By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Rezoning city land north of Granite Creek for development, lobbying for help for federal funding on large city projects, and progress on acquiring land for the new seaplane float were among the topics at a Saturday morning Assembly work session.
It was the second of two visioning sessions the Assembly has had since the October city election. They were the idea of Mayor Gary Paxton, in which the Assembly and city staff would chart a course for the city for the next two years. Saturday was an opportunity to review “action plans” for some areas of focus.
Paxton said the meeting went well.
“This is to ensure we build action plans,” he said of the work session.
Paxton and Assembly member Kevin Knox volunteered to create action plans in the areas of the group’s top priorities under sustainable infrastructure and economic development.
Paxton’s action plan was related to lobbying for help funding a new $18 million water filtration plant, paying the bonds on the Blue Lake dam, and meeting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s requirement for the Blue Lake dam inspection.
“We’re asking for help, if any money is available to help with our bonded indebtedness to pay the cost for the next 10 years, and complying with FERC requirements,” Paxton said in an interview after the work session. “We’re asking the federal government to help us with the cost of complying with FERC requirements.”
Paxton said the city could also use help with the filtration plant, to ensure the city has potable water during times the Blue Lake penstock is shut down for required inspections. That cuts off the flow into the city drinking water system.
Knox volunteered to create an action plan for housing in Sitka.
“It’s been an identified priority among community members,” Knox said today. “We need to identify affordable housing and housing related to access. And we have a need for additional housing, (particularly) with the Coast Guard increase in the next three to five years.”
Knox was referring to the Coast Guard’s plan to station a new fast-response cutter in Sitka, which will bring some 25 to 30 new families to town.
“In my conversations with the commander of the base, they’re not looking to develop housing themselves, and (they’re) relying on the community to do that,” he said.
Knox said he used the 2030 comprehensive plan as background for creating a rough outline on a housing action plan.
Knox recommended starting with one or two work sessions with stakeholders, such as the Community Land Trust, developers, advocates for accessible housing, and those with some background on tiny homes or accessory dwelling units.
A few ideas are to collaborate with service organizations on addressing transitional housing, or housing for homeless people; to study the high conversion rate of long-term to short-term rentals; identify housing development incentives; look at some of the zoning issues addressed in the Comprehensive Plan and “start taking action on changing some of those things,” such as minimum lot size, custom housing and setback requirements; and look at “cluster housing,” such as the CLT housing plans, that can bring down the cost of housing.
The city administrator’s action plans focused on No Name/Granite Creek, and the proposed seaplane base on Japonski Island. The plan calls for relocating the existing seaplane facility from its present location in Sitka Channel off Katlian Street.
“It’s good to have an action plan so you can have a checklist and make progress,” said Administrator Keith Brady.
Most of the work on his list for the seaplane base related to acquisition of land from the Department of Education, and follow-up on FAA grant money available for the project.
Brady plans to update the state Board of Education on the project when the board meets Dec. 18. Brady said he plans to speak under Persons to be Heard since he is not on the agenda.
The Assembly has already approved a resolution in support of the project, and has budgeted $50,000 for initial engineering costs, but is hoping the rest of the $10 million to $12 million will be funded with an FAA grant.
Brady also created an action plan for the land north of Granite Creek, which the administrator recommended for development for residential, commercial and industrial purposes.
The work would start with a master plan, guided by the new planning director, who has not yet been hired. Brady said he hopes work on the master plan can start early next year.
The master plan will involve identifying the most logical locations for different uses, followed by an infrastructure plan.
