Homer City Council members voted Monday to rezone part of the West Hill Road area from rural residential to urban residential after lengthy debate between residents and city administrators. The vote came after residents from the area on the west side of the road successfully lobbied for the council to hold off on rezoning their neighborhood.

The ordinance approved Monday rezones the area south of lots on Reber Road and east of West Hill Road all the way to the Soundview Avenue area, merging with an area already zoned urban residential, as previously reported by the Homer News.

The major change from rural residential to urban residential would be increased housing density, the Homer news reported. Rural residential lots are limited to one dwelling unit per 10,000 square feet and urban residential lots allow one unit per 7,500 square feet, the Homer News reported.

That’s compared to urban residential zoning, which also allows duplexes and 3- and 4-unit complexes. Rural residential also allows agricultural uses like greenhouses, truck farming and nurseries. A fact sheet on the city’s website outlines the differences in the two zoning districts.

Homer City Manager Rob Dumochel wrote in a May 24 memo to council members that the city’s planning commission voted 4-2 to recommend only one portion of the proposed plan. After pushback from residents of the neighborhood located on the west side of West Hill Road, the commission recommended that only the neighborhood on the east side of West Hill Road be rezoned.

More information on the legislation passed Monday can be found on the City of Homer’s website at www.cityofhomer-ak.gov.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.