Assembly approves consent agenda of ordinances, grants and appointments; enacts code change on hearings and appeals

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Feb. 25 approved its agenda and consent agenda by unanimous consent, advancing several ordinances and resolutions for public hearings or appropriation. The assembly also enacted Ordinance 2025‑03, amending KPB Chapter 21.2 to revise procedures and timelines for appeals to a hearing officer.

What the assembly approved on consent (items read into the record by the clerk): - Minutes: Feb. 4, 2025 regular assembly meeting minutes. - Ordinance 2024‑19‑28: Approving a scope‑of‑work change and reallocating fisheries business tax funds received under the federal pass‑through American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in the amount of $934.04 (sponsored by the mayor). Added to the consent agenda during the meeting and approved by unanimous consent. - Resolution 20 25‑14 (as amended): Urging the State of Alaska to increase the BSA and invest in public education (sponsored by the assembly and mayor). - Resolution 20 25‑13: Confirming an appointment to a non‑borough board (appointment of Mako Hagerty to the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council, term to expire May 2028). - Resolution 20 25‑15: Authorizing a standardized station policy for use of high‑resolution aerial imagery products and services (five‑year subscription cost mentioned in presentation: $167,000 over five years). - Ordinance 2024‑19‑29: Accepting code blue grant funds from Southern Region Emergency Medical Services Inc. (sponsored by the mayor; public hearing set for March 18, 2025). - Ordinance 2024‑19‑30: Appropriating additional funds from the Seward Bear Creek Flood Service Area fund balance for the Queechak Creek drainage sediment extraction project (approx. 93,000 cubic yards additional sediment; hearing March 18, 2025). - Ordinance 2024‑19‑31: De‑obligating funds from five completed projects and reappropriating $236,000 and $704,000 (anesthesia monitoring and transformer replacement figures discussed) from the South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area Capital Project Fund (hearing March 18, 2025). - Ordinance 2024‑19‑32: Appropriating $300,000 from the school maintenance fund for snow removal and sanding (hearing March 18, 2025). - Ordinance 2024‑19‑33: Approving and appropriating grant funds from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources for the Volunteer Fire Capacity Program on behalf of Bear Creek, Central Emergency, Nikiski and Western Emergency Service Areas (hearing March 18, 2025). - Ordinance 2025‑04: Amending the Resilience and Security Advisory Commission enabling ordinance (hearing March 18, 2025). - KPB 6603: Authorizing issuance of a non‑objection letter to the Alaska Alcohol Beverage Control Board for a new restaurant/eating place liquor license for Franklin Dunham d/b/a Timberline Farms, license no. 16191 in Sterling (finance and planning reviews noted no outstanding tax issues and buffer/proximity concerns were cleared). - KPB 6645: Confirming appointment of Sue Ellen Esser to the position of deputy borough clerk and setting salary.

Enactment of Ordinance 2025‑03 Chair Kevin Cox moved to enact Ordinance 2025‑03, amending KPB Chapter 21.2 related to hearings and appeals to a hearing officer. The ordinance adds criteria for appeals of quasi‑judicial decisions from the planning director, planning commission and hearing officer; allows the appellant to pay certain appeal fees; authorizes the hearing officer to dismiss appeals for lack of standing and consolidate related appeals; and extends the decision timeline from 15 to 45 days. Chair Cox asked for unanimous enactment; there were no objections and the ordinance passed.

How votes were taken - The agenda and the consent agenda were approved by unanimous consent after amendments and additions were made on the floor (Vice President Cooper requested approval; no objections were recorded). - Where items were placed on the consent agenda they were either set for public hearing on the dates stated by staff or accepted/appropriated as described above.

Context and next steps Most items read for consent will have public hearings on March 18, 2025 as noted, or have been appropriations and appointments effective on passage. Ordinance 2025‑03 takes effect per borough ordinance rules; implementation tasks (e.g., updates to hearing procedures and clerk guidance) were not detailed in the meeting record.

Sources: clerk’s reading of consent items and assembly floor actions at the Feb. 25, 2025 Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting.