By ARIADNE WILL
Sentinel Staff Writer
In a special meeting Wednesday night, the Planning Commission went over the first draft of the Short-Term Tourism Plan.
City Planning Director Amy Ainslie went through each of the plan’s four sections – dispersion, transportation, traffic, and infrastructure and future planning needs – stopping at the end of each section for discussion.
The plan has been in development since May, and is a reaction to a forecast of 480,000 cruise passengers expected to visit Sitka next summer.
A handful of Sitkans, most of them connected to visitor-related businesses, attended in person.
Those who spoke under public comment urged the planning department to make sure the plan meets the needs of local residents as well as those of visitors. Much of the plan is aimed at providing cruise passengers with access to restrooms and other amenities, giving direction on where to go for tours, shopping, and other activities, and transporting them to tourist attractions.
Trudy Prewitt of Sitka Tours told the panel she wants to see cooperation from Alaska Coach Tours, which shuttles tourists between the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal and town. She said her business has come up with compromises and she will be talking more with Alaska Coach to encourage them to do the same.
Shauna Thornton of First National Bank Alaska expressed concern about how visitor traffic might affect her business. She said the commission’s recommendation that Lincoln Street be shut down on days with more than 4,000 cruise passengers would make the bank’s drive-through inaccessible.
Thornton said the bank has spent much of the past year teaching customers how to use the drive-through, and removing that access might cause confusion and frustration.
Andy Nye of Sitka Zodiac Adventures said he was afraid that having to relocate his tour business to a spot behind Centennial Hall would make it less likely tourists would see it.
Nye said his is the only local tour business that’s dependent on walk-ups, as it only got started in 2019.
Commissioners said they will look into making sure new businesses are given opportunity to thrive even with changes at Centennial Hall.
Encouragement of additional excursion businesses and ventures is included in the Short-Term Tourism Plan, as more local attractions will be required to accommodate heightened numbers of seasonal visitors.
Commissioners’ suggestions for the plan Wednesday included minor wording changes and a request that the planning department include an analysis of ADA accessible parking spots.
The meeting was the last on the Short-Term Tourism Plan prior to a joint work session with the Assembly, scheduled for Jan. 13. The commission is to meet Jan. 19 to make their recommendation on the plan, which will go before the Assembly on Jan. 25.
The plan can be viewed in full by visiting sitka.legistar.com, clicking on the agenda for the Dec. 15 Planning Commission meeting.
A survey regarding opinions on the plan will also be available beginning later today. It can be accessed by visiting cityofsitka.com, or can be filled out in person at the library, city hall, and Centennial Hall.
