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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-05-02 Harbor Commission SummaryKENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988 - 7:00 PM Kenai City Hall Leon Quesnel, Chairman AGENDA 1. ROLL CALL 2. PERSONS PRESENT SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of April 18, 1988 5. OLD BUSINESS a. Status Report on the Commercial Fishing Industry Study b. Review of Rules & Regulations Including Fee Schedule c. Status Report - Kenai River Viewing Area d. Status Report on Floating Dock e. Status Report on Navy Home Porting Project 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Public Hearing: Tidelands Lease Application - Northland Services, Inc. - 1,5 Miles East of the Mouth of the Kenai River b. Increase Lease Period - Report from Public Works 7. CORRESPONDENCE a. Memo from Planning Dept. Regarding Floating Docks. 8. COMMISSION QUESTIONS & COMMENTS 9. ADJOURNMENT Set agenda for next meeting KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988 - 7'00 PM Held, Kenai City Hall Minutes of Regular Meeting Presiding- Leon Quesnel, Chairman Meeting was called to order by Chairman Quesnel at 7-15 PM 1. ROLL CALL Present Absent Leon Quesnel Will Jahrig Joe N°rd Tom Thompson Wally Page (unexcused) Barry Eldridge (unexcused) Irvin Witbro (unexcused) Ed Crabaugh (excused) In attendance- Public Works Director Keith Kornelis~ James J. Haagen, Pres., Northland Services Inc., of Seattle, WA 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chairman Quesnel proposed changes to the agenda, to change "Persons Present Scheduled to be Heard" to Item 4~ Approval of Agenda to Item 2~ Approval of Minutes to Item 3. The agenda was accepted as amended. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 18, 1988 The minutes were approved as presented. 4. PERSONS PRESENT SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD James J. Haagen, Northland Services, Inc. 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Public Hearing: Tidelands Lease Application - Northland Service, Inc. - 1.5 mi. East of Mouth of Kenai River Mr. Haagen- What we hope to accomplish here is to provide a regular scheduled barge service in the Kenai area similar to what we have done in the past. We have been coming in here with barges since 1967 on a scheduled basis with exception of a couple of years, due to the KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988- Page 2 lack of tonnage and lack of activity, and also lack of a suitable place to operate. We would like to get back in here again, we think things may start improving here, at least not get any worse at least from a standpoint of tonnage. And we would like to get started this year, hopefully before the fishing season is over. But when we came in here before we hauled in all types of cargo; I think we're the only carrier that has ever came in here on a regular scheduled basis and, with the exception of three years we've done that since 1967. Previously, we came in down at Dragnet there at the Port of Kenai, and that facility is almost impossible to get barges in and out of because it keeps filling in. We had many difficulties holding our barges in there. Some of you, I am sure, are aware that we used to slide out about every second or third trip and had to come back in the next tide. It was very difficult there and we just need something better than that to do a job here. So that is why we made arrangement with Kenai Packer to lease that property there, and of course now we~need your support insofar as the Tidelands Lease to be in operation there. Question- You mentioned the Kenai Packers, do I understand that you have leased from Kenai Packers in that particular area? Sufficient area to accommodate your activities? Mr. Haagen- Yes, there is sufficient area there at the present time to do what we want to do~ in the future we may want to expand it somewhat. But Kenai Packers has owned that property for some time. They haven't really used it much and so there is room there to handle quite a bit of tonnage, yes. Question- The floats are 6 ft. wide and 150 ft. long? At times it will be quite a ways out in the water in the higher tides? Mr. Haagen- Yes, we think that we will not be out beyond the area that we are asking to lease~ in other words, we would not have a vessel out beyond where Kenai Packers and Salamatoff would be. As a matter of fact we would be in considerably from the area they have under lease so - Question- I guess what I am wondering, if the floats are going to be tied with one inch wire or cable, obviously, it looks like with Dead Man - Mr. Haagen- Well, we haven't really decided definitely just how KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION' May 2, 1988- Page 3 we're going to secure that float~ we're now thinking of inch and three quarter cable