Soldotna seeks to further develop its airport

  • By Rashah McChesney
  • Thursday, June 25, 2015 9:51pm
  • News

Nearly $270,000 in state, federal and city money will be used to further develop Soldotna’s airport master plan project.

The Soldotna City Council on Wednesday voted to use a $250,000 Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, grant in conjunction with matching $8300 grants from the city and State of Alaska to initiate phase two of the project.

The second phase will include an aeronautical survey and geographic information and modeling data.

Lee Frey, project manager for the city, said the city would be gathering land surveys and aerial surveys of the airport and adjoining land to build a 3D contoured map of the area. The data will in part be used to look at clearances for takeoffs and landings, he said. The city will upload the data into a geographic information system through an FAA database.

Currently, 163 aircraft are based out of the Soldotna airport, according to an aviation activity forecast report prepared for the city by Wince-Corthell-Bryson Aries Consultants LTD. By 2035, the company predicts that airport use will continue to expand and 190 aircraft will be based out of the airport.

Prior to the development of the 2014 airport master plan, Soldotna had not completed a master plan since 2004.

The city will use its newest master plan to devise a list of improvements for the airport.

The Soldotna council also amended its rules and procedures to codify a regular practice of postponing motions beyond its next regular meeting — a provision that is not currently established in municipal code and is in violation of Robert’s Rules of Order which the council follows.

The council will hold public hearings on a resolution to award $99,783 to PDC Inc., Engineers for a streets inventory and management plan and $213,334 to Alaska Public Entity Insurance for property, liability and worker’s compensation insurance during its next regularly scheduled meeting on July 8 at 6 p.m.

Reach Rashah McChesney at rashah.mcchesney@peninsulaclarion.com or follow her on Twitter @litmuslens

More in News

The Kenai Peninsula College main entrance on Aug. 18, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Chiappone and Dunstan to speak at the KPC Showcase

Kenai Peninsula College continues its showcase with two new speakers this week and next

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, talks about issues of concern regarding the proposed merger of supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons during a floor speech in the House chamber on Wednesday. (Screenshot from official U.S. House of Representatives video feed)
Begich leads in early results, but Alaska’s U.S. House race won’t be immediately decided

About 245,000 ballots had been counted by 11:32 p.m., and Peltola trailed by about 5 percentage points

The Alaska governor’s mansion on Wednesday. Gov. Mike Dunleavy is considered a contender for a post in Donald Trump’s second presidential administration. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Election summary: Trump wins, GOP takes over U.S. Senate, Alaska may get new governor

Begich and repeal of ranked choice voting narrowly lead; GOP may lose control of state House.

Nesbett Courthouse in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Voters line up at the polling site at Anchorage City Hall on Nov. 4, 2024. City Hall was one of the designated early voting sites in Alaska’s largest city. It is not a designated site for Election Day voting. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Alaska Republicans lose two seats in state House, increasing odds of leadership switch

Rural Alaska precincts had reported few results by 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

Donald Trump won or was leading as of Wednesday morning in all seven swing states in the 2024 presidential election. (Doug Mills / The New York Times)
Donald Trump returns to power, ushering in new era of uncertainty

He played on fears of immigrants and economic worries to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris.

A voter is handed as ballot at Woodworth School in Dearborn, Mich., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. One of the most consequential presidential elections in the nation’s modern history is well underway, as voters flocked to churches, schools and community centers to shape the future of American democracy. (Nick Hagen/The New York Times)
Trump verges on victory, picking up Pennsylvania

Donald Trump has captured Pennsylvania, the biggest prize of the seven battleground… Continue reading

Signs and supporters line the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Update: Unofficial results for the 2024 general election

Preliminary, unofficial election results as of 9:55 p.m.

Poll worker Carol Louthan helps voters submit ballots at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Update: Bjorkman, Ruffridge, Elam and Vance lead in election night results

Several residents said that they came out to vote because they knew this election was “a big one.”

Most Read