City of Homer

Planning & Zoning           Telephone        (907) 235-3106

491 East Pioneer Avenue                      Fax                  (907) 235-3118

Homer, Alaska 99603-7645                E-mail             Planning@ci.homer.ak.us

                                                            Web Site          www.ci.homer.ak.us

M E M O R A N D U M       05-76

 

TO:                  MAYOR HORNADAY AND HOMER CITY COUNCIL

 

THRU: WALT WREDE, CITY MANAGER

 

FROM:            BETH MCKIBBEN, CITY PLANNER

 

DATE:             April 21, 2005

 

SUBJECT:       Kenai Borough Comprehensive Plan Update

 

 

At the regular meeting of April 20, 2005 the Homer Advisory Planning Commission reviewed the Kenai Peninsula Borough Comprehensive Plan, Planning Commission Review Draft, March 2005.  Additionally, the Commission reviewed the City of Homer resolution from March 22, 2004 making comments on a previous draft of the KBP Comprehensive Plan. 

 

The HAPC recommends the following amendments to the KPB Comprehensive Plan:

 

Page 4 – add to fifth bullet

·        Comprehensive plans of the incorporated cities

 

Page 4 – Planning add to end of section

Unlike zoning, the Borough has not delegated planning powers to the incorporated cities.  The cities create and adopt individual comprehensive plans, which set the framework for decisions and policies within the cities.  These plans must be adopted by the Borough.  The Cities of Homer, Soldotna, Seward, Seldovia and Kenai have adopted comprehensive plans.  These plans are updated from time to time, by the individual city.  After adoption by the City they are forwarded to the Borough for adoption by ordinance.  After adoption by ordinance, they should be considered as additional elements or chapters to the boroughwide plan. 

 

Page 3-13 Activities and Events – add additional bullet

·        Homer Kayak Festival

 

Page 3-14 Other Attractions –addition to first paragraph after last sentence

 

The Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center is a state-of-the-art interpretive, education, and research facility based on a partnership between the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.  The facility and its programs are dedicated to the understanding and conservation of the marine environment through research, monitoring, education, and outreach.  In its first year of operation (2004), the Visitor Center hosted more than 75,000 guests.

 

 

Page 3-25 Homer – 5th bullet – correction

Research and educational facilities including the expansion of the local Kenai Peninsula Campus of the University of Alaska, the Islands and Ocean complex,  and the Kachemak Bay Estuarine Research Reserve  Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center which houses the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, the Pratt Museum, and the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

 

Page 3-25 Homer – additional bullets

·        Lake Clark National Park and Preserve - offices

·        Kachemak Bay State Park and State Wilderness Park

 

Page 4-66 Table 4-7 correction

            Homer Ice Skating rink is complete and should be changed to an X

 

Page 4-66 Existing Conditions – additions to third paragraph

 

Popular outdoor activities include snow machining, downhill and cross-country skiing, dog sledding, all terrain vehicle riding, ice fishing, snowshoe hiking, and ice skating, climbing, hiking, kayaking,  and wildlife viewing.

 

In previous comments on the draft KPB Comprehensive Plan the City of Homer recommended the borough enter into an “area of city impact agreement”.  This has not been mentioned in the current draft of the plan.  The HAPC recommends some language be added to the plan that recognizes the impact land use contiguous to city boundaries can have similar to:

 

The incorporated cities of the borough exercise their zoning powers to direct land use development within their boundaries, as well as offer services such as police protection and the provision of public utilities.  Land use development immediately adjacent to the incorporated cities has an impact on the neighboring city. Areas contiguous to the incorporated cities are experiencing growth and development.  The borough and the cities should work together to address development in these areas in order to facilitate harmonious growth and minimize negative impacts to neighboring properties.

 

Recommendation

 

Recommend the above amendments to the 2005 Kenai Peninsula Borough Comprehensive Plan be provided to the borough with a recommendation that they be incorporated into the plan before its adoption.