and chain, and big heavy turn buckles, at least five on that float, three up river and two down river. So I assure you it will be adequately secured there so that we don't have to worry about it staying there. Question- Will there be any problem with boats going behind it and getting into this cable? Mr. Haagen- The cables will have buoys hanging on them so that anyone would be able to see them, and they will be bright buoys so that even in night they will shine. So we surely don't want anyone running into them coming up the river there at night. So they will be bright enough so that won't happen. Question- What size vessels are going to be coming in? Mr. Haagen- Well, presently we will start out with barges that are 230~by 60~ on occasion we will bring in barges that are 250 by 72. But the ones that we have planned to come in regularly will be 230 by 60. Question- Did you say 230 by 72? Mr. Haagen- 250 by 72 on occasion will come in. Question: What is the draft (inaudible) when you are loaded? Mr. Haagen- Oh, 6 or 7 feet, normally. It is possible to load 8 to 8 1/2. But we don't expect heavy loads, so the average barge will be drawing 6 or 7 feet. Question- So you are planning on being in total float when you are loaded there? You won't be hitting bottom? Mr. Haagen- We may touch down occasionally on the minus tide, on the one side of the barge, yes. We may. But the barge would still be pretty much afloat~ we would touch down on the port side. ~ Question: You plan on coming in on starboard side to (inaudible) Mr. Haagen- No, we're actually planning to come in port side to - the bow would be up river. KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988 - Page 4 Question- What sort of a draft are you looking at on an empty condition? Mr. Haagen: What's the barge? 2 1/2 to 3 feet. Question- Draft on the tug? Mr. Haagen- Draft on the tugs will vary from 10 to 14 feet, depending on the size of the tug and how much fuel they have on board. Question- That would therefore state that they are going to come in park the barge and take off and come back in after- ? Mr. Haagen- Yes, they will always come in and leave on high water. Question- But the tug will not stay in the river? Mr. Haagen- Normally, it will fall back in the hole up there a little bit toward the ocean from Kenai Packers where we used to go and anchor all the time. Rather than going out to sea they just go in that hole. jUst seaward of Kenai Packers and just lay there real well. Question- So you're going to be putting in a yard there for usage? Mr. Haagen: Yes, we'll put a yard there and we'll have reefer vans there with power to plug in reefers, yes. Question- What size yard will you be putting in? Mr. Haagen- Well, we're going to start in with about an acre and a half. And most of that will be on existing property now. Question- This is just a summer type operation? Mr. Haagen- Well, we're planning that way, but on the open winter, if it is open, we'll keep coming in all winter. But our thinking is that we probably will have to remove this float around Christmas time. And our plan is just float it up the bank and secure it and put it back out again the first of March or whenever the ice is gone. That's the whole idea of putting it KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988- Page 5 in the way we're doing it, is that we will be able to float it right up the bank on a high tide and secure it and just leave it there, and then in the spring float it back out again. Question- Have you built this type of float somewhere else, is this something new? Mr. Haagen- Well, we have floats in Seattle now where we set our end of our ramps on them, yes, and we have used them up in the Yukon and various places on a seasonal basis, yes. Question- The dead men, are they going to be, the tops of them will be right at the mud line? Mr. Haagen- Right. In other words, the dead men will be driven in, there will be big heavy eye beams, actually they are one foot by two feet, and what we're going to use is big, huge barge stanchions that we used to have on some of our barges, and we'll drive those in right down to the mud level. And they'll have big pad eyes on them that we'll shackle in our cables to and then on the barge end we'll have chain, big turn buckles so we can adjust them and bring them up tight, etc. Question- Ail dead men will be- Mr. Haagen- Yes, they will be clear down in the mud, they will not be sticking up at all. Question- Have you got plans drawn up yet of this ramp and -- Mr. Haagen: We do not have the plans drawn yet, no, we wanted to wait until we made sure what size ramp, how long it had to be, etc. ~ we're still working on that a little bit. Question- I'm interested on the bracing of it, as opposed to the cables, the compression (inaudible) Mr. Haagen- Yes, we're going to have at least four big pipes coming to