By ARIADNE WILL
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Planning Commission concluded the first section of the Short-Term Tourism Plan at a regularly-held special meeting Wednesday evening.
Planning Director Amy Ainslie led commission members through their findings from the dispersion section of the plan — the part dedicated to looking at where to drop off tourists and how to get tourists dispersed throughout Sitka.
Ainslie said preliminary findings indicate that too many passengers in one area can hinder the visitor experience, that new and additional signage is needed, and that more tours and attractions will be needed.
The Planning Department made four recommendations upon the conclusion of the dispersion section of the plan. They were the encouragement of multiple tourist drop-off points, the investigation of a looping shuttle system downtown, big signage at drop-off points, and wayfinding apps and maps — which accompanies the commission’s goal of improving internet and cell service speed in Sitka.
The recommendations came from a month and a half of special meetings, as well as two industry-specific forums held by the commission.
There are also recommendations that are still in progress: the looping shuttle led to major discussion among commissioners, who wondered about the effect it could have on private tour operators and whether the cruise passenger excise tax (CPET) funds could be used to get it up and running.
Ainslie said city officials have indicated that CPET funds could be used to back the shuttle, although Assembly liaison Thor Christianson said the fund will likely have little money in it next year, given that there will not be much of a cruise ship season this year.
But with a limited season still having some days with more than 5,000 cruise passengers, it remains unclear what the health of the CPET fund will be next year.
Also still in progress is the commission’s planning around road construction scheduled to take place on Sawmill Creek Road next summer.
Ainslie said at the meeting that she’ll need to do some research on the plans for the Sawmill Creek construction so that the Planning Commission can suggest alternate ways for tour buses to get to attractions such as the Alaska Raptor Center and Fortress of the Bear.
The road is maintained by the state, meaning that city planning efforts will have to work around, rather than with, the construction.
More materials and comments from the dispersion section of the Short-Term Tourism Plan can be reached at sitka.legistar.com, click on the agenda link for the July 7 meeting marked as “**Special Meeting**”
Comments, concerns, and questions regarding the plan can be sent to planning@cityofsitk.org.
