskan woman a retreat for her body, mind and spirit a "sane asylum" from the hurly- bu~ly of the all too populouswg idand a tranquil alternative to the giddyingly high-paced activity of the everyday Alaskan lifestyle. The developer has t~o abiding concerns: Mm~nt~.ning its peaceful, quiet solitude and preserving its unspoiled moonta~n refuge. (IMPORTANT~) The ~m and major thrust is to provide a magnificent private enclave, a safe space where wo~n are not merely indulged, but where their awareness of themselves as they relate to the world would be raised. There are a growing number of women's retreats sprinkled across the United States, some are church sponsored, other have been developed by wcr~n who have felt an ever-growing need for such wo~n-defined space as their activity within the home, business and world conmunity heightens. In Athol, New York there's "A Woman's Place," in St. Augustine, Florida, there's "The Pagoda," there's '~illo~f' in Napa, California, "Sassafrass" in Fayetteville, Arkansas, '~ho Fazm" in Estacada, Oregon, and the list goes on and is growing daily. Typically, these retreats are consciousness- raising, center-of-the-cyclcne kinds of places that seem to revive pleasant thoughts of a quieter, more tranquil bygone era and express a sense of order and serenity which fills a real and deep-seated need for women in the fast-paced, ever-changing world in which we live. A retreat acts as a centering device to bring its pazticipants back on track as well as to nourish the soul/spirit. The mailing of a 'heeds assessr~nt questionaire" brought in excess of 500 replies ... coupons for more information, short and lengthy letters, and telephone calls ... from all over the State of Alaska ... scum of them from as far away as Kodiak, Juneau, Tok, Talkeetna, Valdez, Seward and Kenai. Unsolicited letters have come from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory and Niles, Michigan. (Available for viewing upon request.) Ail women who replied expressed the need for and sung the praises of a "great idea whose timm has come." All are most anxious to participate in the many programs that could be made available to wo~mn. The individuals who have been invited to view the property with an eye to its potential as a site for a wc~n's retreat, have come away nearly overwhelmed not only by its positive potential for the wom~n of Alaska, but also because of its Attachnmnt A (Continued) Page 3 breathtakingly-beautiful, quiet and peaceful solitude sorely needed by so many women today. In addition to the variety of the proposed on-site activities, SANCTUARY could provide a "jumping-off place" for a broad spectrum of out-of-doors activities both on and off the property. Womsn are becoming r~re and more action-oriented. The are interested not nmrely in the absense of sicJ~ess or mental anguish, they seek 'high level wellness" and its meny-splendored benefits in every facet of their many-faceted lives. Physical activity, it has been found and proved, brings inner strength and peace ... something all human beings strive for but seldom find. 3) FAL~fORS DETERMINING THE PROPOSED SCHEME The developer has lived and worked in Anchorage for 14 years and has, herself, felt a very real need for the kind of retreat she has designed[. Because of the sense of isolation wo~mn sometimes feel here in Alaska ... especially those women who, because of tiros and/or financial constraints, can't get "Outside" as often as they might like ..o it's long been the feeling of the developer that during those long, dark, ckeary days of winter when "Cabin Fever" has us by the throat~ wcrnen need a place like SANCTUARY to run away TO. A special space where they could go for a day or several days to relax, reco~-~ect, get recharged. Sonmtimms a simple change of pace and place is all that's necessary to get us through "the uglies," perhaps to save a cb/Id from abuse, or from alcohol or drugs being abused. On those occasions we might refer to SANCTUARY as '"Ihe Sane Asylum." A broad spectrum of positive growth experiences have been planned and have g~ned acceptance and enthusiastic support from the wonmn with whom we've been in contact. There is a complete void on the Alaskan scene for a facility such as SANCTUARY. The women of Alaska are "starved" for the variety, scope and depth of the programs that would be made avail- able to thegn at SANCTUARY. %]~e nearest similar activities are thousands of miles away and almost completely out of reach for the majority of Alaska' s women. The women of Alaska are on the trove ... constantly. They are movers and shakers, policy shapers end money makers. They are active and concerned citizens. They control a trerrmndous amm~nt of net spendable income. The "Sleeping Beauty" within them has awakened here, just as it has throughout the world. Won~_n are where it's happening, where it's at. Their voracious appetites for self-knowledge and self-improvement have only been whetted. SANCTUARY would offer not only an opportunity for women to begin recognizing their