The question of where Unalaska will concentrate future development is at the top of tonight’s City Council agenda. With oil and gas exploration in the Arctic expected to bring more commercial activity to the community, Council will take up two proposals that would allocate additional lands to development.

The first proposal involves rezoning a portion of Captain’s Bay tidelands from subsistence to developable. If the change is made, companies could then lease the tidelands from the City for constructing buildings, docks and wharves. The area up for rezoning is located between OSI and the Crowley pot yard.

The second proposal Council will consider is whether to request additional tidelands from the State of Alaska. The proposed areas are in Iliuliuk Harbor, Dutch Harbor and Captain’s Bay. Although the question of how to designate the tidelands is separate from whether to request them, the City has indicated the plan would be to zone the new tidelands as developable.

Also on the agenda for tonight’s meeting is the first read-through of the fiscal year 2013 operating and capital budget. Council dedicated a full two-day work session in early April to a detailed review of the budget – tonight they’ll have the opportunity to make any amendments.

Council will also take up a donation request from the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association. APIA is holding a regional conference in Unalaska in September and they’re asking the City to pitch in $75,000 dollars.

City Council starts at 6pm in City Council chambers.