Community Town Hall to Take Comments on Future Harbor/Harbor Planning

From about 2000 - 2021, the City of Craig had been working on a new small boat harbor in Craig on the Ward Cove Cannery Site.  In addition to the $1.75 million spent purchasing the site in 2007, the city’s share of various studies and planning processes with the US Army Corps of Engineers from 2011 – 2022 was about $1.5 million - $1.75 million.  In 2022 the Army Corps of Engineers informed the city that due to some issues that had been raised, the city would need to provide an additional $1.5 - $2.0 million in planning and design funds to continue reviewing the current size, scope and location of the harbor.

The city council chose to shelve the project as outlined by the Army Corps.  Based on council direction, staff have continued to work with the Federal delegation and the Army Corps on the potential of starting the study back at site selection and project scope and size at no additional cost to the city.

This process will require language included in the Water Resources Development Act reauthorization in Congress which is likely to take place this year.  Without this special authorization the city may choose to abandon a small boat harbor project completely or may wait to restart the process in future years with the city paying the $1.5 - $2.0 million non-federal share.

The Craig City Council has requested a meeting to hear public input on this process and to take any other comments from the public regarding a future small boat harbor in Craig.

There is currently no formal study, grant, or design process so the meeting is open to all comments and there are no specific questions to be addressed or subjects to be discussed.  The town hall meeting is intended to gather public comments for future use.

The city will hold these comments to be used if the city chooses to move forward with a study funded by the Army Corps or if the city chooses to restart the study process at some time in the future.

The Craig City Council is hosting a town hall meeting on April 24, 2024, at 6:00 pm in the Craig High School Auditorium. The purpose of the meeting is to take public comments regarding the future of the small boat harbor in Craig.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact city hall at 907-826-3275 or email Mary Salazar at cityclerk@craigak.com.