By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka Planning Commission on Wednesday approved a parking plan for the housing development on the old Presbyterian Church property at the corner of Baranof Street and Sawmill Creek Road.
Rachel Jones, one of the property owners, presented options for the parking needs of the combined short-term rentals and long-term housing on the property at 505 Sawmill Creek Road.
The parking details were required after the Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit allowing five short-term rentals in a proposed multifamily development. The parking plans for the property also cover onsite parking for the 11 long-term rental units.
Representatives of the state DOT and the contractor on the Sawmill Creek Road upgrade project inspect work near the Baranof Street intersection today in preparation for the winter shutdown of construction work on the state highway. The photo also shows the parking lot for the housing development on the old Presbyterian Church property. The Planning Commission Wednesday approved a plan allowing cars to exit this parking lot and turn right onto SMC. (Sentinel Photo)
The planning department said the planning code requires 24 parking spaces, but the commission could require more or allow fewer than that number. The commission voted in favor of the minimum required under the code, 24.
Planning Commission members Katie Riley, Stacy Mudry, Darrell Windsor and Chairman Chris Spivey weighed neighbor comments and the benefits of parking versus green space in their decision.
“My thought is the more parking they have, the better,” Spivey said. There were no public comments at the meeting, but members of the public have voiced concerns about parking. Riley said a few neighbors have also weighed in in favor of green space.
The other part of the motion was agreeing to the traffic pattern into and out of the parking lot at the Baranof Street and Sawmill Creek Road corner, and the separate parking area behind the old church.
For the lot on the corner, commission members agreed that the best plan was to enter the parking lot from Baranof Street, and exit onto SMC. Jones said she and others in the LLC owning the property plan to make the exit onto SMC right-turn-only.
Commission members said they thought no special directions, such as right or left turn only, were needed of traffic exiting onto Baranof Street, from the back lot.
In her report to the commission, city Planning Director Amy Ainslie brought up concerns from neighbors, one of which included photos of vehicles parked on sidewalks and an overflowing garbage can on the property. The owners said the additional traffic, garbage and parking issues were due to contractors using the space and facilities for the Sawmill Creek Road project. Jones added that the contractors were leaving this month.
The commission in its unanimous vote agreed the property owners had satisfied code requirements on parking, that traffic on the front lot could enter on Baranof Street and exit on SMC, and that no requirement was needed on left or right turn for cars exiting onto Baranof Street from the other lot.
Seaplane Base Final Plat
The commission also voted to approve a final plat on a minor subdivision related to plans for a city-owned seaplane base on the northwest end of Japonski Island.
The city is negotiating with the state to acquire the larger Department of Education parcel in the subdivision.
The subdivision would create two lots at 1190 Seward Avenue. The larger of the lot will be purchased by the city to develop the seaplane base, and the smaller will continue to be used by the Coast Guard for a driveway adjacent to their property.
The Coast Guard did use a 1975 right-of-way grant to develop a driveway which is used to access several facilities on the property.
“USCG has agreed to reduce the boundaries of their ROW grant to the area actually used (now the boundaries for the proposed Lot 2A), which frees space on the remainder of the lot for seaplane base development and also resolves the encumbrance on the larger lot, enabling FAA sponsorship for the project location and reimbursement for the land acquisition,” the planning director’s report says.
The city’s plan to secure title to the state-owned land is part of the city plan for a new floatplane base on Japonski Island to replace the old seaplane float off Katlian Street. Plans call for 93.75 percent of the cost of the new floatplane facility to be covered by FAA.
The planning commission vote gives final approval of final plat to result in two lots at 1190 Seward Avenue in the Public Lands district. The approval states that the present land use will continue in effect until a later date.
The commission also approved conditions and findings related to complying with permits and codes, easement maintenance, the comprehensive plan and protection of the public health, safety and welfare.
