The Kenai City Council passed a resolution that approves the execution of a lease of airport reserve lands using the standard lease form between the city and the State of Alaska, Division of Forestry on a plot of land to use as an air tanker reload base for wildland fire prevention and suppression. The Division of Forestry submitted an application for a lease of city owned properties within the Airport Reserve on January 10, 2022.
The Division of Forestry lease application proposes improvements including electrical service improvements and construction of a concrete containment barrier, an investment that gives a lease term of five years, according to the city municipal code.
City Manager Paul Ostrander was asked who would be responsible for the financial payment of the improvements:
“The lessee is committing to build improvements at a minimum of $10,000. They’re the ones that are responsible for constructing the improvements.”
The city says that the proposed development would be mutually beneficial and would conform with municipal code for zoning, Kenai’s Comprehensive Plan, the Airport Land Use Plan, Airport Layout Plan, Federal Aviation Administration regulations, Airport Master Plan, Airport Improvement Program grant assurances, and Airport operations.
Council Member Henry Knackstedt said:
“I’d just like to say, this is something that comes up, I think, every year. It’s an annual thing so it’s pretty routine, but it looks like, with some improvements, they’re going to get a five-year lease. It’ll be five years before we hear from it again.”
The requested lease term is 5 years with a starting annual lease rate of $18,250.62.
The resolution unanimously passed.