Cannery Row Parking on Assembly Agenda

Maggie Wall/KMXT
Meeting Packet, including Agenda
The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly will sit as a board of adjustment on a request for fewer off-street parking spots during tonight’s regular meeting.
John Whiddon, representing Pacific Seafoods is appealing a September ruling by the planning and zoning commission that denied a variance to require fewer parking spots associated with the processor which is often called by its former name, Island Seafoods.
As it is stated in the P&Z’s case, the request is to reduce the amount of off-street parking from 22 spaces to 10. In its appeal, Pacific Seafoods said the number was calculated incorrectly and it should read to lower the amount from 21 spaces to 10.

The processor also argues that tight parking is the norm on Cannery Row and that other processors were grandfathered in. To require the additional parking would put Pacific Seafoods at a disadvantage. The processor further argues that the borough should consider that the fishing and processing businesses have both labor intense periods and no-work periods when parking would not be an issue.
In other business, there are no public hearings slated for tonight’s meeting, but there are two “Citizen Comments” periods, one early in the meeting and the other at the end of the meeting. The assembly has heard from numerous residents who have expressed concern about the waste composting site proposed for Middle Bay and it is expected that many will be in attendance tonight.
An executive session is set for the end of the meeting to evaluate applicants for the borough manager’s position.
Tonight’s meeting begins at 7:30 in the Borough Assembly Chambers. KMXT will broadcast the meeting live.