The Kodiak Island Boroughs planning and zoning commission voted 4-0 (three members absent) to forward amendments to borough zoning code (Title 17) that would revise where child care uses may be located and add definitions for child care facilities and in-home care.

Why it matters: commission and borough staff said community organizations flagged a shortage of child care facilities and that existing zoning limited licensed child care to a small set of commercial districts. The proposed ordinance was drafted to reflect state licensing standards and national planning best practices.

What staff presented

Community development staff told the assembly that current zoning restricts daycare and child care uses largely to the urban neighborhood commercial district, the rural neighborhood commercial district, and the retail business district, and that existing licensed facilities are not located in those zones. The proposed ordinance adds definitions (for example, "child care facility, in-home" and "child care center") and adjusts allowed zones to better match where child care operators can feasibly locate.

The planning and zoning commission conducted three work sessions on the amendments before voting to forward them for assembly action. Community Development Director Chris French was listed in the packet as available to answer technical questions at the Nov. 6 public hearing.

Next steps

The assembly set a public hearing on Ordinance FY2026-11 for the Nov. 6 regular meeting. Residents and stakeholders may testify at that hearing; staff recommended the assembly consider public testimony and the commissions 4-0 recommendation when acting on the ordinance.

Speakers

- Seema (staff), presented the planning and zoning background and recommendation.
- Chris French, Community Development Director, listed as available to answer technical questions during the public hearing.

Provenance

- topicintro: transcript excerpt (tc_start: "02:25:32") "The planning and zoning commission at its regular meeting on 09/17/2025 voted 4 to 0 with 3 members absent to approve resolution FY2026-006, which forwards a recommendation of approval to the assembly for amendments to various sections of Title 17 related to child care uses." (speaker: Seema)
- topicfinish: transcript excerpt (tc_end: "02:27:26") "Community development staff obtained a list of current child care licensed facilities within the borough to determine current zoning of properties..." (speaker: Seema)

Salience: overall 0.40 — justification: local land-use change with moderate civic salience because child care affects families and local planning, but the item was forwarded by commission and is at a public-hearing stage.