ITEM TITLE:
Aleutian Village Update Report
SUBMITTED BY: Lisa Von Bargen, CED Director
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
None. Report only.
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Record of Improvements Survey: As was previously reported to Council Allen Minish of Wrangell Mountain Technical Services submitted the final survey documents/report to the City at the end of November/beginning of December. The survey was completed in a 1’:10’ scale to easily see the relational distances between individual mobile home units, appurtenances and fuel/propane tanks. Staff is going through the survey to develop a report of the distance/set-back violations that exist. This report should be available for Council review by the end of February. Staff will be working with the Mayor to schedule an Aleutian Village Task Force Meeting in late January/early February.
Environmental Assessment: Rhonda Wade was able to complete an initial walk-through as part of a Phase I Environmental Assessment of the property the weekend of October 14th-16th. This was reported to Council on October 19th. Ms. Wade is working on a written report covering the evaluation. That is taking some time given her pre-existing work schedule. Council will be provided with the report as soon as possible.
ADOT Land Status: As a reminder, staff was contacted by Nanette Pinault from ADOT on November 10th. ADOT wanted to move forward with determining boundaries of the property and having a survey completed. As Council is also aware, Allen Minish was recently under contract to complete a Record of Improvements Survey of Aleutian Village. Because the City has to pay for the survey of the exterior boundary of the ADOT property staff asked DOT if the City’s contractor who was working on the Record of Improvements Survey could do the work. This was asked at the time Mr. Minish was still in the field doing work in the area as it would have saved both time and money. An answer in the affirmative was finally provided by Ms. Pinault on the 15th of November, but we are still waiting for a boundary determination from the State as to what they are willing to sell so we have not been able to move forward with a contract with Mr. Minish to complete the boundary survey work.
On November 30th Ms. Pineault sent a “map” of the area DOT was interested in selling. I responded with different drawings including more land. Copies of these images are attached for reference. Despite attempting to contact ADOT throughout December, the most recent correspondence came on January 6th. Ms. Pineault advised me she had “not forgotten about me” but she needs to get an answer from her Director regarding the boundary request I made. Given the holidays, budget issues and staff cuts she has been unable to meet with the Director as of yet. She is hoping to have a meeting and answer soon.
Both the Record of Improvements Survey and FAA documentation show the “Manager’s Units” at Aleutian Village as crossing over the property line outside of the approved lease area. Ms. Pinault advised the new boundaries will be drawn to incorporate these structures.
The attached map also shows the “triangle” of property owned by the City which is in the landing zone for the airport. FAA has asked ADOT to try to acquire it. Staff is moving forward with the position that part of the transaction in purchasing the Aleutian Village property will include the City receiving fair market appraised value for the triangle property.