City of Homer
Comprehensive Plan Rewrite
Three Potential Growth Scenarios (Your Potential Homer) – AVAILABLE NOW for YOUR FEEDBACK!
- As part of the Homer Comprehensive Plan Rewrite, three scenarios have been developed to explore what a desired future Homer could look like.
- View the scenarios and give your feedback here.
- The scenarios debuted at the October 22, 2024 Community Work Session at the Islands & Ocean Center. Many thanks to the more than 90 Homer residents who joined us to review the scenarios and provide feedback. Your questions and ideas about the process helped to improve the Growth Scenarios Report Card and related materials.
- Anyone can use the online report card to tell us what you think about the three scenarios, even if you already attended the October 22nd Work Session and have more to say!
- The Online Report Card closes on Friday, November 15th. We will use your feedback to identify elements of a “preferred scenario” that we will use to inform the revised Comprehensive Plan (slated for release in January 2025).
- CLICK HERE to get started. We cannot wait to receive your feedback!
Important Community Input that Informed the Scenarios
- Community Survey Comparison Results Summary (October 2024). See how the community responded to key questions based on age, income, and location. Highlighted area missing a period and space.
- 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.
- Other Comprehensive Plan Inputs – Check out the graphic below that shows the many and diverse inputs that are contributing to the updated Homer Comprehensive Plan!
Community Voices
“This community is just as beautiful as the land. There are so many friendly and caring people in Homer from a variety of backgrounds who are all just trying to connect and help each other out.”
“My neighbors are kind and caring, as are so many people in this town. Homer is truly one of a kind.”
“I like the people! Newcomers and old timers.”
“There are endless opportunities to be involved in the community and people truly get involved.”
“Twenty years from now I hope Homer has a nice downtown, is walkable and bikeable with much more pedestrian connectivity and awareness. A vibrant, diverse community.”
“Homer has breathtaking, accessible natural beauty and wildlife.”
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, housing, public services and infrastructure, transportation, economic development, health and wellness, sustainability, resilience and climate change, quality of life, 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.
Schedule
FEBRUARY 2024
- Project kick-off
- Steering Committee kick-off and initial meetings to map out public participation plan
- Background research and data collection
MARCH 2024
- Resident, community leader, and partner interviews and small group discussions
- COMMUNITY VISIT #1 and Open House: Introduce planning process, gather initial input on community vision
- Steering Committee meetings
APRIL-MAY 2024
- Community survey launch
- COMMUNITY VISIT #2 and Open House: Share a “Community Snapshot” that includes an initial summary of community input and data
- Community survey and Interactive Comment Map launch
- Steering Committee meetings
JUNE-OCTOBER 2024
- Ongoing community, visitor, and partner outreach
- Plan Review complete
- Business survey launched and analysis released
- Community survey and comment map close; survey analysis released
- Potential growth scenarios development begins
- COMMUNITY VISIT #3: Share and get feedback on Growth/Development Scenarios and Public Review Draft
- Steering Committee meetings
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2024
- Preferred growth scenario finalized
- Plan drafting, staff review (accounting for holidays)
- Steering Committee meetings
JANUARY-MARCH 2025
- Preliminary Phase 2: Title 21 Code Revision work begins (January 2025)
- Public review draft released; public comment period starts
- COMMUNITY VISIT #4: TBD
- Steering Committee meetings
- Comment period deadline; consider revisions based on feedback
- Final plan
- Adoption process (TBD)
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
- 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