After months of debate on the city’s rules for dividing land into new lots, the planning department thinks it’s found a solution to landowners’ concerns.

Planning commissioners got an update on revisions to city zoning code -- also known as Title 8 -- at their meeting Thursday night. It was the first time they've met since council asked for an overhaul of the zoning changes last month.

Unalaska’s planning department will move forward with a couple of subdivisions on Ounalashka Corporation land today.

Planning staff are set to approve two new lots for OC in a public hearing today at 2 p.m. It’s part of a process called platting, where landowners have to plan utilities and rights of way for each new lot they creates.

One of OC's planned new lots is on Airport Beach Road near the Little Coffee Hut. The other is in the Margaret Bay subdivision. In both areas, OC already owns the land and wants to draw new lot lines within it.

The deadline to file as a candidate in Unalaska’s municipal election is coming up next Friday, Aug. 22 – and so far, the race is wide open.

There are two city council seats up for election this year – seat B, currently held by Dennis Robinson, and seat E, held by Zoya Johnson. Both of their three-year terms expire this fall.

There are also three school board seats on the ballot this year – they’re currently held by Cathy Jordan, Denise Rankin and Fernando Barrera.

Unalaska’s bid to develop geothermal power on Makushin Volcano is over for now.

City council voted last night to transfer its federal geothermal energy grant to the city of Akutan. Unalaska got the $1 million matching grant from the Department of Energy back in 2009 -- but they haven't been able to work with the Aleut Corporation to use it at Makushin.

City manager Chris Hladick says the project isn't practical anymore.

The city of Unalaska is ready to throw in the towel on geothermal energy.

City council will meet tonight to consider forfeiting a $1 million federal grant for developing Makushin Volcano. They’d transfer the money to the city of Akutan for a geothermal project there.

Unalaska received the funding back in 2009. At the time, city manager Chris Hladick said he would try to attract interest from private geothermal companies, and negotiate rights with the land and fluid owners.

The city will go back to the drawing board on new regulations for subdivisions and construction camps after council voted down a set of proposed changes last night.

The vote was five to zero against revisions to city zoning code that have been in the works for months.

The ordinance covered five separate parts of Title 8 – but councilors and citizens who testified focused on two: new rules for subdivisions, and construction camps.

Planning staff say the new subdivision rules would reinforce existing laws, making sure future lease lots are up to code.

City council will take another look at new rules for construction camps when they meet tonight.

For months, the city has been considering a set of changes to the zoning code, or Title 8. The proposed revisions include new regulations for how and where to build construction camps in town.

At council's last meeting, councilor Dennis Robinson said he was concerned the changes would make it too easy for camps to become long-term installations. He said he’d rather see the city focus on encouraging permanent housing.

The old historic preservation commission helped restore the city-owned Henry Swanson house in downtown Unalaska. (Annie Ropeik/KUCB)

After letting its historic preservation commission lapse six years ago, Unalaska is trying something new. City council voted recently to merge the preservation commission with the planning and zoning board.

It puts development and cultural conservation in the hands of one group that includes city staff. And as KUCB’s Annie Ropeik reports, that’s raised concerns about a conflict of interest.

City council took care of some union business at their meeting Tuesday night -- including working on new contracts for city employees to account for recommended pay raises.

In an executive session, council went over a new collective bargaining agreement for ports and harbors employees represented by the Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific.