Near Island Gravel Quarry

Recently it came to my attention that the City Council may issue a gravel extraction permit for Near Island. It's a complicated matter that I'll try and explain better below, but I'm wondering why we haven't heard more about it. Seems people screamed long and loud about potentially putting the Police Station and Post Office on Near Island. Why nothing about a gravel pit?

On Tuesday the 13th of January the City Council should be discussing the matter at its work session and then potentially issuing a 5 year permit at its formal meeting on the 15th. The area slated for gravel extraction is huge (see photo with approximate area outlined below). It's complicated because the gravel extraction will also create space for boat lift storage and Kodiak does need the gravel. On the other hand, do we need a gravel pit eyesore on Near Island that would impact the trails where we walk our dogs and recreate on the south end of the island? Not only that - the slate they would quarry out on Near Island is pretty poor stuff as far as gravel goes (way too soft). Our roads tend to degrade so quickly because we use soft slate gravel in the tar matrix. Much better material exists (stuff with much harder granite found in places like the Salonie and Red Cloud valleys).

I am not against development on Near Island (I kind of liked the idea of putting the jail out there), but I think it should be planned better. As a community Kodiak needs to decide where we want to put the gravel pits, where to put the houses, and what spaces we want to keep open for recreation. As it stands now, I gather the area slated for gravel extraction on Near Island is big enough to provide 15 to 20 years of gravel. That's a lot of gravel. Perhaps the City should permit a smaller area for the gravel quarry - just big enough to provide space for the boat lift and storage - and make sure the area slated for development does not impinge on the existing trails behind.

I don't think Near Island should be supplying Kodiak's gravel needs. I do believe we need a good boat lift and Harbor infrastructure. I love to roam the trails and woods on Near Island. I know for certain that a 5 year permit for gravel extraction on Near Island on an area big enough to provide up to 20 years of gravel needs a bit more community discussion. Patrick