Unalaska’s planning department will move forward with a couple of subdivisions on Ounalashka Corporation land today.

Planning staff are set to approve two new lots for OC in a public hearing today at 2 p.m. It’s part of a process called platting, where landowners have to plan utilities and rights of way for each new lot they creates.

One of OC's planned new lots is on Airport Beach Road near the Little Coffee Hut. The other is in the Margaret Bay subdivision. In both areas, OC already owns the land and wants to draw new lot lines within it.

Planning administrator Anthony Grande says the requests are simple enough that they don’t require planning commission approval.

Still, potential changes to subdivision rules have been a hot topic at city council lately. They’re part of a package of revisions to city zoning code that have been in the works for months.

The planning department wants to clarify what landowners like OC have to do before they can subdivide their land. But some councilors and residents say a potentially complicated, expensive platting process is bad for development.

Grande says subdivisions like the ones he’s approving today are an example of an efficient platting process. It’s being done before OC builds on the properties, and Grande says it’ll happen quickly, since the planning commission doesn’t need to weigh in.

There’s also a commission meeting scheduled for tonight, but Grande says it’ll be pretty short -- the group will appoint a new chair, and get an update on what city council wants changed in the zoning code revisions.

A variance for container storage at the Norwegian Rat Saloon was removed from the agenda after the property owner withdrew the request.

The commission meeting is tonight at 7 p.m. at City Hall.