Daily Sitka Sentinel

Tourism, Housing Ideas Suggested to Planners

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer

Following a joint work session with the Assembly Wednesday night on the No-Name Mountain Master Plan, the Sitka Planning Commission held its own regular meeting and decided to take no formal action on the plan. (See related story)

The commission heard comments from the public on ideas for uses of the property, but in the end agreed to keep the professionally developed master plan as a resource for the city, but to make no recommendation to the Assembly.

Planning Director Amy Ainslie said today the contract with the consultants on the land-use plan ends June 15.

“We’re going to accept the work they’ve done to date and have it as a resource in helping us understand the possibilities for land development in this area,” she said.

Among the ideas from the public at the commission meeting were to issue a request for proposals to sell or develop the land. Some who spoke talked about the need for economic development, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused sharp decline in tourism.

Chris McGraw, manager of Halibut Point Marine Services, asked the commission to consider putting out a Request for Proposals. He had previously offered to build a boat haulout facility for the city in exchange for 17 waterfront acres in the 830-acre No Name Mountain study area. McGraw’s family corporation owns Sitka’s only deep water cruise ship dock, which is located a few miles south of the beachfront of the No Name project area.

“The draft cruise schedule for next year shows a record year for number of passengers coming to Sitka,” McGraw said today. “I feel that property would provide great opportunities for economic development for tours for cruise ship passengers.”  

He added that it would also provide more revenue for the city.

Clyde Bright put an offer on the table to purchase the property for $1 million, build homes and generate property tax income for the city. 

“I think the city needs to do something to generate income,” he told the commission. In final comments, he said “I’ll buy it for $1 million - I guarantee I’ll put some houses up there.”

Another speaker from the public, Harvey Kitka, said it appears the property is too expensive to develop and may “increase the tax burden” on residents.

From the commission, member Victor Weaver said he would favor an RFP process to see if there were other ideas for developing the area, and economic opportunities

“People come forward with a lot of good ideas in this town,” he said today. “If someone could come forward with ideas for development, the city will have options - they don’t have to accept them.”

The city planner and the city’s project manager on the No-Name project have agreed with the professional consultants hired by the city that the high cost of development would rule out affordable housing on most of the 804 acres, and make any residential development very expensive.

The local opinion survey on possible uses brought up a variety of suggestions including leaving it undeveloped and open to recreation, using it for housing development, and opening rock quarries.

Other Business

In other business, the commission approved a conditional use permit for an accessory dwelling unit at 707 Etolin Street. The structure will replace a shed of the same size on the property.

Adrienne Wilber, the applicant, was on hand to explain the project. The property owners are her parents, Charlie Wilber and Mollie Kabler.

ADUs are generally allowed in the Residential-1 zone. Side setbacks are five feet in this zone, and the applicants wanted a variance to allow a 3-foot setback on the long and narrow property, so a conditional use permit was needed.

Neighbors wrote letters of support for the plans, which call for construction of a 22-by-28-foot one-room house.

The planning director said the property has adequate space for the small dwelling and the necessary parking. Ainslie said the plans are consistent with the goals of the comprehensive plan, including encouraging higher density housing and ADUs.

The commission voted 4-0 to approve the request, and the findings. Commission members present were were Weaver, Stacy Mudry, Darrell Windsor and Chairman Chris Spivey. Randy Hughey was absent.