The Pacific Space Complex-Alaska on Kodiak Island has expanded its footprint by 139.5 acres after the spaceport’s owner, Alaska Aerospace Corporation, recently bought property from a local family on Narrow Cape.
According to the state Department of Natural Resources, on Feb. 27 Alaska Aerospace Corporation, which owns the spaceport on Kodiak Island, purchased the land from Christine and Buckley Burton. The Burton family has been raising cattle in that area of Narrow Cape since 1967 and previously operated the Kodiak Game Ranch on site as well.
Christine Burton declined to comment on the sale at this time.
Alaska Aerospace CEO and President John Oberst said the corporation bought the property so that it wouldn’t have to deal with multiple parties when restricting access on the Kodiak Cattle Co. Ranch Road, the sole road that goes through that area.
“So we decided to get involved to acquire it ourselves, to avoid having to inconvenience more than one family," Oberst said. "We’ve been inconveniencing the Burtons now for, you know, ever since we’ve been there. So, if we had multiple neighbors, it would just exacerbate that.”
Oberst said the Burtons will still be able to use the lone road that runs through that property to go to and from their house, which sits on a 20-acre parcel around Narrow Cape. According to the first page of the access agreement, Alaska Aerospace must also give the Burton family, “reasonable advance notice of any anticipated road closure or access restriction,” when rocket launches, tests or other safety activities are happening at the nearby Kodiak Island spaceport.
As far as public access, Oberst said he’s considering putting out guidance that will define how the public can access the road to “Burton beach” and the parking area near the Narrow Cape lodge, off Kodiak Cattle Co Ranch Road.
“So that is something I think that we need to look at and get a clearer way ahead so the public has some guidance," he said. "And when I say that, all the parties involved, specifically us and Narrow Cape [Lodge] because I know that that’s the only parking lot down there. They go down to Narrow Cape to park.”
The corporation’s recently acquired 139.5 acres also contains the Narrow Cape Lodge, known as the “space hotel”, which is owned by Bernie Karl of Fairbanks. Karl is also the owner and operator of the Chena Hot Springs Resort, 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks. The Narrow Cape Lodge was not part of Alaska Aerospace’s land purchase or access agreement with the Burtons.
Oberst said his corporation is still working out a separate agreement with Karl and sometimes works with the lodge to house some of its spaceport employees.
According to documents from the state department of natural resources, Alaska Aerospace’s recent $2.4 million land purchase leaves the Burtons with 20 acres, which includes the land where their home sits at Narrow Cape, and increases the state’s footprint in that area to more than 13,300 acres.
Alaska Aerospace Corporation, which owns and operates the Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska at Narrow Cape, is a state entity. All of the state corporation’s land at Narrow Cape is exempt from property taxes according to the Kodiak Island Borough’s records.
