The title was featured in an Anchorage Times section titled “Crossroads: Featuring the 49th State” and was published on Sunday, May 30, 1976. The lead into the article states in part: “Catch-22 in Kachemak ... This week Crossroads takes a drive down the Sterling Highway, past Kenai and Soldotna, to where the land ends and the controversy begins ... Homer.”
After reading other articles in the section titled “Everywhere are Signs of Progress,” “Courts Catch Oil Turmoil,” “Residents Look Warily to Future,” “Developer Envisions Big Hotel,” “Community Tries to Be All Things to All People” and “Mayor is Into the Arts,” these words formed on my lips: Wow, same issues — different day, except now the mayor holds a ukulele instead of a paint brush.
The day happens to be almost 30 years later and the issues all relate to growth — how to manage the impacts of growth and keep Homer the “Paradise” that we all love. Was I surprised to read Steve Herbert’s words that “Everybody who’s an extremist comes to this community”? Well, no not exactly but his words helped me understand the phrase “community tries to be all things to all people.”
When the land, ocean and other area resources are being used by such a broad spectrum of people for an equally broad spectrum of uses, i. e. “being all things to all people,” one of the byproducts seems to be controversy. Many residents I know contend that a fundamental part of Homer’s culture is in fact controversy.
Are we all extremists as Herbert suggests? I would say that most Homerites are very passionate (extreme only in the positive sense of the term) toward the Homer area and deeply love it since it offers so much opportunity to so many varied interests.
Thirty years ago, Homer’s population was 1,548, and there was concern then about the extent and type of development. Today, Homer is approximately four times the population and we carry the same concerns about the extent and type of development. My guess is that 30 years from now, we will be facing the same issues.
The question then is, in what spirit do we face them?
I am encouraged to share the news that there are two new citizens groups that are advocating for more discussion of planning and zoning issues and for an increase in city resources to be dedicated to the planning department of the city. These groups are composed of people that are business, construction, education and community leaders in Homer. Extremists? Not in your wildest dreams.
Citizens Alliance for Neighborhoods Inc. and the Homer Community Advisory Planning Group have formed in response to proposed developments and are trying to help the community evolve from “extremist” and divisive forms of debate to more constructive ones.
Are they special interest groups or extremists?
In my opinion, they are no more a special interest group than a developer proposing to create a development for their own personal financial profit. In the final analysis, we all hold special interests and therefore there is no merit in casting the label of “special interest group.”
I can report directly to you that after listening to many hours of testimony from these groups and other concerned citizens, that they are treating the developers with respect in the manner of a good neighbor.
The Anchorage Times article from 30 years ago reported that Tony Neal was breaking ground on the Lakeside Mall and hoping to bring a $2-million, first-class hotel to Homer. Currently, Mr. Neal has one of the largest subdivisions ever proposed in Homer before the planning commission for preliminary plat. The planning issues that evolve around such a subdivision are complex and the manner in which the developer and those commenting on the development have debated these complexities make me proud to be a resident of Homer and a volunteer on the planning commission.
I don’t think there is any likelihood that controversy will evolve out of Homer’s cultural make-up but I hold hope that “extremist” behavior will. Thirty years from now I hope the lead article in a statewide paper will read: “Homer Survives, Paradise Not Lost!”
Lane Chesley is the chair of the Homer Advisory Planning Commission.
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