The “precious resource” referred to in Mayor Kristin Smith’s last article is Cordova’s last remaining downtown waterfront lot located at the entrance of our harbor. The harbor entrance lot was built 13 years ago with mostly public funds as a breakwater and channel marker for our harbor. It has been used as a public space ever since. It has a priceless unobstructed view of the ocean, the mountains, the harbor, and the fishing fleet. It has become a tradition for Cordovans to gather there and wave at their fishing families coming and going from the fishing grounds. Our harbor is paid for with our tax dollars and belongs to all Cordovans.
Currently, the city has solicited a request for proposals (RFP) to sell or lease with option to buy this popular public use area. The City Council has voted to put our harbor entrance lot up for sale to the private sector. Privatizing the lot is in essence taking away a public space from the people of Cordova. Privatization of our harbor entrance is a bad idea.
Mayor Smith’s article was good but failed to mention three very important points.
The article failed to mention that submitting an RFP for the lot requires a $10,000 deposit. The City Council says it wants to hear creative ideas from Cordova citizens, however $10,000 will preclude many citizens and citizens’ groups from submitting proposals. This is a huge barrier to creative ideas.
The article also failed to mention that at the July 2 City Council meeting, a petition signed by almost 300 Cordovans requesting the Harbor Entrance Lot be declared a public space for the benefit and enjoyment of all Cordovans was presented to City Council prior to its vote to issue the RFP. Public opposition to selling the harbor entrance lot is widespread.
The article also failed to mention that the public survey the city conducted quite clearly expressed results in favor of keeping the harbor entrance lot in the public domain. The mayor and City Council are trying to ignore or put a spin on their own survey.
These are three important facts that are missing from Mayor Smith’s article about Cordova’s waterfront.
Cordova’s downtown waterfront has 1.8 miles of solid industry stretching from behind the AC grocery store to the ferry terminal. There is no place except the breakwater trail and its adjoining micro-park to walk and enjoy our downtown waterfront. While this is a lovely little space, it is on the mud flats and too far from the water for families to gather to watch the fishing fleet come and go.
The people of Cordova deserve to continue to use the harbor entrance lot as a public space to send off their fishing families and watch the boats as the come and go from the fishing grounds. The people of Cordova do not deserve to have their beautiful harbor entrance privatized, industrialized, or taken away from them.
Selling and privatizing our last remaining downtown waterfront lot and destroying the beauty of our harbor entrance is shortsighted and misguided. Ten years ago, the city of Cordova went through a similar exercise of issuing an RFP for the harbor entrance lot. The council then proceeded to pass an ordinance to sell the lot to a private business, despite public opposition. To refresh memories, the result was a citizens’ petition for a referendum that put the ordinance on the ballot. The citizens voted resoundingly NO to the sale of the harbor entrance lot.
Much has been written about the mental and physical health benefits of being near the ocean and in nature. Much has also been written about public green spaces adding immeasurably to quality of life. Public places, especially waterfront public use areas, are beneficial as long-term economic drivers; places that both citizens and visitors highly value and look for when living in or visiting communities. Quality of life is why we choose to live in Cordova, isn’t it? Not all Cordovans or visitors are fortunate enough to live with a view of the ocean, or own cars or boats to access the ocean. This lot is for everyone.
Let’s preserve our priceless harbor entrance lot and keep it beautiful for future generations of Cordovans and Cordova fishing families to continue the tradition of waving at the fleet!
Please pay attention to this issue in your City Council agendas.
–Paula Payne