the beach from the float. Question- To the beach? Mr. Haagen- To the beach, and to the dead men. They will be braced in to the dead men so that this float will be braced back KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988 - Page 6 to the beach in four places. So that when the vessel comes against the float, it will not move in toward shore. Question- This has not been engineered yet? Mr. Haagen- We haven't drawn up the final plans for it yet. We want to get our permit and get our Corps permit before we do that. Question- In a business like this, who would be carrying the insurance for liability? Mr. Haagen- Oh we will have more than adequate amount, we carry five million now on every terminal we use all over Alaska. Question- Are you saying that you will be able to get your permit prior to the design of your ramp and -- Mr. Haagen- Well, the Corps requires a general sketch of what. you're going to do, they do not require a final detailed plan. of the construction. General discussion between the Commission members. Question- Is 6 ft. float wide enough? Will you have to run fork lifts out there? Mr. Haagen- Oh no, the ramp will actually be resting on the barge when we're driving aboard with the big fork lift. The float is something to hold the ramp when the barge is not here and something for the barge to tie to. But the ramp itself will be lifted up on the barge, then we will drive right from the land to the vessel. In fact we load 90% of our cargo in Seattle that way now. We have big cranes and we use them up here in very small communities where there are no facilities to do it otherwise, but the bulk of cargo now on barges out of Seattle is all loaded with forklifts. It's the most efficient way to do it you see, you have to have those big forklifts in the yard anyway to handle your cargo so you might just as well put the cargo on with them. Question- Is this a one-piece ramp? Mr. Haagen- No it would be a two-piece ramp. It would be too KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988- Page 7 heavy as one-piece to handle. We have about 8 sets of them now in different areas and they are all two pieces. Question- It's the same system you already use, so it has been proven? Mr. Haagen: Oh sure, yes. Question- And these pipes, these cross arms are your positive push and positive pull also? Mr. Haagen- Well, they will be pipe in the middle and on the ends will be made out of ship's booms so we can shackle them in and they will have flexibility. Big heavy ship's booms, but in order to get the length, we'll have to put a big piece of pipe in the middle because they just don't make booms long enough. Question- How many reefer vans do you plan bringing up? Mr. Haagen- Oh, we hope quite a few~ actually, we own 180 forty foot reefer vans, which is never enough. We carry a lot of foreign reefer boxes~ for instance, we have agreements with practically all the steamship lines that run to the Orient. We bring their vans up to Alaska, source load the product, and it goes back up to Seattle and on steamers and right on to Japan and Korea. Question- You can do through billings then, on vans to Japan then? Mr. Haagen- Yes, APL, Japan Lines, NYK, you might say everybody but Sea Land, and they pretty much have their own gathering system up here. But we handle vans for practically every other steamship line. We carry them all over Southeast, up into Bethel, Naknek, Dillingham, Peterson Point, Igiak, Kodiak, all over. Question- Do you have any priority arrangement with Kenai Packers? Mr. Haagen- When you say priority, what to you mean, insofar as shipping of cargo? Not really, they're one of our best customers. KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988 - Page 8 Question- You're leasing their property. I was just wondering- Mr. Haagen- They have no priority on our vessels, no. We have arrangements will all the steamship lines to haul cargo for them. Question- Will you be up here this summer? Mr. Haagen- Well, we hope to. We hope to have some in here this summer, yes. Question- In order to send your vans straight here from Kenai to Japan, do you have to have them inspected or sealed by Customs? Mr. Haagen- The foreign boxes, you mean? No. We take them back to Seattle, or to Dutch Harbor, and they are turned over to the steamship lines there and they handle all the export paperwork. We're just hauling between two U.S. ports. That's no problem at all. Question- When you dock there, are your barges going to be on the flow of the traffic of the river? Mr. Haagen- I don't think so. We've never had a difficulty in the past. We always come in right at high water, and even when we went up to Dragnet, which we had to go by a lot of fishing boats, we always got good cooperation out of the fishermen. But here, of course, it will be so much easier because we're not going as far. The only