Dillingham City Council adopts 2036 comprehensive plan, replacing its 2010 plan

The Dillingham City Council unanimously adopted the 2036 Dillingham Comprehensive Plan on Sept. 3, making it the city's official long-range policy guide and replacing the plan the city has used since 2010, according to the signed ordinance and the meeting minutes.

The plan sets direction for land use, housing, economic development, public facilities and transportation over the next 10 to 20 years, according to the city's planning page. Under the ordinance, it is the main policy guide the Planning Commission and council use when they weigh zoning, subdivision, development review, capital spending and grant applications. State law requires first-class cities to adopt a comprehensive plan.

The plan covers eight focus areas, including housing, land use, transportation and the waterfront. Its housing goals aim to address a documented 232-unit housing gap, Planning Department Director Chris Maines wrote in a July 31 cover memo.

Plan documents say about 15% of occupied homes in Dillingham lack complete plumbing or kitchen facilities. The 2023 Dillingham Housing Study estimated that 53 units need rehabilitation.

The plan's appendix proposes assessing 99-year land leases to lower land costs while the city keeps ownership of the land. It also proposes evaluating graduated property-tax breaks for new housing, and it says the city is exploring a public value-added fish processing facility and cold storage unit.

The Planning Commission led the work with consultant Agnew::Beck, starting in spring 2023, Maines wrote. The plan's appendix says 95 people answered the city's 2023 input form or sat for interviews. The city released a public-review draft in February and took comments through March 31.

The council introduced the plan Aug. 6. At the Sept. 3 public hearing, Mayor Alice Ruby read one written objection into the record, from Samantha Holmberg, about how the updated plan treats a property on East Main Street, the minutes say. No other testimony was offered.

The ordinance directs city staff to produce an annual work plan within 90 days of adoption. The work plan is to name priority actions from the eight focus areas and assign each to a city department or partner organization.