By Mona Painter
Turnagain Times Cooper Landing Correspondent
Cooper Landing Advisory Planning Commission met Dec. 3 with commissioners Scott Davis, Karl Romig, Stacy Corbin, and Mona Painter present as well as several members of the public.
Jack Sinclair, Alaska State Parks Kenai area superintendent, explained the proposed lands being considered for inclusion the Kenai River Special Management Area (KRSMA) in the Cooper Landing area and pointed these parcels out on maps. Questions were asked and answered regarding what would and would not be allowable in regard to camping, hunting, trapping, and mining.
Unit 390 includes the popular Snail-a-thon or Waikiki beach off Snug Harbor Road beyond the Campfire USA facility. A management agreement with the community to maintain the site for public reservation was mentioned. Summer campground hosts could be allowed to live on the beach to promote better care of this desirable area. Some land on Cooper Lake is also proposed for KRSMA addition.
Regarding dangerous situations on the highway through Cooper Landing brought to CLAPC’s attention by Red Smith, and after much discussion, CLAPC moved to support the Kenai Peninsula Borough spending monies received from the USFS to take care of two dangerous spots on the Sterling Highway: the rock chute area between Mile 45 and Mile 46 and the corner beyond Gwin’s Lodge.
Red Smith offered reassurance that this was concerning borough land. It was also suggested that much needed gravel could be obtained from this work. Red said about $900,000 received recently by the borough, from the Forest Service, will be used for roads and schools so this money could be used to make traveling safer for everyone. He cited the resolutions passed by the Kenai Peninsula, the city of Seward, city of Kenai, and the city of Homer asking for highway upgrading to be expedited.
Bob Baldwin and Bill Stockwell from Friends of Cooper Landing (FOCL) gave an update on the Crescent Lake hydroelectric proposal by Kenai Hydro LLC which is a joint venture of Homer Electric Assoc. and Alaska Wind Energy LLC. From the Alaska Energy Authority they received $80,000 for a feasibility study of Crescent Lake and $300,000 more to study Grant Lake, Falls Creek, and Ptarmigan Lake. FOCL filed a motion with the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to register opposition to the project which would highly impact the Crescent and Carter Lakes.
FOCL believes the highest public interest is this area is to conserve it as parkland. The hydroelectric project, proposed to produce 20 MW of power with the four sites combined, is composed of a reservoir requiring two dams, services roads, a penstock, a powerhouse, and transmission lines. Crescent and Carter Lakes would be combined into a one-lake reservoir.
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| Mona Painter/Turnagain Times Virginia Morgan and students Jimmy Holben, Linnaea Morgan Gossard, Clara LaRock, Jimmy Milne, and Shelbe Holben at the Winter Piano Recital. |
Music for Life presented A Winter Piano Recital recently at Cooper Landing School. Virginia Morgan and students Jimmy Holben, Linnaea Morgan Gossard, Clara LaRock, Jimmy Milne, and Shelbe Holben performed 27 piano pieces from “ Merrily We Roll Along,” to “Go Tell It On the Mountain” before an appreciative audience of family and friends.
Cooper Landing Historical Society’s two-day museum Christmas open house was a successful fundraiser with over $1,000 being added to the general fund. The 2009 museum calendar and Will Troyer’s book, “Bear Wrangler”, were hot sellers as well as handmade items donated by Carline Miller, Jan Mitchell, Jeanne Acton, Ladonna Herbert, Darwin Peterson, Marilyn Gravenhorst, and Bee Wilson. Visitors enjoyed the homey ambience of wood fire warmth and refreshments in Jack Lean’s old cabin.
Ladonna Herbert and Marilyn Gravenhorst directed the Christmas program “The Baby King” by Mary Joyce Love, Dec. 14, for the Cooper Landing Community Church. Members of Ladonna’s Tuesday Bible Class, Olivia and Abbey Reger, Shelbe and Jimmy Holben, Isabel Daniell, Lane Blair, and Jered Parnell were the stars. Kristin and Keith Blair played and sang but their baby daughter. Lillian, stole the show in her red velvet dress and patent leather shoes.
Kenai Lake Baptist Church invites everyone to “A Heavenly Christmas” program Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. with refreshments following.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!