City council approved the introduction of 7 new ordinances at last night’s meeting.
One ordinance revolved around creating a plan to regulate short term rentals. Councilmember Donna Aderhold co-sponsored the bill with Councilmember Jason Davis, who was not present at the meeting. Aderhold said the ordinance would lay out permit requirements and set up a fine structure for short term rentals.
“This is a first step, opportunity, to get a sense for who's out there and have the short term rentals receive a permit from the city to operate,” she said, “similar to a permit that the food trucks have.”
Now that the ordinance has been introduced, it will be sent to the economic development advisory and planning commissions before being put through public hearing in February of next year.
Of the remaining six ordinances the council introduced, two accepted grants from the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. One grant provided more than $2 million to replace the city’s water main, and another went towards managing the grant.
Other ordinances would approve funds to upgrade portable radios and a backup repeater for the Homer Volunteer Fire Department, purchase a membrane filter module for the water treatment plant, as well as extend the time to use funding for upgrading the city’s microwave wide-area network.
Besides funding allocations and upgrades, another ordinance would reduce the speed limit in cul-de-sacs to 15 miles per hour.
City council also approved multiple appointments, resolutions and ordinances. Daniel Hasche and Holly Brennan will now serve on the city’s economic development advisory commission. The city will renew its contract for the Homer Animal Shelter and support fully funding the Alaska Municipal Harbor Grant Program.
The two ordinances passed will allow the city to be reimbursed for purchasing a jail van, and to spend $15,000 to repair a sinkhole at the Homer Harbor deep water dock.
The council received multiple reports and presentations, including an annual report from the Homer Chamber of Commerce and a financial plan for utilizing the Homer Accelerated Roads and Trails fund.
Finally, Councilmembers Rachel Lord and Storm Hansen gave information about a resolution they plan on introducing at the next meeting about the Homer Harbor Expansion General Investigation’s future. This investigation will look into the feasibility of expanding the harbor, but will hit a slowdown next year due to funding issues.
Lord said the resolution will incorporate feedback from the Port and Harbor Commission as well as discussions from the council.
“The resolve is to agree to move forward with the revised project management plan that has the new dollar amount for the project, and to come forward with funding for the city's portion,” she said.
City council will meet again on Nov. 27.
