The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly member who represents the eastern peninsula is proposing that the borough establish a new service area to serve the Cooper Landing area.
Citing interest from residents, assembly member Cindy Ecklund is sponsoring a resolution up for consideration Tuesday that would kick off the process of creating what would become the Cooper Landing Emergency Service Area.
A proposed map of the area included with Tuesday’s assembly packet shows that the boundaries would include land around the Sterling Highway — currently served by Cooper Landing Emergency Services — as well as a buffer zone around the Cooper Landing Bypass Project.
That project, also called the Sterling Highway MP 45-60 Project, will add 10 miles of new road off of the highway and aims to reduce traffic congestion through Cooper Landing.
“The proposed Cooper Landing Emergency Service Area cannot feasibly be provided by an existing service area, by annexation to a city, or by incorporation as a city,” the resolution introduced by Ecklund says.
If assembly members on Tuesday approve the resolution, the next steps in the emergency service area creation process include development of a report by Borough Mayor Peter Micciche and a public hearing in the community to talk about whether or not such an area is needed. Borough legislation creating the service area is subject to voter approval.
The report to be created by the mayor would include a description of the need for the service area, a plan defining the area, the assessed valuation of the area and the population that would be served.
According to the Kenai Peninsula Borough, there are currently 15 services areas around the borough that provide supplementary services to residents in those areas, such as Central Emergency Services, the Nikiski Fire Service Area and the Road Service Area.
Tuesday’s meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly will be available to stream on the borough’s website at kpb.legistar.com.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