boats we'll have to go by are the ones at Kenai Packers. They generally anchor off the channel a little bit and we come right down by there and we never had a problem in that regard. Question- I just wondered if it would be far enough out in the channel where the boats go by- Mr. Haagen- No, I don't think so. Because we come right down fairly close in. If we get over on the channel too far there isn't enough water, but we can always get inside of where the fishermen anchor at high water, and of course, we don't travel except at high water. Question- If you are anchored there and a tender comes in, he can get by you? KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988- Page 9 Mr. Haagen- Oh yes, there is plenty of room. It is surprising at how much there is at high water. Question- It looks like you are going to sit back kind of in that notch and so you're back on the shore side, and there's no problem with traffic at all. Mr. Haagen: Yes. Question- of your 175 foot ramp, how much of that would be sitting on dry land? Mr. Haagen- How much of the ramp? Just the end of it. Question- Where are you tying in the end of that ramp? Right where that little, very short (inaudible) is that where it is? Mr. Haagen- Yes, we're going to be pretty close to Kenai Packers, where the borderline is, where the property line is there. So, we're going to be about a hundred feet up river from the Kenai Packer's plant's line. There are two pieces of property there. That property is the old Alaska Packer's property, as you probably know, that they bought as North Pacific Processors, so there is two pieces of property there. One piece is never used except they stored some empty equipment on it. So we're going to be right seaward of where that little stream runs down there. Question- That hill that's there, that little knoll be coming out? Mr. Haagen- No, I don't think so. Our permit is such that we can't do anything on the river bank there. We can't disturb anything. That's why we're going with this floating ramp. We don't need to disturb anything. We will be going from the high water mark to the float. Question- How far upstream from the Kenai Packers dock are you going to be? Do you know that right off hand? Mr. Haagen- From the dock, it will be quite a distance. Do you know where they go down, where they launch their boats, where they have those concrete steps going down? I would say it would be approximately 100 feet up river from that. KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988 - Page 10 Question- O.K. Is there any chance of these downstream wires interfering wi th that - ? Mr. Haagen- No, we won't put any dead men beyond the line. Question- So you're saying, starting with your lines would be 100 feet from that- Mr. Haagen- A little more than 100 feet. Question- Your ramp would be actually further? Mr. Haagen- Yes, it would be a little over 100 feet from where the line is, and the line is just a little up river from where they launch the boats. Question- You're going to ask for 400 feet on both sides of the leased property? The City tells me that what they want to do is to make sure that is a straight line with the property which is presently leased - Kenai Packers and Salamatoff Seafoods. Mr. Haagen- Right, we would stay in line with the others. We would not go beyond. In fact, we don't need to go that far, but we think that we should just to stay on that line. Question- So you understand then one side we have 215 feet, the other side 350 feet? Mr. Haagen- Right. Question- You're going to be pretty close to the outside edge on that? Mr. Haagen- Pretty close on the widest barges, right. Question- When you have the tug tied up alongside, it looks like with that narrower one, you're looking at roughly 265 feet. Another 60 ft. for the barges and 30 ft. for the tug. You're going to be pretty close. Mr. Haagen- Right. Well, the tug doesn't have to be there. Question- Sure, it's just in and out. I don't see any real problem there at all. KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988- Page 11 General discussion followed. Question- At this point in time, what kind of frequency of barges are you looking at? One every couple of weeks? Mr. Haagen- We're hoping to be in every two weeks, that's what we're thinking. Question- You're probably going to be coming in on one high tide and leaving on the next high tide aren't you? Mr. Haagen- Right. It would be very rare that we would be there over twelve hours. There might be on occasion when the high water is the middle of the night, we might come in the middle of the night and not start working till daylight in the morning, and possibly not make it out on the next high water. Question- You also stated here that the ramp and float could be used by fishing boats, etc. What have you in mind here? Mr. Haagen- Well, we really have nothing in