2035 Homer Comprehensive Plan Update
Upcoming Meetings
Tune into or join one of the future City meetings listed below for facilitated discussions and opportunities for community feedback on the Public Review Draft.
Meeting details and connection information are available on the City website.
- Tuesday, March 18 at 5:30 PM – Library Advisory Board
- Wednesday, March 19 at 6:30 PM – Planning Commission Regular Meeting
- Thursday, March 20 at 5:30 PM – Parks, Art, Recreation & Culture Advisory Commission
Completed Meetings
- February 10 – City Council
- February 26 – Port & Harbor Advisory Commission
- March 5 – Planning Commission
- March 11 – Economic Development Advisory Commission
Thank you, Homer, for helping to shape the 2035 Homer Comprehensive Plan Update.
The Public Review Draft is ready, and we need your feedback!
The deadline for comments is March 14, 2025.
Here’s how to access and comment on the February 2025 Public Review Draft:
- Click and access the Plan below:
- 2035 Homer Comprehensive Plan Update, Executive Summary Only (5 MB)
- 2035 Homer Comprehensive Plan Update, Core Plan Only (10 MB)
- 2035 Homer Comprehensive Plan Update, Full Plan (Executive Summary & Core Plan Combined) (12 MB)
- 2035 Homer Comprehensive Plan Update, Appendices (23 MB)
- Pick up a hard copy of the Plan at Homer City Hall (491 E. Pioneer Avenue) at the Homer Public Library (500 Hazel Avenue).
- Share your feedback by March 14th, 2025. Here’s how:
- Use the Comment Box in the “Contact Us” section below.
- Download, complete, and email or mail this Fillable Comment Form. NOTE: You can also pick up a comment form, fill it out, and drop it off at City Hall!
- Call or Email the Project Team using info in Contact Us below.
- DON’T FORGET – Submit your comments by Friday, March 14th!
How to Provide Constructive Feedback for Plan Revisions
To help the project team review and consider your feedback as we revise the Draft Plan (i.e., the next step is developing the Public Hearing Draft!), please consider:
- Organizing your comments using the following questions:
- What do you like most about the Draft Plan?
- What would you change about the Plan?
- What is missing that should be included in the Plan?
- What do you like most about the Draft Plan?
- The more specific your feedback, the better! If possible, include the section of the plan you have feedback on, with page numbers, or lettered or numbered goals, strategies and actions as references. We want to make sure we clearly understand your comments!
Thank you!
What happens next?
February 7, 2025 – March 14, 2025 (Public Comment Period) – During the public comment period, the project team will have continued conversations with Homers residents, organizations, businesses, and community partners to get feedback on the plan.
After the comment period closes on March 14, 2025, the project team will compile all public comments and share them with City of Homer Planning Commission to review and make recommendations for the Final Plan.
Spring/Summer 2025 – The Final Plan will go before City Committees, Commissions, including the Planning Commission and City Council, as part of the adoption process, during which there will be additional opportunities for community input.
Why update the plan now? (New)
Download this short supplemental document that answers some of your frequently asked questions, including:
- Why do we need an updated Comprehensive Plan?
- What have we accomplished since 2008?
- How is the proposed 2035 Plan different from the 2018 Plan?
- How has the City of Homer and surrounding area changed since the 2018 Plan was adopted? What other impactful changes have occurred?
Comprehensive Plan Open House
Thanks everyone for making the Comprehensive Plan Open House for the release of the Public Review Draft on February 11th a success! The project team greatly appreciated everyone’s enthusiasm, ideas, and comments they brought to the Open House. Keep the comments coming!
Photo Contest Winners
Thank you to everyone who submitted photos in the Homer Comprehensive Plan photo contest! We received so many wonderful submissions that capture Homer, its people, and its beauty. We look forward to showcasing all your work in the comprehensive plan.
The project team chose four winners (five photos) we’d like to especially acknowledge for their beautiful work:
- John Bushell – Homer Moose
- Tim Hatfield – Aurora Sign and Diamond Volcanoes
- Kyra Wagner – Farmers Market
- Derek Mueller – Poot Spit
Thank you to everyone who took time to comment on the Potential Growth Scenarios.
View a summary of the Growth Scenario Report Cards here.
The comment period has closed but you can still view the Potential Growth Scenarios here.
What happens now? Working in coordination with the Comp Plan Steering Committee, and other community partners, the project team is:
- Using the robust feedback and information we’ve researched, received, and you’ve shared to develop the Public Review Draft of the Revised Plan. The Draft will be released for public comment On February 7th, 2025.
- Check out the inputs graphic below and related resources in the “Project Resources” section of this site for the many outreach and research activities that are continuing to Draft Plan development.
Community Voices
“Homer’s draw is the small-town feel: The Beauty of Kachemak Bay, the south-side, KBay State Parks, trails, glaciers, berries, peace in general.”
“There is much more to Homer and the folks who live here than a lot of people realize.”
“People in this town are a pleasure to work with.”
“Youth should be considered when making decisions. Caring for their needs will serve the community as it ages.”
“There are endless opportunities to be involved in the community and people truly get involved.”
