Kenai Peninsula waterways currently under the anadromous streams ordinance may change.
Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Member Kelly Wolf created the ordinance (2015-14) to ‘repeal the Kenai River, major waters, west, south, and north districts and add the Kenai River watershed district and Kasilof River Watershed district’ as those are the primary waters in need of protection, according to his ordinance.
Many assembly members were against even the introduction of the ordinance for a variety of reasons.
Asm. Mako Haggerty(S. Pen): “I went through the first round with this a couple years ago and it went on a long time, it turned into a task force, we actually had three public hearings, the last one filled not only this room but a couple of other rooms.
Asm. Brent Johnson(Clam Gulch): “I think it’s very important to have this buffer in all these different streams.”
The ordinance reasons that reducing the number of regulated waters affected by the 50-foot anadromous habitat setback would require less permitting and enforcement during these fiscally challenging times.
Sue McClure stated she was just happy the assembly was able to discuss the introduction and the recent change in procedure that allows them to do that.
That ordinance was introduced by a 6-3 vote and is set for public hearing on June 16.