The Kenai Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 22 voted unanimously to request inclusion of a $250,000 placeholder in the city’s FY2027–2031 Capital Improvement Plan for a comprehensive-plan update.

Director Buettner told commissioners that Kenai’s Imagine Kenai comprehensive plan was adopted nearly 10 years ago and that several ancillary planning projects—such as parks and airport master plans—have produced new data that should be incorporated. Buettner said costs for a comprehensive-plan update vary; staff surveyed similarly sized municipalities and found planning contracts ranging from about $200,000 for a lighter engagement to as much as $650,000 when code rewrites are also included. Buettner recommended a $250,000 starting point for the CIP placeholder.

Why it matters: staff said an updated comprehensive plan strengthens the city’s position when applying for certain state and federal grants that expect current planning documents, and it would enable the city to incorporate the parks and airport master-plan recommendations and to guide utility and transportation investments. Commissioners asked whether the plan would help secure funding for safety and transportation projects; staff said a robust plan can include transportation and pedestrian priorities and better position the city for grants.

The commission’s motion to request inclusion of the comprehensive-plan project for FY2027 was adopted by unanimous consent (6-0). Buettner told the commission the final amount and any work scope will be decided by the City Council when it adopts the CIP.

Next steps: staff will forward the request to the City Council as part of the capital-improvement planning process. The commission and staff also discussed coordinating the comprehensive-plan update with existing master-plan work to avoid duplication and to make grant applications stronger.

Vote: motion to request inclusion of $250,000 placeholder in FY2027–2031 CIP passed 6-0.