Agenda - Planning Commission - 10/06/1998

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sidewalk to building entry. Corporate architecture such as stripped down big boxes behind acres of parking are unacceptable splits in the urban fabric. Zoning--All new districts are mixed use, allowing for ~'arious combinations of residential and nonresidential development. / Mixed-use neighborhood concept: Fort Collins City Plan and Code. Provides for neighborhood centers in each quarter-section of land. Under the Fort Collins zoning code, new urbanist development is the preferred vision, and TND projects are unlikely to consist of isolated and unintegrated pods of development. The code itself establishes TND design as the city's basic urban fabric. Herein perhaps lies the future of TND development. The Fort Collins experience bears watching. Mixed-Use, Barrow Style The story ora recent zoning dilemma in a small northern town seemed at first glance very ordinary. In fact, it raised an issue not uncommon to communities e~,erDvhere. What set this particular story apart, however, was its setting: nearly 350 miles north of the Arctic Circle, in Barrow, Alaska-- population 4,400. There is more ro contend with in Barrow than the midnight sun. Zoning remains an issue even at the 71 st parallel. The Barrow Zoning Commission issued a conditional use permit for a commercial business to open shop in the growing Browerville neighborhood. The primarily residential character of this outlying section of town came into question over concern that a video game store might congest traffic and disrupt Browerville's quietude, Residents from other areas of Barrow have flocked to Browerville in search of a more tranquil "suburban-like" setting, says Earl Finlder, deputy director of the North Slope Borough Planning Department. The Browerville neighborhood is composed mostly of wooden single-family homes and duplexes on 120-by-70- foot lots. Each dwelling rests atop pilings to prevent the warmth of the homes from melting the arctic permafrost into slush--the region is essentially a frozen lagoon. The commission was ultimately swayed in favor of the video game store in part by 14-year-old Browerville resident Taktuk E. Miller. Miller, a part-time employee and neighbor of the store, wrote a letter ro the commission staring, "I see his [store owner Terry Jones] attempt to start an honest business in this area as an admirable idea, and I do not feel that his gaining a permit for the operation of his rental outlet will have a negative impact on the rleighborhood. His store will provide a dose of healthy competition for this area. The service that he provides, while not immediately useful, provides a means of entertainment often healthier than some that are currently used in this town, which I shall not glorify with a description. His business would not congest the traffic in this area, since many of his patrons are not licensed drivers, and do not use the normal means of transportation. He does not tolerate any foolish or juvenile behavior, and his business would not become a haunt for local hooligans. I f~el granting Mr. Jones this permit would not harm this neighborhood." Finlder admits that traffic between Barrow and Browerville can be heavy, but getting an accurate vehicle count is difficult given that the area's 28 miles of roads are not part of the state system, and thus, no vehicle licenses are required. It is estimated that the number of new automobiles has tripled in recent years despite having to barge cars into this otherwise inaccessible location. Still, there are other forces that virtually guarantee measurable growth in Browerville. A small business incubator and the local Arctic Development Council have facilitated more small businesses, and the North Slope Borough and local banks have encouraged more home ownership among residents. According to Finkler, this will increase the growth of Browerville and invariably pull commercial development in from other areas of Barrow. Hence, the concerns over the video game store. The Barrow zoning code is quite liberal in some aspects of its regulations. In fact, just about any use is permitted through conditional Use permits in this northernmost town in the United States, especially with respect to the appearance and character of'residents' property. In a place where temperatures often plunge to minus-60 Fahrenheit (windchill minus-90), and snow in June surprises nobody, concerns about property aesthetics tend to reflect the unique environment. Shipping inoperable vehicles, old appliances, and other household debris our of Barrow is expensive and time consuming, so outdoor storage is almost a necessity for residents. Incidentally, there are no trees or heaW vegetation to serve as a buffer or screen for any materials lying on the p?emises. The video game store was unanimously approved under two conditions: Signs for the business were limited ro a maximum of