The council heard from several community members who opposed a potential zoning change on Kachemak Drive that was up for introduction at the meeting. If approved, ordinance 25-27 would allow businesses and other mixed uses in an area currently used mainly for homes. Residents opposed the change, saying it would set a precedent for rezoning individual lots without broader planning and could impact wetlands that help with stormwater drainage and erosion control.
Penelope Haas spoke on behalf of the Kachemak Bay Conservation Society, a local environmental group, urging the council to reject the rezoning proposal. She said a rezone could endanger critical peatland.
“If you are to alter that, what happens is when you have a large peak flow, instead of retaining it in the wetland, you're pushing it through. So you have just unimaginable peak flows. Just consider that, what would happen to Kachemak Drive if you took away that retention pond?” Haas said.
Legal concerns were also raised about the rezoning potentially benefiting only the individual applicant rather than serving the broader public interest. The ordinance failed after a unanimous decision by the council.
The council also considered ordinance 25-17 (S), which was up for public comment and a final vote. It would allocate $1.1 million from the Denali Commission to fund the design and permitting of a project to replace floating docks at Homer Harbor. The amended ordinance requires the city to match the funds.
Some council members questioned the high cost of design work and whether the scope of the project had expanded beyond just float replacement. The vote was postponed to allow time for more details on the budget and funding sources.
The council passed several items through the consent agenda, including ordinance 25-24 that updates the city’s road maintenance map and another (25-25) approving funding for a culvert replacement design on Highland Drive. It also included resolution 25-020 which supports an erosion study along the Homer Spit.
The council also took public comment on several ordinances, including one 25-18 funding a water treatment plant filter module and another (25-19) amending the public nuisance appeal process. Next was ordinance 25-20 that allows music and dance studios in certain zoning districts. Ordinance 25-21 allocates money to replace a water main on Ohlson Lane. Others approved funding for the Sister City program, accepted a grant for community recreation programs, and requested ten additional restaurant liquor licenses for Homer.
The council postponed ordinance 25-07 to allow more time to review options for reimbursing property owners in a special assessment district for the cost of required E-One lift stations.
The next Homer City Council meeting will be held Monday, March 24th.