tremmndously-powerful and inherent good qualities but would serve to enhance those qualities for use in the horns, the commmity, the business world, the national scene and worldwide. But ... the upward spiral of all this new-found activity sometimes leaves won~_n feeling lost, depressed and sorely in need of a sgfe space for centering th~aelves and learning to cluster their activities so as not to '%urn out." For these reasons we have designed a small invitation Attac~t A (Continued) to potential participants in the retreat and it programs should we be successful in our bid for approval for the Conditional Zoning for which we are applying. It reads: A PLACE AWAY FROM IT Al,T,. A Place for Healing, Health and Happiness Far From the Madding Crowd. If your hectic lifestyle seems to have run away with you, or if you find that alcohol, drugs, fcod or smoking threaten to become necessities for coping, you may want to consider a visit to Sanctuary. Sanct~ary is a unique retreat facility for wcr~n with inordinate stress from private, professional, social or creative Sancturay is set in a beautifully tranquil atmosphere of a fully- restored former horse ranch just minutes fran downtown Anchorage. In addition to superior medical and counseling services as well as a broad spectrum of experiential classwork, a number of health-restorative and recreational options ... such as yoga, jogging, swiu~d_ng, ~hot tubbing, massage ... are integral parts of our high level wellness program. For further information, please write or call. So then, the '~3pping of Woman" is the name of our "game." SANCTUARY will salute and proclaim the cu~petence and dynamism of the Alaska woman. Then, like the proverbial pebble in the pool, the ever-widening, far-reaching ripples that go out from "centered" wo~an will be carried into the myriad of her life's activities; her home, her business, and the world at large. Attachnmnt B IV. Conditional Use Findings "A resolution granting final approval may be adopted only if it includes the following findings. Explain hou your proposal satisifies these findings. "That the proposed construction and use of the conditional use will not be detrimmntal to the general welfare of the community. :" As a women's retreat catering to the nmntal/emotional, physical and spiritoal needs of the wommn of Anchorage, SANCTUARY would, in essence, be as a "non-religious cloistered convent" in the sense of its almost total seclusion, quiet serenity and the nature of the self-actualization programs available to its participants. By its very nature, it would be far less noticeable (well off the 'q~eaten path" of activity in the area) and m~ch less noisy (we would be catering to the needs of "achi-l~ t" wonmn) than ~%lilltop House, ~'~Rabbit Creek Group Home and ~fhe Catholic Retreat House, all of which are vzithin 2 to 3 miles of the property. By virtue of the fact that SANCI%IARY would minister to the needs of adult wom~n in the Anchorage co, l~nity, it is the belief of the owner thmt there would be absolutely no cause for concern by fellow property owners in the area. * Hilltop House is a group hc~m for teenage boys in crisis ** Rabbit Creek Group_Home is also a group home for. en~tionally disturbed teenage boys in crisis. (Alaska Children's Services) ~ The Catholic Retreat House was d~signed for and is used as a retreat for the Catholic Diocese of Anchorage. Various functions are held on the property. "That the conditional use nmets the stanHards and requirements prescribed by the zoning regulations :" I~der Section 21.40.080, Article "D", Number 7~ "Quasi-institutional houses" could! be "Special Exceptions." Subject to the requirenmnts of the special exception stanH~ds and procedures of this title, etc." Also, definition {-~66 in the Municipality of Anchorage. dictionary of ,terms, states that "Quasi-institutional house" means a residea~tial facility located in a structure or residence or any living unit thereof designed, used or intended for use a hunmn bmhitation, the principal use or goal of which is to sezve as a place for persons seeking rehabilitation or recovery ~rom any physical, mmntal, emotional, or legal infirmity, or any combin- ation thereof, in a family setting as p~rt of a group rehabilitation and/or recovery progrsm utilizing counseling, self-help or other treatn~nt assistance." In a recent conversaticn with Mike Brunet, Anchorage Municipal Health Con~ission planner, we learned that the term "Quasi-instit~ational house" will soon be vhanged to "Ackftt Residential and Day Care Facility." It is the opinion of the owner that this is a more appropriate term for SANCI~AtLY as we would be operating as a "day care" facility. "That there are adequate exist~mg sewage capacity, transportation facilities,,, energy supply, and water supply to serve the proposed conditional use: Attachment B (Continued) Page 2 "Adequate existing sewage capacity:" Private on-site septic system and leech field. Area is extremely gravel-based. "Adequate transportation facilities:" Participants