The proposed ordinance is an attempt to curb a trend that has been seen across the nation, where large retailers will buy a piece of property with the intention of preventing other retailers from operating in the location without providing the services themselves.
“There is a high percentage of folks who live in Fairview who do not own a car, and their way to get to the grocery store is to walk, bike, wheelchair roll non-motorized travel,” Anchorage Assembly Member Daniel Volland said.
One member of the Assembly seemed unconvinced by the argument, saying that they believed there are problems with the solution, claiming that the ordinance is government overreach.
“Carrs is going to close, and are they going to sell the building? We don’t know if they’ll sell the building. There’s no promise of that. There’s no promise of even if this proposal passes that they don’t maintain the building and hold on to the building as a loss. So, I have issue with it there, and then also issue with it as this is government reaching in and imposing itself,” Anchorage Assembly Member Keith McCormick said.
The ordinance passed with a 10 to 2 vote.
With an election in the books, renewed conversations between the Assembly and the LaFrance Administration inspired the next ordinance, which clarifies the rules within the Municipality when it comes to implementing the 1991 Fish and Wildlife Agreement.
“In prior years, certain provisions were added to the Anchorage Municipality Code to restate or make more explicit elements of this authority — particularly in response to instances where the Assembly’s Charter authority was improperly constrained or challenged,” the ordinance states.
The ordinance does not create new powers for the assembly; it merely clarifies that under the Home Rule Charter, the Assembly has the clear legislative authority to manage and operate the Municipality’s Public Utilities.
Ordinance 2025-57 was introduced by Anchorage Assembly Chair Constant and former Anchorage Assembly Vice-Chair Meg Zaletel.
The ordinance passed unanimously.
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