The Kenai City Council addressed the matter of a right-of-way for Char Circle in Kenai, as well as a portion of South Spruce Street, proposed by the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Kenai Peninsula for their new clubhouse location on South Spruce.
In a letter to the Kenai Planning and Zoning Committee, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Kenai Peninsula Board President, Jeff Dolifka, wrote;
“The ROW vacation will enable the Club to maximize development as discussed during the City’s land donation. The ROW vacation will not impact the public travel and will accommodate private access to an adjacent parcel. Pending improvements include a new commercial kitchen, multi-purpose field, a 10,000 square foot Clubhouse, and a building expansion for early childcare education center (Opening in 2024!)”
There is no issue with the easement of Char Circle. The resolution hit a slight snag, however, with the portion of South Spruce Street, which could affect access to property which is privately owned.
Kyle Kornelis, the B&G Clubs’ board secretary was present at the council meeting. “Our objective is to work with the city, with neighboring property owners, and find a mutual alignment that works for everyone,” Kornelis said. “The basic fact is we will be bursting at our seams. We haven’t fully completed our master plan, but we do know that we’re gonna outgrow that facility very quickly – the property – so any square footage that we can develop and put to good use, towards our mission would be very helpful.”
Taylor Evenson, son of the South Spruce private property owner, was also in attendance via Zoom. Evenson expressed his eagerness to see the new clubhouse project progress, but also wanted to make sure any easement would not negatively impact access to their own property.
“What they’re trying to accomplish, obviously, is everyone’s best interest, and the community’s best interest, so we’re all for it,” Evenson stated. “If there was a way that we could protect that easement and work together in terms of creating something that would help both developments. Ours definitely in the future, and yours now, [we’re] totally for it.”
In a phone interview, Dolifka explained the current status of the new clubhouse; “We’re in place now. We have finally got our contractor hired, you know following all the guidelines that were required with USDA funding. And so now we’re in a position to dive into the construction and design and everything. So it’s essentially next week we’re really going to be diving into the architecture, and getting all that stuff going.”
The resolution was postponed until the Kenai City Council Meeting on September 6th so the B&G Club board, and South Spruce property owner would have time to work out an amicable solution for both parties regarding the right-of-way.