MEMORANDUM 04-95(A)

DATE: June 23, 2004

TO: Homer City Council

FROM: Mayor Cushing / Walt Wrede

SUBJECT: Ice Rink / Multi-Purpose Facility

As you all know, Homer Hockey Association recently received some bad news about soil conditions at the site of the proposed new ice rink. In short, a soils test confirmed what a similar test suggested back in the 1980’s ie.; that the soils were of poor quality and may not support this facility without major excavation and the importation of a large quantity of new fill material. The cost associated with this is significant and unanticipated. Homer Hockey Association is not able to do the recommended work without substantial budget overruns. HHA, working with the City, has looked at a variety of ways to reduce costs and/or raise additional funds in order to do this work and not jeopardize the very tight construction and Arctic Winter Games schedule.

HHA has selected a preferred alternative that would allow construction to go forward on schedule and within the existing budget. This alternative includes a temporary facility and would require an amendment to HHA’s conditional use permit. The Mayor, the Manager, and several Council members have been briefed on this proposal. At the time this memorandum was written, it was our understanding that HHA was in the process of requesting that the Planning Commission consider an amendment. We can discuss this plan in detail at the meeting if Council wishes.

One of the measures considered by HHA was asking the City if the facility could be moved to the three acre parcel the City owns in the Town Center. Several members of the Planning Commission and the Town Center Committee have suggested this as well. After much discussion, the Homer Hockey Association Board decided at a recent meeting to reaffirm its position that the existing HEA site remains the best location for this facility. The Board stated very clearly that it did not want to discuss moving the facility to the Town Center. It is our understanding that the Board took this position for a number of reasons including:

• A Soils test would also be needed at that location and it was likely that similar conditions would be found
• Construction of roads, water and sewer lines, and other infrastructure would likely be more expensive
• The planning, permitting, and approval process for moving this facility to Town Center would take too long and the outcome is uncertain
• The parcel is not big enough to handle all required parking, setbacks, landscaping, etc.
• The current location is most desirable in terms of accessibility and proximity to other facilities and services.

We met with HHA last week to discuss their interim/temporary plans. During that meeting, the HHA representatives reminded us of the very short timetable for getting a facility constructed and the requirement that HHA hold a demonstration curling event in March. Having Arctic Winter Games events in Homer in 2006 and funding for this facility hang in the balance. HHA expressed concern that they hoped the City would deal expeditiously with their request for an amendment to their conditional use permit and not get bogged down in an extended debate over whether the facility should be moved to the Town Center. We told HHA that we would place this issue before the Council for discussion with a recommendation that it support the position of the HHA Board.

RECOMMENDATION: That the Council support the position the HHA Board has taken reaffirming its desire to build the ice rink / multi-purpose facility on the HEA site and that the interim temporary plan submitted in the Homer Hockey Association Conditional Use Permit request be acted upon by the Homer Advisory Planning Commission expeditiously in order to jeopardize the very tight construction and Arctic Winter Games schedule.