The Seldovia City Council is considering a contentious proposal to build a zip line in the city. Summer resident and former state Senator Scott Ogan wanted to build a Star Wars themed zip line through the Seldovia Wilderness and RV camping park.
Ogan resigned from his position as a senator in 2004 over allegations that he used his position to curry favor with energy companies. Now, he is the owner of Seldovia Bay Adventures LLC.
Seldovia City Manager Cassidi Cameron said roughly 30 residents testified on Ogan’s request to lease city property for the zip line Monday.
"The people that chose to speak publicly at the meeting on Monday, the majority were in opposition," she said.
She says opponents of the proposition say the RV park should be protected and remain a quiet area. But proponents say it would be a draw for tourism and would boost the economy.
If the council is inclined to approve Ogan’s lease request, it would need to rezone the RV park.
"That piece of the land has not been dedicated for economic development and it was actually deeded to the city of Seldovia from the Kenai Peninsula Borough in 1968 and it was deeded with the convenience of public use only," he said.
Ogan said he is walking back his proposal to appease opponents.
"We're going to re-propose it in the same RV park but more on the developed park and keep that absolute diamond of the park public for the public to enjoy and keep it natural and letting that little piece, that footprint be just as small as possible, as low-impact as possible," he said.
This is not the first time Ogan has tried to build a zip line in Seldovia. The city council approved another request to lease land last fall, but Ogan said he ran into permitting issues with the state Department of Transportation.
Ogan added that he wants to move forward with his latest proposal.
"Two people at once can go down together and enjoy the views and then get down and up in the canopy of a beautiful rainforest and have some views of the beach and you see all three volcanoes, the outside beach area, which is a stunning habitat," he said.
The city council will discuss the proposal again at it’s next meeting on August 13.
