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Committee hears Homer comprehensive plan adoption and code tweak to set minimum reserves for lease offerings
Summary
Planning director Robert Rufner asked the committee to adopt the City of Homer's 2045 comprehensive plan into the borough plan; separately, Assembly member Hughes introduced an amendment to allow the assembly to set minimum reserve amounts for competitive lease offerings and clarified that an unsold leasehold would return to the land bank.
The Policies and Procedures Committee heard two planning-related ordinances: one from the mayor's office to adopt the City of Homer's 2045 comprehensive plan where it lies within the borough, and a separate ordinance to amend borough code governing "methods of disposition" to allow the assembly to set a minimum reserve for competitive lease offerings.
Robert Rufner, the borough planning director, said Homer followed the city's process, held public hearings and unanimously passed the plan; in late January the city transmitted the plan and "requested that we incorporate their Homer Comprehensive Plan in the official Kenai Peninsula Borough Plan," he said.
Assembly member Hughes described Ordinance 20-26-06 as an amendment to KPB 17.10.100(f) that would let the assembly set a minimum reserve amount for competitive lease offerings. Hughes said the change is preparatory for a competitive lease offering the borough plans to introduce, and that the assembly would confirm the reserve amount as fair market value. Committee members asked what would happen if no bidder meets the reserve; Hughes said the leasehold would revert back to the land bank for future consideration.
Members also asked about differences between assessed, appraised and fair market value and how the assembly would establish a reserve. Hughes said fair market value is effectively established by two willing participants and that setting a minimum reserve gives the borough a starting point for the offering.
The committee discussed the issues but no vote on either ordinance was recorded in the transcript during this session. The Hope Sunrise Advisory Planning Commission appointment (Scotty Smith, seat D) was confirmed to proceed to the assembly as the mayor's pick; the clerk said he was the only applicant for that vacancy.