at SANCTUARY wooid be bused, as a group, to the property and returned to their point of departure at the and of each day's activities. Natural Gas supplied by Anchorage Natural Gas. Electricity supplied by Chugach Electric Co. Supplied by on-site well with new pump "Adequate anergy supplies:" "AdeRuate water supply:" "That the conditional use conforms to the intant of the zoning district:" According to Section 21.40.080 of the Municipal Zoning Ordinance for areas zoned R-6 (Suburban residential district - large lot), it would appear that under the "Special Exceptions" section, that SANCTUARY would not appear to be in violation of the intended uses. "That the use or uses proposed are appropriate to the character of the area in which the project will be located:" All activity will take place inside the core facility or on the private property as described above ... and will be quiet by virtue of its nature. The activity will NOT be detrimental to the surrounding area as the property is in a "remote" site. The 8.37 acres included in this property abuts an 80-acre parcel zoned PLI (Public Lands & Institutions) and owned by the Municipality of Anchorage. Until recently, the Municipality had pl~ed to use that 80-acre site as well as properties along Rabbit Creek for the Rabbit Creek Green Belt. That plan, at least for the time being, has bean "shelved." It would seem to the developer that what was appropriate for the Municipality could not be totally inappropriate for this proposed use. "That the development will not have a substantial negative aesthetic effect on the locale of the project :" It will have no negative aesthetic effect whatsoever as everything will renm~n vir~m] ly untouched. All activity will be quiet in nature and will take place on the property itself. Nothing will be added nor removed. "That the conditional use is in accordance with the Co, prehensive Plan:" As the developer understands the Co~¥rehensive Plan, this area was to have been used for the Rabbit Creek Green Belt. In the evant that one day that plan comes to "life" agm~n, there is absolutely no reason that the Municipality of Anchorage couldn't purchase the property from the owner and use it as a C~,~nity Recreational Center ... virtually the santo use for which the presant owner bas proposed. Attachnmnt B (Continued) Page 3 "That the proposed use will not subject surrounding properties and pedestrians to hazardous traffic~ conditions:" 15/20 adult won~n per day will be transported to the proposed facility by means of a mini-bus/van. There would be one AM arrival and one PM departure. This property is at the end of a quarter-mile private road, c~pletely r~ntained by the developer. In the two year's period that the present owner has been in possession of the property, she has c~pletely maintm~ned the road without the help of neighbors (only 6 along the road.) They have chosen not to participate in its upkeep, either physically or financially. V. DETAIl,ED SIrfE PLAN 1. Vicinity Map: Included with Conditional Use Application 2. Topo Map: To be furnished by Municipality Planning & Zoning o Exact Location of all buildings & structures: No As-Built Survey exists. Owner has portrayed, as best she could, the location of both buildings as they exist on the property. Proportions, of COLUCSe~ ~tre not eye. ct. Vehicular Access and Parking: Access will be from Our Own Lane. Ample (acres) parking is available on the property, of f the street. Pedestrian Circulation: There is no pedistrian traffic. The proper~y being petitioned, as noted, lies at the end of a short, private road. The only noticeable pedistrian traffic would be anyone out for a walk along the lane. Fencing, landscaping and buffering: Would remain as it is. The only existing fencing at this tin~ is around the barn area and is typical of a well-designed corral. There is a very large gate to the barnyard area, allowing for off-street parking inside the baznyard. Landscaping, except for large expanses of lawn, will remain in its natural state which is typical of the entire area along the creek and Our Own Irene. PROPER~f BEING PETITI©~ PROPERLY BEING PETI?IONK~ HOUSES TYPICAL OF THE AREA HOUSES TYPICAL OF ~ AREA © hi ! }-tUFFM AN ~O~D 8 4 .5 3 OUR OWN LANE NORTH PARK D~__ , SOUTH PARK Dr DE ARMOUN - / !% 12 ROAD STREAM THREAD MEANDER LrNE DATA RABBI:T CREEK SUBDIVISION :001367 lAD RFCFWED DTI001 1985"901 COR 6B 6A o& !3~00~ :$,000&F. -~'o 650~00 REC, UTILITY EASEb RECEIVED ..... ..~,¢,~o .Et ..... ~ co. s.~''o" /¥.scovE.Eo 20 ~ 21 ~ 22 I I 27 ARMOUN ROAb 2~ 24 THIS /SURVEY 36 OWNERSHIP AFFIDAVIT NOTARY'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT ~,~2~ , PLAT APPROVAL PLAT APPRO~D BY T~ 80ROUeH PLANTIN6 COMMISSlO~ THIS ~] DAY ~,~~ 19~ DTIO01368 RABBIT CREEK SUBDIVISION A RESUBDIVISlON OF LOT 6,BLOCKI, ~B~T ~ ~D. ~S S, J~GENSON SCALEd":IO0 [WILLIAME'dOHNSON~'ASSOCIATE$ I~. DATE AFRiLI970 1 REGISTERED ENGINEERS 8~ ..... S B ' LAND SURVEYORS I DRAw. uT , ~STAR ROUTE A, BOX'4060 ~44-5819 IP GRIDNO, 2959 I ANCHORAGE~ALASKA 99502 ir`