Questions Abound Over Borough Land Sale

Maggie Wall/KMXT

Anyone who has looked for housing lately knows there is a shortage of homes and living places in Kodiak.

One of the reasons that is always given is the lack of available land for development.

While it won’t help those looking for housing right now, the borough’s proposed land sale may free up some new building lots in the future.

But, at this point there are more questions about the proposed spring land sale than there are answers.

KMXT’s Maggie Wall has details.

-((Borough Land 3:09 "The status…resource officer. SOC."))

The status of a borough land sale has been a subject of discussion at Kodiak Island Borough Assembly meetings for some time.

Assembly member Sue Jeffrey said she gets asked about lands coming up for sale. She has questioned the status of the Spring Land Sale at numerous assembly meetings.

Borough Manager Rick Gifford told Jeffrey at a recent (March 3) regular assembly meeting that the borough is hoping for a spring land sale, but there are still hang-ups with some of the proposed parcels:

-((Borough Land 1 :45 "Our goal…have a sale."))

In addition to newly opening land, the borough has several rural parcels that were repossessed for lack of tax payments. Those properties are subject to being pulled off the list if and when the owner brings the taxes current.

Gifford added that the land sale issue must come before the assembly prior to a date being set for the sale. Mayor Jerome Selby noted that the final details of the proposed land sale are still a ways off:

-((Borough Land 2 :20 "A lot of this…of the game here."))

But Jeffrey said it was important that people be aware of plans for a proposed sale and asked more questions.

–((Borough Land 3 :45 "We haven’t had…to occur."))

Borough Mayor Jerome Selby.

For more information on the proposed spring land sale, manager Gifford said to contact his office or Bob Scholze the borough’s resource officer.

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