By ARIADNE WILL
Sentinel Staff Writer
As part of their ongoing work on the Short-term Tourism Plan, the Sitka Planning Commission discussed the Sitka Gateway Plan, Cruise Passenger Excise Tax information, tourist transit services, and this year’s cruise calendar, at their meeting Wednesday.
Darrell Windsor and Katie Riley were absent; Wendy Alderson and Stacy Mudry joined the meeting via Zoom.
The discussion points came from information city planning staff provided at the commission’s request at previous meetings.
Sitka Gateway Plan
Planning Director Amy Ainslie pulled up parking and traffic information compiled by the National Park Service 24 years ago in a tourism-related study of the community called the Sitka Gateway Plan.
The information gave commissioners new ideas of where additional downtown parking could be added.
Public comment from Pat Kehoe and Charles Bingham suggested making Lincoln Street one-way and expanding the sidewalks.
Kehoe said that if Lincoln was made a one-way street, it could allow for a looping shuttle in the area.
Alderson suggested that the small alleyways such as the one between Russell’s and Log Cache be made more inviting and passable. She said this could allow a route tourists could take from the waterfront to the downtown shopping area.
Transit Services Contract
Commissioners discussed the contract between the city and Halibut Point Marine Services to shuttle cruise passengers between the Halibut Point Road dock and Centennial Hall.
The contract awards $1.07 per cruise passenger and is funded through cruise passenger head taxes.
The contract is up for renewal this year, and Ainslie said it’s likely to be renewed by the Assembly because of the cruise ships scheduled to arrive beginning in July.
The contract will need to be reviewed again in 2022. Commissioners expressed interest in changing stipulations such as that buses carry at least 48 passengers.
Electric buses were again mentioned as an alternative to the current diesel vehicles. Assembly liaison Thor Christianson said he heard of an electric bus costing $500,000 — Commissioner Stacy Mudry said they cost around $1 million each — and expressed interest in looking more into electric buses.
Chris McGraw of Halibut Point Marine Services told the commission that the key to handling so many tourists will be to disperse them well throughout the town.
He said his company has handled similar numbers of tourists before — as many as 8,000 cruise passengers on some days — and that the 16-bus fleet is equipped to shuttle the passengers in accordance with the current transit services contract.
Charles Bingham suggested Sitka Tribe of Alaska and the Community Ride also become involved in a new transit services contract.
Cruise Calendar
Ainslie presented the commission with a breakdown of cruise passenger numbers and the percentage of days in the season with various numbers of cruise passengers.
She said that on 14% of the 159 days on the 2022 calendar no cruise passengers will arive, while on another 14% of the days 6,000 to more than 8,000 passengers will be here.
Thor Christianson, right, Assembly liaison to the Sitka Planning Commission, listens to information about next year’s cruise ship schedule from Chris McGraw, manager of Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal, at a special Planning Commission meeting Monday night. (Sentinel photo by Shannon Haugland)
Only seven days are scheduled to bring in more than 8,000 cruise passengers next summer.
McGraw confirmed cruise passengers will be coming next year, unless another pandemic or similar international emergency hits.
He also suggested the city experiment with some new traffic patterns this year, as he’s forecasting a few 5,000-passenger days this summer.
Commissioners raised concerns over cruise ships docking early and contributing to morning and evening traffic.
Ainslie said boats docking especially early are often smaller ones that dock in the downtown area.
She said, too, that not all passengers are ready to go into town right when the ship docks, meaning that a ship arriving at 6 a.m. likely won’t have several buses going to town at 6:30 a.m.
John Stein submitted a written public comment suggesting a subscription restroom cleaning service for downtown public restrooms – within businesses and otherwise – and suggested a small map of those public restrooms be compiled.
CPET Fund Information
Ainslie told commissioners that the use of Cruise Passenger Excise Tax funds for the Short-Term Tourism Plan will depend on whether the city will be able to justify it under the rules that the money can be used for direct service to cruise vessels and for things that enhance the safety and efficiency of interstate travelers.
Ainslie noted that claims of enhancing the safety and efficiency of interstate travelers must be documented and have objective support.
Christianson said this doesn’t mean that the city can’t be creative, and pointed to projects such as the Sea Walk and the Centennial Hall remodel as uses of CPET funds that have abided by the enhancement guideline.
