MEMORANDUM

To: Pete Sprague, Assembly President

Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Members

Thru: Dale Bagley, Mayor

Max Best, Planning Director

Paul C. Ostrander, Land Management Officer

From: Marcus A. Mueller, Land Management Agent

Date: August 7, 2003

Subject: Resolution 2003-093: Reclassifying Certain Borough Land Located in the Cooper Landing Area Within Sections 25 and 28, T5N, R3W, S.M., Alaska as Institutional and Residential

Pursuant to KPB 17.10.080, classification provides direction on how the borough should manage its land. Borough land classified appropriately for disposal is deposited into the Land Bank and may then be offered for sale at a later date.

Pursuant to KPB 17.10.080, public notice was published and notification was sent by regular mail to all landowners and/or leaseholders of record within a one-half mile radius of the lands proposed for classification. Notice was also sent to all KPB agencies. The notice consists of a cover letter, map, and list of land classification definitions.

The subject lands were originally classified "Recreational" per the recommendations of the 1996 Cooper Landing Land Use Plan by KPB Resolution 96-079. A 10.0 acre site in the Bean Creek Road area was classified Institutional and set aside for the development of a Senior Center. This site was later examined more thoroughly and was found to have topographical constraints including steep slopes and wetlands, which severely limit the area suitable for multi-family dwellings and other large structures. Furthermore, it was found that direct access to this site would be difficult and costly to construct. However, it is planned that the land be incorporated into the pending Birch Ridge residential subdivision plan which makes a residential classification appropriate for this parcel.

An inventory of available land in the Cooper Landing area identified the subject 23.3-acre site as the best available location for the development of proposed senior housing. A reclassification of these 23.3 acres to Institutional for the purpose of senior housing facilities does not appear to limit the recreational opportunities in the Sunrise area of Cooper Landing. There is an abundance of land in the area with Recreational designations; moreover, the Cooper Landing Seniors have proposed to incorporate public use trail systems into their design. The enclosed staff report explains why it is believed this parcel is better suited to the proposed senior facilities than the parcel in Section 28. The parcel in Section 25 is also consistent with the Cooper Landing Land Use Plan recommendation that senior facilities be easily accessible, close to a school site, and sunny. While there is no close school facility, land nearby is proposed to be used for a future school.

Please find attached the draft resolution to appropriately reclassify the land mentioned above and the materials that support this resolution.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing August 11, 2002 for the parcels to be classified and made the following recommendations: