HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes2022-096 SOA Airport Land PH Sponsored by: Bower
Public Hearing: September 12,2022
Postponed: September 12, 2022
Public Hearing: October 24, 2022
Postponed: October 24, 2022
Public Hearing: January 23, 2023
Postponed: January 23, 2023
Public Hearing: August 28, 2023
CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2022-096
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD,
ALASKA, RECOMMENDING KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH
APPROVAL OF THE PRELIMINARY RIGHT OF WAY (ROW)
ACQUISITION PLAT FOR THE SEWARD AIRPORT LOCATED IN T 1N&
1S R 1W SEC 34, 35, 2 & 3, SEWARD MERIDIAN SW, THAT POINT
KNOWN AS THE SEWARD AIRPORT, PHYSICAL LOCATION, 2310
AIRPORT ROAD; ACQUIRING AND REPLATTING VARIOUS LEGALS
LOCATED IN SEC 34,35,2 & 3,SEWARD MERIDIAN SW
WHEREAS, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved Resolution 2022-018 on
August 2, 2022, rescinding previously approved Resolution 2021-014 and recommending City
Council and Kenai Peninsula Borough approval of the Preliminary Right of Way Acquisition Plat
for the Seward Airport Improvement project; and
WHEREAS,the Preliminary Right of Way(ROW)Acquisition plat includes City-owned
property and must be reviewed and approved by City Council per City Code 16.01.015(b); and
WHEREAS,the City Council did not review or approve Resolution 2021-014; and
WHEREAS,Resolution 2021-014 recommended approval of the preliminary right of way
acquisition plat for the Seward Airport Improvement project with conditions to provide public
access to the beach to the south of the airport property, install a fire hydrant, and bring water and
sewer to the airport facilities; and
WHEREAS, the State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOT&PF) is using federal funds to finance the Seward Airport Improvement project; and
WHEREAS, funding constraints and federal oversight limit what improvements can be
implemented in this project; and
WHEREAS, there is currently no legal public access on or through the airport property
and the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) will not allow the DOT&PF to grant new public
access due to flight safety concerns; and
CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2022-096
WHEREAS,the public will continue to have the right to navigate on the water and to walk
on the exposed tidelands at low tide; and
WHEREAS, fire protection for the Seward Airport is provided by tank water on both
Seward Fire Engines and Tankers provided by an automatic aid agreement with Bear Creek Fire
Department; and
WHEREAS, extending and installing utilities to the leased lots on the Seward Airport
property is not an eligible cost for federal funding; and
WHEREAS, the Kenai Peninsula Borough requires documentation from the City of
Seward that the conditions from Section 2 in Resolution 2021-014 are no longer required before
they can grant approval of the final replat; and
WHEREAS, the State of Alaska DOT&PF has requested that the Preliminary ROW
Acquisition plat for the Seward Airport be reviewed again by the City of Seward and recommended
to the Kenai Peninsula Borough; and
WHEREAS,this Preliminary platting action recommends the replat of Parcel 1,owned by
Civil Air Patrol in Sec 34&35,T1N,R1W, Seward Meridian SW That Point of the W1/2 of USS
722 as per W/D 24 @ 12;physical location 2200 Airport Road; and
WHEREAS,this Preliminary platting action recommends the replat of Parcel 5,owned by
the City of Seward located in the tidelands south of T1N & 1SR 1W Sec 34, 35, 2 & 3 Seward
Meridian SW That Point Known as the Seward Airport; and
WHEREAS,Parcel 1 is located in a Resource Management(RM)Zoning District; and
WHEREAS,Parcel 5 is located in Tidelands,and does not have a specific Zoning District;
and
WHEREAS,a subdivision installation agreement is not required for this ROW Acquisition
Plat since per the definition of a subdivision, the land being acquired will not be used for"future
sale, lease, or building development" §16.01.010; and
WHEREAS, all conditions required by Seward City Code §16.01.015, Conditions to plat
approval,were met;the property owners within 300 feet of the requested replat were notified, and
the property was posted with public notice signage; and
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SEWARD,ALASKA that:
CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2022-096
Section 1. The Seward City Council hereby recommends Kenai Peninsula Borough
approval of the Preliminary Right of Way(ROW) Acquisition Plat for the Seward Airport located
in T 1 N & 1 S R 1W Sec 34, 35, 2 & 3, Seward Meridian SW, That Point Known as the Seward
Airport, Physical Location, 2310 Airport Road; acquiring and replatting various legals located in
Sec 34, 35, 2 & 3, Seward Meridian SW.
Section 2. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Seward, Alaska, this 28th
day of August, 2023.
THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
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Sue McClure, Mayor
AYES: Wells, Finch, Barnwell, McClure
NOES: None
ABSENT: DeMoss, Calhoon, Osenga
ABSTAIN: None
ATTEST:
Kris Peck
City Clerk
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City Council Agenda Statement
Meeting Date: September 12, 2022
To: City Council
Through: Janette Bower, City Manager
From: Jason Bickling, Community Development Director
Agenda Item: Resolution 2022-096: Recommending Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval of
the Preliminary Right of Way (ROW) Acquisition Plat for the Seward Airport
Located in T 1N & 1S R 1W Sec 34, 35, 2 & 3, Seward Meridian SW, that
Point Known as the Seward Airport, Physical Location, 2310 Airport Road;
Acquiring and Replatting Various Legals Located in Sec 34,35, 2&3,Seward
Meridian SW
Background and justification:
The Planning and Zoning Commission approved Resolution 2022-018 on August 2, 2022, which
rescinded previously approved Resolution 2021-014 recommending approval of the preliminary right
of way acquisition plat for the Seward Airport Improvement project with conditions to provide public
access to the beach to the south of the airport property, install a fire hydrant, and bring water and
sewer to the airport facilities.
This replat was reviewed again by the Planning and Zoning Commission for two reasons. First, the
Preliminary Right of Way(ROW)Acquisition plat includes City-owned property and must be reviewed
and approved by City Council per City Code 16.01.015(b). The City Council did not review or
approve Resolution 2021-014.
Second, the State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is using
federal funds to finance the Seward Airport Improvement project; and funding constraints and
federal oversight limit what improvements can be implemented in this project.
There is currently no legal public access on or through the airport property and the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) will not allow the DOT & PF to grant new public access due to flight safety
concerns. The public will continue to have the right to navigate on the water and to walk on the
exposed tidelands at low tide.
Fire protection for the Seward Airport is provided by tank water on both Seward Fire engines and
tankers provided by an automatic aid agreement with Bear Creek Fire Department; and extending
and installing utilities to the leased lots on the Seward Airport property is not an eligible cost for
federal funding.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough requires documentation from the City of Seward that the conditions
from Section 2 in Resolution 2021-014 are no longer required before they can grant approval of the
final replat.
185
The attached preliminary ROW acquisition plat submitted by Alaska DOT&PF shows the parcels that
need to be acquired and replatted for the necessary ROW on the new runway. Parcel 1 is owned by
Civil Air Patrol and Parcel 5 is owned bythe City of Seward. Parcel 4 is also shown on the preliminary
plat, but no longer requires replatting as the larger parcel was acquired fully by DOT&PF this past
year. These parcels are located within Sec 2 &3, T1S, R1W and Sec 34 &35, T1N, R1W, Seward
Meridian SW, and will be part of the Airport Improvement Project to create new ROW for Runway
16/34, which will be shifted, lengthened, and raised above the 100-year flood level.
The Seward Airport has needed improvements for some time now that will substantially reduce the
damage the airport is experiencing from recurrent flooding, and to meet FAA design standards
based on current aircraft utilizing the airport and forecasted aviation needs.
Currently, the runway lighting is old and needs replacement. Much of the pavement needs
rehabilitation or replacement. Testing has revealed a weakened embankment under the pavement of
Runway 13/31, necessitating a restriction of allowable aircraft weights to those under 12,500
pounds. Improvement of aging and deteriorating airport facilities is another major goal of this
project.
The river delta adjacent to the airport has been rising relative to airport elevations, increasing the
frequency and severity of overtopping floods. The existing main runway(RW 13/31) is now too low
and in the direct path of the river, which has been repeatedly damaging it during high water events.
Overtopping events were initially limited to the fall but have been occurring June through November
in recent years, making maintaining RW 13/31 increasingly difficult. In response to multiple flood
events during of the summer of 2013, DOT&PF constructed an emergency dike that is providing
some temporary relief.
The most recent revision of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance
Rate Map (FIRM) has now established a regulatory floodway across the existing main runway (RW
13/31) of the airport. By federal regulation, allowable construction is extremely limited in a
regulatory floodway. DOT&PF completed a hydrologic study to help identify and evaluate feasible
alternatives.
RW 13/31 is adjacent to the Resurrection River which has flooded it and Taxiway A repeatedly in
recent years, periodically closing the runway and causing ongoing repair expenses. To address this
problem, this project will shift, lengthen, and raise the current crosswind runway(RW 16/34)above
the 100-year flood level. Some taxiways will be raised to meet the new runway elevation while
others will be removed in accordance with current FAA guidance. New runway and taxiway lighting
will be installed. The river side of the raised runway will receive rip rap armoring to protect it during
flood events.The aprons will be repaved, and new navigation aids will be installed. RW 13/31 will be
closed and the pavement removed, but the runway embankment will be left in place as additional
protection against future flood events.
Three alternatives were evaluated during the scoping and environmental process. The current
project scope corresponds to Alternative 2.2 in the approved Environmental Assessment. Alternative
2.2 had the most advantages and the least significant disadvantages.
186
Comprehensive and Strategic Plan Consistency Information
This legislation is consistent with (citation listed):
Comprehensive Plan: Vol 1, Chapter 2.2.12.5 —Air Traffic
• "Support the State's airport improvement plan."
Vol 1, Chapter 3.1.1.2 — Update and expand infrastructure for commercial and
industrial properties that are currently underdeveloped
• "Support and improve airport"
Vol 1, Chapter 3.4.3 — Improve the usability of the state-owned airport
"Encourage the State to:
Complete and implement a flood mitigation project to protect the runways from
flooding."
Strategic Plan: Improve the State Airport
"Develop a flood mitigation project to protect the runway from flooding."(page
16)
Other: N/A
Certification of Funds
Total amount of funds listed in this legislation: $ 0
This legislation (✓):
Creates revenue in the amount of: $
Creates expenditure in amount of: $
Creates a savings in the amount of: $
✓ Has no fiscal impact
Funds are (✓):
Budgeted Line item(s):
Not budgeted
✓ Not applicable
Unassigned Fund Balance and Available Unrestricted Cash Balance Information
Fund (✓):
General SMIC Electric Wastewater
Boat Harbor Parking F1 Wat F1 Healthcare
Motor Pool Other
Unassigned Fund Balance*: $ *unaudited numbers
Available Unrestricted Cash Balance*: $
Finance Director Signature:
Attorney Review
Yes Attorney Signature:
✓ Not applicable Comments:
Administration Recommendation
e✓ Adopt Resolution
Other:
187