Modifying the boundaries of the Nikiski Advisory Planning Commission has been a long process with more than nine months of deliberation.
Most recently, the ordinance was postponed during the April 18, 2023 meeting.
Assembly member Lane Chesley explains;
“This legislation has been before us and has been, we have been postponing it for additional work on the zoning map of the proposed expanded area and we’ve also delayed it for Assembly member participation. And I believe that there’s going to be some amendments from the floor.”
The Nikiski Advisory Planning Commission’s original boundaries encompassed Nikiski in addition to land on the east side of the inlet and even more land on the west side.
The Tyonek Native Corporation was included in these boundaries on the west side but has recently objected to the inclusion within the boundaries.
Assembly members argued that although the east and west side are geologically separated, it is still the same community.
Although residents on the west-side had a differing opinion.
They rejected the classification of being part of the Nikiski community.
Assembly President Brent Johnson recognized the strength of emotion behind their opinions;
“I’m looking at how the strong feelings of the folks that live on the other side of the inlet in the Tyonek area, they have very strong feelings. They don’t want to have a PC that’s on the east side telling people on the West side what to do. And I realized that, you know, with that in this. Amendment that we’ve drawn some lines around Tyonek, so we’re not exactly getting their property, but there’s no question in my mind that that’s how they’re gonna feel.”
The assembly concluded and reduced the Nikiski planning group to the east side of the inlet on Tuesday night after several proposed amendments.
The resolution was passed on a 6-2 vote. The new APC boundaries includes about 300 thousand acres.