mind, except that we have such a relationship with the fishing industry all over Alaska that we're sure there will be times when some fishing boat is going to want to use it. Question- use it from the standpoint of tying up alongside of it, or are you talking about off loading or anything like this? Mr. Haagen- Well, perhaps both, but probably just tying up. Question- Because from what I can understand, I have no real concept as to how this ramp would work. From what you have said, it changes the picture a little bit in my mind. Really, there is no access to the ramp from the floats? Mr. Haagen- We have no plans of cargo being off loaded over the ramp other than our own, coming from our own barge. When we do that the ramp will actually be on the barge. General discussion followed. Question- Are you going to have somebody around locally who is going to keep an eye on that thing to make sure nobody is tied up there when you want to come in? KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988- Page 12 Mr. Haagen- Yes, we will have a man here to be manager, but again, it is pretty hard to keep a fisherman from tying up when he needs to tie up somewhere. General discussion followed. Question- Your proposed construction completion is October 1, 19887 Mr. Haagen- Well, we're hoping this fall at the latest. But actually it won't take long to put this in once we build the bridge and the float as you can imagine. We'll bring it up on a barge and probably do it all in a few days. We're just hoping that we can get started by the time the heavy fishing season is here. If we can get the permits and get this lease resolved, etc. It could be a big year here. Last year, they ran out of containers here, some of you probably know. Last year we should have been here. General discussion followed. Chairman Quesnel read Planning and Zoning Commission Procedure regarding lease applications. The chair asked for a motion. MOTION Commission Member Tom Thompson moved, seconded by Commission Member Will Jahrig, that we recommend that the lease application of Northland Services, Inc. as submitted be approved. Motion passed by unanimous consent. b. Increase Lease Period - Report from Public Works Public Works Director reported on a compromise with Keener Packing Co. If they take fish across the dock before May 15, they will pay at least whichever is the highest amount of the cents per pound they bid, and it would not go toward their minimum bid of the regular station because that period is just for that period. It came out to $304 per day, or 4 cents a pound, which was his bid, whichever is greater. The charge would be for each day at a time before May 15. i 6. OLD BUSINESS KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988- Page 13 a. Status Report on Commercial Fishing Industry Study Chairman Quesnel reported that he met with Doug Coughenhower last week, and with ¥ince O'Reilly, who is the Chairman of the Economic Development Commission. Mr. Coughenhower went over the schedule and plan of action on the survey he is going to make. Chairman Quesnel stated he would keep the Commission members informed as they progress. b. Review of Rules and Regulations, Including the Fee Schedule Commission Member Tom.Thompson went over recommendations for the following changes- 10.10.120- To define "the area" to read 150 feet. i 10.10.130- To redefine "Mooring." 20.65.040- To delete "owned by patrons in the harbor." 20.90.000: To change the word "waste" to "sewage." 30.40.000- To change the word "wharf" to "floating dock." 40.15.000- To delete the last line, "Charges will be assessed in one-quarter hour increments or portion thereof." 40.30.000. To delete "Charges will be in one-quarter hour increments." c. Status Report - Kenai River Viewing Area Public Works Director Keith Kornelis reported that $90,000 was appropriated for this project. d. Status Report on Floating Dock No thing new to report. e. Status Report on Navy Home Porting Project Nothing new to report. KENAI HARBOR COMMISSION May 2, 1988- Page 14 CORRESPONDENCE , a. Chairman Leon Quesnel read City of Kenai Ordinance 12- 55-88. Public Works Director Keith Kornelis reported that this is a backup to the City regulations. The Commission noted this ordinance be presented to the City of Kenai. b. Chairman Leon Quesnel read a Borough Planning Dept. invitation to the Visitor Industry Forum on May 12, 1988, at the Central Peninsula Sports Center. Chairman Quesnel will attend as representative. c. Memo from Planning Dept. - Report from Public Works. No action. 8. COMMISSION QUESTIONS & COMMENTS General discussion. 9. ADJOURNMENT Commission Member Joe Nord moved, seconded by Commission Member Will Jahrig, to adjourn. Motion passed by unanimous consent. The meeting adjourned at 9-10 P.M. Wilma L. Staton, Recording Secretary Niva's Clerical Services for the City of Kenai