Commission continues Lesnois similar-use request to January after public concern over scope and notice
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Summary
Facing multiple public commenters who said they had little notice and worried the Lesnois request could affect large swaths of Middle Bay, the commission voted unanimously to continue a Lesnois similar-use determination to the January meeting to allow more public input and work-session review.
The Kodiak Island Borough Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 17 deferred action on a request from Lesnois asking that a proposed cultural center be treated as a use similar to a church under Title 17 zoning. Commissioners voted to continue the case to the January meeting to allow additional public testimony and work-session consideration.
Chris French, Community Development staff, said the application seeks a similar-use determination because the zoning code lists church as a defined assembly use while the proposed cultural center is a noncommercial assembly. French said the building contains roughly a 2,400-square-foot assembly area inside a 3,600-square-foot structure and that staff believes the character and intensity of the proposed use would be similar to a church; staff recommended approval. He also noted one emailed public comment and clarified a canceled Dec. 10 comprehensive-plan work session was not a planning commission meeting.
Multiple members of the public spoke during the hearing, urging delay and clearer notice. Todd Heiner of Middle Bay said he received the notice late, that a red area shown on project materials appeared to encompass more than 1,000 acres, and that residents feared Lesnois could gain rights that would allow cabins and other commercial activity across a broad area. "I think there should be a little bit more public comment on this because there's a lot of stuff that we don't know exactly what's happening," Heiner said. Marilyn Gilmatt (Faith Farms) urged commissioners not to vote and to include the community, saying the valley is "a major subsistence area" and many people had not been notified. Cecile Heiner said she is a Lesnois shareholder who had not been notified and suggested Lesnois seek rezoning if it wants broader rights rather than treating the use as a church in the conservation zone. Celeste Dormant also asked for clearer plans before a vote.
Commissioners said the canceled work session deprived the community of a chance for deeper discussion and moved to amend the motion on the floor to continue the case to the January meeting (the commission’s work session on Jan. 7 and regular meeting on Jan. 14 are both scheduled for 6:30 p.m.). The amendment to continue passed by roll-call vote 5–0, and the main motion as amended also passed 5–0, moving the case to January.
Staff noted the continuance will reopen the public hearing in January and that interested residents can take part in the work session and the regular meeting when the case returns to the commission.
