Annexation
Overview
Envision Soldotna 2030, the City's comprehensive plan, was adopted in 2011 after signficant public input, as a kind of road map created to guide us toward realizing the community's vision: "Soldotna is a vibrant community in the heart of the Kenai Peninsula, providing a high quality of life through care and attention to both the natural and built environment, and cherishing its past while reaching out to the future."One of the many recommendations in the comprehensive plan, is to explore the potential for annexation, as a way of promoting orderly high-quality development, cost-effective extension of public services, opportunities for large-scale developments requiring larger parcels, protection of the City's sales tax base, and protection of the natural environment. Additionally, the plan recommends coordinating with neighboring communities and landowners to identify common interests and goals.
Though annexation has been discussed and considered many times in the past, the City is following through on the plan's recommendation of exploring annexation, in two phases:
- The first phase identified study areas around the existing City limits, which could be considered for potential incorporation into the City. A fiscal impact analysis was then conducted, to estimate the cost of providing City services to those areas, and evaluate whether revenue generated in the areas would be sufficient to cover the costs.
- The second phase of exploring the need and potential for annexation, is a robust public engagement process, to allow all area residents the opportunity to share information about why the City is considering annexation and what the potential impacts would be, and to gather comments and feedback from the community about the issue.
See below for a timeline of events and more information:
On October 29, 2020, the Local Boundary Commission voted to amend the City of Soldotna’s annexation petition from legislative review to local option. This would require the annexation proposal be placed on a ballot for the registered voters within the annexation territory and within the city. The City has appealed this decision to the Alaska Superior Court. A date has not yet been set for the appeal.
On July 20, 2020 staff to the Local Boundary Commission (LBC) released the “Final Report to the Local Boundary Commission” on Soldotna’s annexation petition. The report builds on the preliminary report and includes responses to input received during the process. An analysis of the petition and a recommendation are included in the report. The report can be found on the Local Boundary Commission website.
The LBC also announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held remotely via Zoom video conference. The meeting will still be conducted at the same time and date: Tuesday, August 4 at 2 PM. Public comment will begin at approximately 3:30 PM. The full hearing notice and a link to the meeting can be found here.
On May 11, 2020, staff to the Local Boundary Commission (LBC) released the “Preliminary Report to the Local Boundary Commission.” The report is the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development analysis of the City of Soldotna’s petition to annex 2.63 square miles via the legislative review method. Both the analysis and a recommendation are included in the report.
The public now has until 4:30 p.m. on June 19, 2020 to provide comments on the preliminary report. A final report is scheduled for release on July 20, 2020. The report can be found on the Local Boundary Commission webpage.
Due to State staffing changes and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Local Boundary Commission (LBC) has approved a revised schedule for the Soldotna annexation petition. The new schedule delays the preliminary report and final written decision by two weeks. The LBC now expects to have the written decision released on September 8, 2020.
Links to the petition documents are located below, and are also available on the Local Boundary Commission website.
The State of Alaska has accepted for filing the City of Soldotna’s petition to annex 2.61 square miles into City limits. The State is now accepting public comments. Instructions on submitting comments are in the public notice. The public notice, petition, and the State’s standards and regulations are available on the links below:
Public Notice
Petition
Statutes and Regulations Concerning Annexation to Cities
The above materials are also available for review at the following locations:
- Soldotna City Hall
- Soldotna Public Library
- Kenai Peninsula Borough building
- City of Kenai Public Library
The City of Soldotna has submitted apetition to the Local Boundary Commission, seeking to annex 2.61 square miles into the City limits by the Legislative Review Method. The final petition, as authorized by the Soldotna City Council, includes five of the nine study areas that have been evaluated throughout the process.
The petition, including all exhibits, appendices, and detailed maps and plats showing the included areas can be found here:
The City of Soldotna has completed a draft annexation petition that is available for public review by clicking on the link below:
The public hearing will address the appropriate annexation standards and their application to the annexation proposal, legislative review annexation procedures, the reasonable anticipated effects of the proposed annexation, and the proposed transition plan required under 3 AAC 110.900.
As noted above, members of the public may comment during the public hearing. The comment time period may be limited to three minutes per individual speaker. Written comments may also be submitted to the city by the end of the hearing on September 7, 2019 by:
Mail: City of Soldotna, Attention: City Clerk, 177 N. Birch Street, Soldotna, Alaska 99669;
Email: cityclerk@soldotna.org;
Fax: 907-262-4389.
Questions can be directed to City Manager, Stephanie Queen or Director of Economic Development + Planning, John Czarnezki at the above contact information, or by phone at 907-262-9107.
A summary of the petition is also available and can be viewed by clicking here.
On June 13, 2018, the Soldotna City Council approved Substitute Resolution 2018-013, directing the Administration to prepare a draft petition for potential annexation areas. The approved resolution includes 7 of the original 9 study areas, with some being modified from their original boundaries. Click on the thumbnail below to view the areas included in the approved resolution.
A transition plan will also be created to address questions related to the assumption and/or extension of services to the new areas. The plan will be developed in consultation with the existing service providers, and will address many of the issues identified during the public engagement process.
Once the petition and transition plan have been drafted, they will be presented to the City Council for consideration.
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