The Homer City Council finalized and adopted the 2025-2030 capital improvement plan during their last regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 9. The plan also establishes capital project legislative priorities, thereby notifying potential funding sources of the city’s priority funding needs, for fiscal year 2026.

After receiving comments from all city advisory boards and commissions and the public, the council prioritized the following nine projects as FY2026 State and Federal Legislative Requests:

1. Homer Harbor Expansion;

2. Multi-Use Community Center;

3. Homer Harbor Critical Float System Replacements: Systems 4 and 1;

4. Slope Stability and Erosion Mitigation Program;

5. City Hall ADA Accessibility Project;

6. Karen Hornaday Park Improvements;

7. Homer Spit Erosion Mitigation;

8. A-Frame Water Transmission Line; and

9. New Public Works Facility.

The City Hall ADA accessibility project is a new addition compared to the 2024-2029 CIP’s eight legislative priorities. Some projects on the list also moved up in priority, such as the Homer Harbor critical float system replacement and Homer Spit erosion mitigation.

The Homer Harbor expansion and multiuse community center remain the city’s top two requests.

During the Sept. 9 meeting, the council also removed the Homer Spit trailhead restroom from the mid-range projects section in the draft CIP, and the Baycrest Overlook Gateway improvements from the state projects section.

Council member Rachel Lord noted that the motion to remove the two projects was made based on council discussion from a previous meeting and feedback from various city commissions.

The council also added four projects to the mid-range section of the CIP:

1. Baycrest Overlook Public Restroom Rebuild;

2. Parking Lot Drainage Solutions for Homer Public Library;

3. Water Treatment Plant Drying Beds; and

4. Extension of Reber Trail to Soundview Avenue.

Four projects were also added to the Other Organization and State Project section:

1. Kevin Bell Arena Parking Lot Lighting and Flooring Replacement, proposed by the Homer Hockey Association;

2. Roof System Replacement Project, proposed by the Pratt Museum;

3. Childcare Facility for Hospital Employees, proposed by South Peninsula Hospital; and

4. Expansion of Medical Services, proposed by South Peninsula Hospital.

Council member Donna Aderhold said that while there is no city funding appropriated as part of adding the projects requested by other organizations to the CIP, their addition “allows these other organizations to be able to use the fact that the city recognizes these projects in the CIP as a means of acquiring other grant funding for the projects.”

Council member Caroline Venuti applauded the addition of the Pratt Museum’s roof system replacement to the CIP, noting that the council has received several letters from the public in support of the project, as well as comments from museum staff and Executive Director Patty Relay.

Written public comment from Clark Fair, who sits on the museum’s board of directors, stated that “a new roof — not simply a repaired roof, for it is too damaged already for that — is essential.”

Find Resolution 24-100, adopting the 2025-2030 CIP and establishing FY2026 capital project legislative priorities, and supporting documents in full online at www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/citycouncil/city-council-regular-meeting-320.

The next city council meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. in the Homer City Hall Cowles Council Chambers.