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Assembly introduces ordinance to define "water dependent" and clarify conditional-use permit rules
Summary
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly introduced Ordinance 2025-12 to amend borough code to clarify conditional-use permit requirements and to add a definition of "water dependent." Planning staff said the measure largely codifies standards the planning commission has used for years and that public comment to date has been limited.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly introduced Ordinance 2025-12, which would amend borough code to clarify conditional-use permit standards and to create a code definition of "water dependent." The ordinance was introduced and scheduled for a public hearing on July 8, 2025.
Samantha Lopez, manager at the Kenai River Center, told the assembly the proposed language reflects practices the planning commission has used for roughly a decade. "The planning commission about 10 years ago did create a definition that's included in your packet as a means to help them because it is a standard that has to be met for these permits to be issued by the planning commission," Lopez said. She added the ordinance is intended to put that definition into code to reduce ambiguity in controversial cases.
Assemblymember Cooper asked whether the public had been closely engaged and whether residents agreed the definition was reasonable. Lopez said the item had not yet completed commission review and that, so far, staff had not received public comments on the draft; she characterized the changes as formalizing practices already in use.
The ordinance would amend KPB code sections identified in the introduction and bring a hearing before the assembly on July 8, 2025. No final action was recorded in the provided transcript.
