A newly formed assembly coalition tasked with reviewing the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s material site permitting codes will meet for the first time in April — not February — to allow the borough’s planning department more time to prepare materials. The committee’s inaugural meeting was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, but will now be held April 5.
Kenai Peninsula Borough Planning Director Melanie Aeschliman said Tuesday that she requested an extension for the committee’s first meeting so that her department could better serve the group. Aeschliman said her office is trying to get through an “extremely busy time” and that the additional time will allow them to “wholeheartedly” contribute to the work of the group.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly opted at its Feb. 1 meeting to create a committee dedicated to refining Ordinance 2021-41, which would overhaul sections of borough code that discuss material sites, sometimes referred to as gravel pits. The assembly heard nearly two hours of testimony on the legislation during its Jan. 18 meeting before voting to table the ordinance.
Among other things, the legislation would write new definitions into code, adopt new standards for material sites that address protections for fish and wildlife, and limit the space between an operation and the edge of a property.
Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce told the assembly earlier this month that he brought the issue back before the assembly because of the amount of work that was put into rewriting code the last time changes were considered, and the sense of “disagreement” on how that debate ended.
Those opposed to the ordinance as initially introduced told assembly members that more input is needed from industry stakeholders. Many who testified at the borough’s Feb. 1 meeting proposed that the assembly start from scratch in working to craft new regulations.
More information about material site permits can be found on the borough’s planning website.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
