Planning Commission approves Alaska Railroad culvert replacement near Moose Pass

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Planning Commission voted unanimously June 23 to grant a conditional use permit to the Alaska Railroad Corporation to replace a collapsed culvert and place fill within the 50-foot setback of an anadromous stream near Moose Pass.

Morgan Aldridge, a planner at the River Center, told the commission the project would remove a partially failed concrete culvert that is currently blocking fish passage and install a new steel culvert and temporary work pad. "I'm Morgan Aldridge. I'm a planner at the River Center," Aldridge said, and described the existing culvert as collapsed and blocking fish passage.

Staff said the existing partially failed 24-by-44 culvert will be replaced with a 36-by-45 steel culvert. The project includes construction of a temporary work pad that will be removed after installation, placement of 386 cubic yards of fill within the 50-foot setback, and 35 cubic yards of Class 2 riprap at each end of the culvert for erosion protection. All work will occur within the Alaska Railroad right-of-way. Aldridge said the proposal "meets the ADF&G standards for fish culverts" and that staff found the project meets the five general standards of KPB 21.18.081; staff recommended the commission grant the conditional use permit subject to the conditions set forth in Resolution 2025-09.

A public notice was sent to one property owner within 300 feet of the parcel. The application was reviewed by the Moose Pass Advisory Planning Commission at its June 5 meeting, which recommended approval.

Commissioner Morgan moved to adopt Planning Commission Resolution 2025-09 granting the conditional use permit; the motion was seconded. In a roll-call vote the commission recorded unanimous support: Slaughter—yes; Bikes—yes; Morgan—yes; Venuti—yes; Gillum—yes; Epperheimer—yes; Whitney—yes; England—yes; Brantley—yes. The motion passed.

At the meeting start the commission approved the consent agenda—which staff read into the record—by unanimous voice vote. The consent items included administrative approval of five plats, final appeal approval for one plat, and approval of the Planning Commission minutes from June 9, 2025. Later in the meeting the plat committee reported it had reviewed three plats and approved all three.

There were no public commenters on the conditional use permit during the recorded public-comment period. Commissioners offered routine closing remarks and adjourned the meeting.