The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday will act on ordinances to modify its public comment periods, authorize “minimal” maintenance work on roads outside of the borough road service area and change the calculation for accrual of civil fines in its first meeting of 2025.
Several ordinances introduced late in 2024 are set for adoption at meetings in January.
The public comment ordinance, sponsored by Assembly President Peter Ribbens and introduced by unanimous consent in the group’s consent agenda on Tuesday, Dec. 3, would increase the time allotted for “public comments on items not appearing on the agenda” from 20 minutes to 30 minutes and eliminate “public comments and public presentations” from the agenda.
That ordinance saw opposition from several people during a public comment period during the meeting.
The ordinances affecting road maintenance and civil fines were both introduced in November. The former would allow approval of minimal maintenance work through resolution of the road service area board, and the latter would make accrual for fines and civil penalties begin at the time of violation, rather than from the time an enforcement notice is issued.
Another ordinance introduced in November and set for action next week would rezone three parcels in the Diamond Willow-Fairfield zoning district from single-family residential to mixed use, creating a new Kenai Wellness Estates Addition zoning district. That ordinance also includes granting an exception to the minimum 12-lot requirement for a zoning district.
That area is located near Ciechanski Road off Kalifornsky Beach Road. A public comment by Ray Oyemi, attached to the ordinance, says that he seeks to develop a campus for assisted living on the property, called the Ciechanski Residences at Kenai Wellness and Hospitality Estates.
The assembly meets on Tuesday, Jan. 7, starting at 6 p.m. in the Betty J. Glick Assembly Chambers. The agenda hasn’t been published for the meeting, but a list of meeting items at kpb.legistar.com also includes acceptance of funds from local fishery economic disasters, the resignation of assembly member Bill Elam who soon will join the Alaska Legislature, and introduction of an ordinance to appropriate funds for the design of consolidated schools in Soldotna.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
