By Marcia Kuszmaul

Homer Independent Press

After a December hiatus, the Homer City Council will hold its first meetings of 2026 on Monday, Jan. 12, in the Cowles Council Chambers of City Hall, 491 E. Pioneer Ave. Based on comments when it was introduced at the Nov. 24, 2025, regular meeting, an ordinance to narrow maximum street widths could spark meaningful discussion and comment.

All city council meetings are open to attend and to comment in person, via Zoom or by phone. Details, agendas and supporting documents are available from the links below. The regular meeting is broadcast live on KBBI public radio AM 890.

First up on Monday is the Homer City Council Worksession at 4 p.m. specifically to discuss Ordinance 25-71. This ordinance addresses lane widths of city streets and would amend city code to require developers to construct to a maximum street width of 20 feet.

At 5 p.m. the Homer City Council Committee of the Whole convenes to discuss topics on the agenda and items coming before the council at the Regular Meeting.

The Homer City Council Regular Meeting starts at 6 p.m. with a remembrance of community member Elaine Grabowski at the top of the agenda.

Agenda items include, but are not limited to, approval to issue a letter of nonobjection to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board for renewal of the Salty Dawg’s liquor license and public hearings on second readings of three ordinances.

These ordinances include accepting $6,462 from the state in an annual grant for the library’s internet service, appropriating $7,000 from the Homer Education and Recreation Complex (HERC) repair and maintenance fund to replace the floor of the activity room in the HERC 1 building and amending city code to require a maximum of 20-foot street widths (Ordinance 25-71).

Seven ordinances will be introduced, with public hearings and second readings scheduled for the Jan. 26 council regular meeting. Several will amend the Fiscal Year 2026 capital budget and accept funds for maintenance, repairs and upgrades, including installation of an accessible push button door opener at city hall, repairing, resurfacing and repainting the lines on the gymnasium floor in the HERC 1 building and purchase of a sidewalk tractor from the Homer Accelerated Roads and Trails (HART) program fund.

Of special note, to rectify a vulnerability in the city’s drinking water infrastructure, an ordinance will be introduced to accept and appropriate a $1.3 million loan with 100% principle forgiveness from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation for the A-Frame Transmission Line Replacement Project. 

The project, which has been on the Utility Department’s Capital Improvement Program for several years, will replace a 58-year-old, 1,200-foot section of 8-inch cast iron pipe with 10-inch high density polyethylene transmission water main. This is the only line that brings water to the west side of Homer, serving hundreds of customers, including the medical district, the senior center, assisted living and independent senior housing and two schools.

An ordinance to adopt the revised Port of Homer Terminal Tariff No. 1 also will be introduced.