As fiscal year 2021 comes to an end, the City of Soldotna is developing its Capital Improvement Plan for the next five years.

Soldotna City Manager Stephanie Queen said in a memo to the Soldotna City Council that the city is planning to have a work session to discuss its capital improvement plan in mid-July. Also at that meeting, Soldotna Public Works Director Kyle Kornelis will give updates on existing city projects and share new projects identified by other city departments, boards and commissions.

The plan is meant to help with long-term planning and budgeting for capital projects, which are usually one-time expenditures costing more than $50,000 and that result in a “tangible fixed asset,” according to Soldotna’s FY21 to FY25 Capital Improvement Plan.

That plan identified COVID-19 resiliency projects, major maintenance projects at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex and the Soldotna Storefront Improvement Program as priorities in FY21, which began on July 1, 2020 and ends on June 30, 2021.

Last year’s plan anticipated the design of expansion at the sports complex as the most expansive project of FY22 at $400,000, followed by a $250,000 for a local match for the rehabilitation of Smith Way and Redoubt. Improvements to parking in downtown, including on-street parking and event parking, were also identified as a priority.

“Projects that are identified on the CIP are not yet funded, and are included for planning purposes and to recognize a need,” last year’s CIP says. “Not all projects receive the necessary funding to accomplish them in a projected year, which is why the list is updated annually.”

The Soldotna City Council approved almost $150,000 in design services for renovations and maintenance at the sports complex earlier this year. $1.5 million was approved by the council in 2020 to address code deficiencies and an aging interior in 2020.

Last year’s five-year capital improvement plan can be found on the city’s website at soldotna.org.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.