Kodiak Borough Lands Committee develops framework to streamline land disposal

The Kodiak Island Borough Lands Committee began developing a new framework Monday to guide how the borough evaluates and disposes of public land. The goal is to make the process more transparent and efficient.

The effort comes as the committee works through a multi-step disposal process that began when it first identified surplus land near Island Lake Road. The Assembly approved disposal of those four parcels through Resolution FY2025-24, but the properties still require subdivision work, rezoning, and drainage improvements before they can be sold. Mayor Jared Griffin proposed a more systematic approach to address concerns about the pace of progress.

Griffin presented draft disposal principles and screening criteria at the committee's work session. He proposed a three-tier system to categorize borough parcels: those ready for disposal now, those suitable after additional work, and those the borough should hold for future public use.

"The framework that I have been thinking of is kind of a three-part framework where we look at parcels that are most ready for disposal now, parcels that may be suitable for disposal after additional work, and then parcels that we want to hold on to for potential future public purpose or planning or infrastructure," Griffin said. "My intent is to kind of reduce some ad hoc decision-making and ensure that we are really talking more intentionally about the long-term interests of the public here."

The screening matrix covers five categories: municipal needs, legal requirements, planning and entitlements, infrastructure costs, and market viability. Griffin said the goal is to reduce ad hoc decision-making and provide clearer public understanding of land disposal priorities.

"I would like to see us follow a deliberately more publicly understandable sequence so that not just we understand, but everybody, our public also understands," Griffin said.

Griffin outlined two guiding principles: public purpose comes first, meaning the committee should only dispose of land it is reasonably satisfied is surplus and meets a need, and readiness matters, prioritizing parcels that can reach market with minimal legal, planning, or infrastructure work.

Assembly member Beau Whiteside said the framework would help the committee focus on immediate workforce housing needs given limited borough funding for infrastructure development.

"What we need to, or what I am looking through the lens of is entry-level housing for our workforce. There are people who want to move here, there are jobs available, there is not entry-level housing available to them," Whiteside said.

Whiteside said the committee should prioritize properties in or near town that require minimal infrastructure expansion. That would allow the borough to move quickly on workforce housing while avoiding costly utility extensions to remote parcels. He said he is using the screening tool to identify "condensed, small lot, low infrastructure expansion type projects or properties that we can move forward and have entry-level housing available to the community."

Community Development Director Chris French said the screening criteria would help staff understand committee priorities and streamline the disposal process. He suggested the committee bundle similar properties together for review rather than addressing them one at a time.

French also recommended keeping Community Development staff separate from the actual sale process to avoid perceived conflicts when staff later review subdivision or rezoning applications for the same properties. "I think there are a lot of good reasons for keeping the Community Development out of the sale of property because then I think it can be viewed as, you know, staff is biased in their review of a rezone case or biased in their review of a subdivision because the borough has already said they want to sell this property," French said.

The disposal process typically requires Planning and Zoning Commission review to determine whether property is surplus, followed by Assembly approval of disposal terms, then subdivision and rezoning work before properties can be sold. French said properties needing significant infrastructure work could take more than two years to reach market. Griffin noted that parcels near Beaver Lake that need utility extensions "could be more than two years."

Committee members requested regular updates on properties already recommended for disposal and asked for Assembly guidance on broader housing policy goals. Griffin raised concerns about ensuring housing serves its intended purpose, noting public frustration with properties used as short-term rentals. "I hear from people, you know, Tracy, these houses sit empty. You know, some of these people have like two Airbnbs, some of them have three Airbnbs, and they are not there. And if we build housing, I think it is great, but how do we know it is going to be used for what we say it is going to be used? We do not really have any rules," Griffin said.

The committee did not vote on the framework Monday. Griffin said members should review the draft and discuss it with constituents before formal action at the next meeting.

The committee also heard a request from Kodiak Electric Association to acquire four borough parcels within the Terror Lake Hydroelectric Project boundaries. KEA said consolidating land ownership would help streamline the federal relicensing process beginning in May. The committee will consider that request at its next regular meeting.

The committee plans to meet the first Monday of each month at noon. The next meeting is scheduled for May 4.