Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
04/07/2025 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB50 | |
| HB171 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 50 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 171 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 70 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
SB 50-MUNICIPAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS: HOUSING
[Contains discussion of SB 14.]
3:16:50 PM
CO-CHAIR HALL announced the first order of business would be CS
FOR SENATE BILL NO. 50(L&C), "An Act relating to the
comprehensive plans of first and second class boroughs."]
3:17:03 PM
SENATOR FORREST DUNBAR, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented CSSB 50(L&C). He gave prepared introductory
remarks [included in the committee file], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
SB 50 is a common-sense measure to bring more focus to
Alaska's housing crisis. Every member of this body is
familiar with the scarcity of adequate housing the
state, and the negative effect that it has on our
families, community, and economy. The State of Alaska
already recognizes the importance of community
planning. Title 29 includes a long-standing
requirement for first and second-class boroughs to
adopt and periodically update comprehensive plans.
The state suggests, but does not prescribe, four
components of these plans. In practice, many boroughs
follow these suggestions. However, housing does not
fit neatly into any of the suggested categories, so it
is sometimes overlooked, or taken for granted. SB 50
will add a housing development plan as a new suggested
component for local comprehensive plans. I'll note
that this bill does not create a mandate or unfunded
burden for borough governments. It does not require
them to redo or immediately update their current
plans. The bill simply encourages them to emphasize
housing in their next scheduled comprehensive plan
updates, which often happen about a ten-year cycle.
In the process, boroughs will assess how regulations
impact housing supply, engage and inform the public,
and recommend reforms.
3:18:36 PM
HAHLEN BEHNKEN, Staff, Senator Forrest Dunbar, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Senator Dunbar, prime sponsor of SB
50, gave the sectional analysis [included in the committee
file], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Section 1: AS 29.40.030(a): Adds a new subsection 5
to AS 29.40.030(a) stating that a housing development
plan will now be one of the components that may be
included in a comprehensive plan. Redesignates the
former subsection 5 as subsection 6.
3:19:20 PM
JAMES DEVENS, Valdez City Councilmember, Valdez City Council,
began invited testimony on CSSB 50(L&C). He stated that he has
served as a member of the Valdez City Council for a number of
years. He reported that an overhaul of Valdez' local
comprehensive plan, one of his first major municipal projects,
included a "specific and ongoing" focus on housing. He opined
that this has resulted in enormous benefit to the community,
reporting the construction of many housing units during his time
on the council. He remarked that Valdez has not yet reached its
"difficult and lofty" housing goals and spoke about the high
costs associated with modern housing. He offered his belief
that setting housing as a specific goal of its comprehensive
plan allowed the City of Valdez to achieve that goal more
successfully. He offered his support for CSSB 50(L&C).
3:21:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE asked if there was anything that
prevents boroughs from making a housing plan.
SENATOR DUNBAR replied no. He explained that the proposed
legislation originated from a discussion with a housing planner
in Anchorage on the ways that the State of Alaska could help
encourage housing. He explained that Alaska does not mandate
what is or isn't in the comprehensive plans, to his surprise,
though he offered his belief that local governments create their
comprehensive plans with the state laws in mind. He stated that
CSSB 50(L&C) would apply only to first- and second-class
boroughs, and would not apply to home rule municipalities, such
as Anchorage, Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE asked how many first- and second-class
boroughs have comprehensive plans.
3:23:26 PM
MR. BEHNKEN replied that every first- and second-class borough
has a comprehensive plan, as required by law; however, he
reiterated, there is no requirement from the State of Alaska on
the content of the comprehensive plans.
3:23:45 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS asked what other cities and states are doing for
the development of vacant spaces, such as empty parking lots or
empty office spaces. He asked if there was anything that could
be added to CSSB 50(L&C) to incentivize redevelopment.
3:24:29 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR responded that other states have begun to take
zoning authority away from local governments, who have been
resistant to housing development. He cautioned that Alaska was
not yet ready for that kind of heavy-handedness. He noted that
Anchorage, Alaska, recently repealed its parking minimum, which
he called a "positive reform." He referred to his bill from the
prior year, Senate Bill 77, regarding redevelopment and "the
blighted property tax," which he noted, did not make it to the
House floor. He referred to another bill of his, SB 14,
regarding Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
(AIDEA) loans. He suggested that SB 50 was able to pass the
senate body unanimously due in part to its zero fiscal note. He
offered his concern that, were the state to provide for its own
incentive programs, it would increase the fiscal note. He
further noted that the state could change what kind of property
tax rebates were allowed at the local level.
3:26:26 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS suggested amending the proposed legislation by
adding local property tax breaks.
SENATOR DUNBAR noted that local property tax breaks did pass the
legislature the prior year. He clarified that the provision
regarding blighted properties tax did not pass the prior year.
He noted that there are approximately 300 vacant units in
Mountainview and opined that a blighted properties tax would be
very useful.
CO-CHAIR FIELDS offered his agreement and appreciation for CSSB
50(L&C). He additionally welcomed ideas for amendments to the
proposed legislation from the bill sponsor.
3:27:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER questioned the difference between a
"housing plan" and a "housing development plan."
SENATOR DUNBAR offered his belief that there were no legal
definitions in state law for "housing plan" or "housing
development plan." He noted that the name change [from "housing
plan" to "housing development plan"] was a friendly amendment
from Senator Yundt and explained that he did not want the
proposed legislation to be interpreted in such a way where one
could apply more "restrictive zoning and reduce the amount of
housing development through a housing plan." He further stated
the intent of CSSB 50(L&C) was that a "housing development plan
would ... explain in the comprehensive process how you're going
to ... build and renovate, redevelop the housing needed to have
affordable, attainable housing for your population." He
provided a personal anecdote illustrating how difficult it
currently was to find housing in Anchorage, Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER queried if the proposed legislation
carried the implication that government is responsible for
housing people.
SENATOR DUNBAR responded that the government is not responsible
for building housing. He argued that the government may be
responsible for transportation in the sense that it is
responsible for the roads and trails, which is implied by
transportation planning. He suggested that it is the
government's job "to not create regulations so restrictive that
housing becomes impossible to build." He noted that the roots
of modern zoning were to prevent certain kinds of construction
in certain areas, and he desired to "move past that."
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER commented that there are good reasons for
a community not to build on a landslide zone or a flood zone.
3:31:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked whether the proposed legislation
would require immediate modification.
SENATOR DUNBAR replied that CSSB 50(L&C) would not require
immediate revision of comprehensive plans, rather upon renewal
of comprehensive plans on their regular schedules.
3:31:59 PM
CO-CHAIR HALL announced that CSSB 50(L&C) was held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 50 Sponsor Statement Version I 4.1.2025.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
SB 50 |
| SB 50 Sectional Analysis Version I 4.1.2025.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
SB 50 |
| SB 50 Explanation of Changes Version A to Version I 4.1.2025.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
SB 50 |
| SB 50 Version I SL&C CS 4.1.2025.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
SB 50 |
| SB 50 version N SCRA CS 4.1.2025.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
SB 50 |
| SB 50 Version A 4.1.2025.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
SB 50 |
| SB 50 Letters of Support - Received as of 3.19.2025.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
SB 50 |
| SB 50 Fiscal Note DCCED DCRA 01.31.25.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
SB 50 |
| HB 171 Sponsor Statement V. A 4.6.2025.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 171 |
| HB 171 Sectional Analysis Statement V. A 4.6.2025.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 171 |
| HB 171 V. A.pdf |
HL&C 4/7/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 171 |