Cordova Harbor Commission sends harbor-mouth tideland sale back for engineering review

The Cordova Harbor Commission declined Wednesday to advance a proposal to sell about 4,100 square feet of city tidelands — to applicants identified as M2 and Tyler — for dock construction near the small boat harbor entrance, voting unanimously to refer it back to staff for engineering drawings over concerns the dock could create navigation hazards.

Commissioners said a dock jutting into the harbor mouth would constrict traffic, especially for larger boats working the strong tidal currents at the entrance. "You extend the dock and then you have a 30-foot-wide tender sitting outside of it, and that constriction is noticeable for those of us that have larger vessels," one commissioner said. Commissioner Michael Craig said the spot creates a blind spot for boats, and that vessels parking on both sides could nearly block the harbor mouth.

The harbor's geography backs the concern. Cordova's small boat harbor holds 727 vessels — one of Alaska's largest single-basin harbors — and the entrance is already framed by the city's 300-foot City Dock, which sits just outside it. Strong semi-diurnal currents push through the area, and mariners typically time their crossings to slack water, leaving little margin for new obstructions.

The vote was a pause, not a final no. The commission only recommends; the City Council holds final authority to sell city land, and Municipal Code Chapter 5.22 requires a council resolution, 30-day public notice and a fair-market appraisal. Any dock would also need a separate U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit to build in navigable waters.

The commission approved two other, smaller land-disposal requests without controversy.