“Keeping a positive outlook and being supportive of our local businesses is a great way to support the community.”
Quotes are from the Homer Comprehensive Plan Revision Community Survey and Comment Map, Business Survey, and Growth Scenario Results.
Purpose
We’re Revising the 2018 Comprehensive Plan!
The City of Homer is updating the 2018 Comprehensive Plan to recognize and celebrate what we have accomplished, to address new challenges and opportunities for our community, and to coordinate efforts to achieve our shared vision for a future Homer.
The Comprehensive Plan will serve as a community resource and guide for community leaders, residents, and other partners to protect what residents value most about Homer while enhancing the quality of life for current and future residents.
The updated Homer Comprehensive Plan will be a combination of long-term vision, goals, and practical strategies that will: guide decisions about land use and environment, sustainability, resilience and climate change, public facilities and services, housing, transportation, economic development, quality of life, governance, and more. It will provide a roadmap for implementation, with clear priorities and actions.
The current comprehensive plan can be viewed here; it was last updated in 2018.
Phase 1 Project Timeline: Comprehensive Plan Update
Draft Plan
Plan drafting, staff review (accounts for holidays, review)
Draft Plan
Development of public review draft
Phase 2: Title 21 Code Rewrite
JANUARY – DECEMBER 2025
Kickoff and work plan
Public Participation
February 11 community open house to celebrate draft plan launch
Final Plan
Comment period and work session(s) with Steering Committee, Planning Commission, and City Council
Final Plan
Comment deadline of March 14; consider revisions based on feedback and finalize plan
Final Plan
Adoption process TBD
ONGOING: Outreach and documentation; work sessions and/or monthly updates to the Steering Committee, Planning Commission, and City Council
Progress to Date
- December 2023: Signed contract
- January 2024: Kickoff project; develop Public Participation Plan (PPP); Steering Committee (SC) member appointment
- February 2024: Refine PPP; prep for community kickoff
- March 2024: Visit #1 March 25-29
- April 2024: Develop Community Snapshot; existing plans review (updates are ongoing)
- May 2024: Survey launches; release Snapshot to public; visit #2 May 13-17
- June 2024: Survey open; scope growth scenarios
- July 2024: Survey closes, begin analysis; start with growth scenarios methodology
- August 2024: Create growth scenarios; finish survey analysis
- September 2024: Continue developing growth scenarios; met with commissions and committees; release business survey results
- October 2024: Continue developing growth scenarios and outreach; Visit #3 October 22-24 for Community Work Session
- November 2024: Public review and finalization of growth scenarios; begin drafting plan
Project Team
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee aids in the development of the comprehensive plan. The five-member committing is made up of two city council members, two city commission members, and one city resident nominated by the mayor and approved by the City Council. The roles and responsibilities of the Steering Committee as outlined in City of Homer Resolution 23-129(A) include:
- Assist in the refinement and execution of the public outreach process, outreach program, and schedule.
- Participate in public outreach activities and events including work with each of the member’s represented organizations to keep them informed on the project and encourage their participation, solicit participation from a wide range of people and organizations in the community, participate in event exercises and provide feedback.
- Provide feedback and recommendations on Comprehensive Plan draft documents.
Steering Committee Members
- Kathryn Carssow, City Resident Member (Chair)
- Nicole Arevalo, Economic Development Advisory Commission Member
- Charles Barnwell, Planning Commission Member
- Shelly Erickson, City Council Member
- Jason Davis, City Council Member
Consulting Team
The City of Homer has hired a team led by Agnew::Beck Consulting to assists the City with a update to the Comprehensive Plan. Agnew::Beck is partnering with Stantec, Northern Economics, RESPEC, Kinney Engineering, and Corvus Design to ensure the planning process, and ultimately the final plan, meets community needs.
Get Involved
Contact the Project Team
Contact the project team. See details in the Contact Us section below.
Submit a Comment
Submit a comment using the comment form in the Contact Us section below.
Project Resources
- KBBI Coffee Table show On February 13, 2025, Ryan Foster and Shelly Wade spoke with host Kathleen Gustafson about the Homer Comprehensive Plan.
- Community Survey Comparison Results Summary (October 2024). See how the community responded to key questions based on age, income, and location.
- Business Survey Homer Comprehensive Plan Business Survey Summary (September 2024). Learn what over 60 Homer businesses have to say about the challenges and opportunities of owning and doing business in Homer.
- Homer Comprehensive Plan Community Survey and Interactive Comment Map Results (September 2024)
- Homer Comprehensive Plan Community Survey and Interactive Comment Map Results – Executive Summary (September 2024)
- Plan Review (July 2024) The Plan Review was conducted as part of the background and research activities that have and continue to inform the comprehensive plan update alongside community input, mapping, and other data gathering efforts. In addition to individual document summaries, the Plan Review identifies themes, strengths and challenges, and other commonalities among over 35 local, borough, and state generated plans, reports, and studies.
- Community Visit #2: May 2024 Results
- Community Snapshot (May 2024)
- Public Participation Plan (April 2024)
- Project Overview Flyer (April 2024)
- Community Visit #1: March 2024 Results
