By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
How many tourists do we want in Sitka, and is it possible to set a limit?
What land use regulations and waterfront policies are needed in light of the growing tourism industry?
What comprehensive policies can Sitka set to limit impacts on local residents and businesses?
The Assembly at its regular Tuesday meeting will look at assigning those and other questions to a Tourism Task Force. The establishment of a task force is listed on the agenda as a “discussion/ direction/ decision” item.
Also at the meeting, the Assembly will consider:
- appointments to the Health Needs and Human Services Commission, and Gary Paxton Industrial Park board of directors.
- marijuana and liquor license renewal applications.
- authorization of an application for a grant for the Wachusetts Storm Sewer Rehabilitation Project.
- discussion of crosswalks and other safety improvements – and funding sources – for a crosswalk at Raptor Way and Sawmill Creek Road, and on Harbor Drive, near Harrigan Centennial Hall, where tourists and others walk across the road.
The task force discussion will come at the end of the Assembly meeting. Chris Ystad, who is co-sponsoring the task force agenda item with JJ Carlson, said he’s eager to hear what other Assembly members say to the idea of a task force dedicated to long-term tourism policies. He said he’s open to any changes to the proposed composition of members, and list of tasks.
“I don’t have a dog in the fight, it is what it is,” he said. “Whatever the group comes up with at the end – I’m happy to move forward with that. I don’t think anyone wants a no-holds-barred tourist industry here; I think everyone does know there’s some sort of limit, but what is that and how do we achieve that?”
“We’re doing all of this because the quality of life of Sitkans is our top priority,” Carlson said. “When it comes to tourism it’s doing what we can, so we can enjoy our hometown.”
She said the task force’s priority should be local residents and businesses.
“It’s our daily functions, being able to get to the grocery store, and get our tasks done,” she said. “It’s being able to use our library, it’s accessing our favorite walks and getting to work.”
The Planning Commission and Assembly adopted the short-term tourism plan last year before the busy summer season that saw some 378,000 cruise visitors. By latest estimates, this summer has a cruise ship capacity of 540,000.
A tourist uses the restroom on Lincoln st. last year. (Sentinel Photo)
Ystad’s conversations with members of the public have run the gamut.
“I think some people want it (the local tourism industry) very much limited, and some people don’t, and some people want a mixture of in-between,” he said.
“People care about it, they haven’t told me what they want the outcome to be,” Carlson said. “But they’re happy to see the Assembly cares about long-term solutions.”
In their memo to the Assembly, Ystad and Carlson pose possible questions and tasks to consider, and the makeup of a nine-member task force:
- one appointed by Sitka Tribe of Alaska.
- one appointed by Port and Harbors (either a commission member or nonmember)
- one appointed by the Sustainability Commission (commission member or nonmember).
- Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal
- Assembly liaison
- tours and attractions (2)
- staff liaison (nonvoting)
- Lincoln Street business.
- community at-large (two)
- Visit Sitka (ex-officio)
“Once the applications are received it’ll come back to us (the Assembly) and we’ll choose our appointments to the seats,” Ystad said.
In their memo Carlson and Ystad propose a kickoff meeting in April “to review their directives, and outline any information members may want to gather/document over the course of the summer.” The task force would then reconvene in the fall ”to begin working on a regular basis.”
Ystad and Carlson came up with proposed tasks for the task force:
1. Review the city and borough of Juneau’s findings regarding ideas to cap or limit tourism, and make recommendations of their applicability to Sitka, and recommend appropriate levels of tourism here.
2. Develop an annual review cycle for city tourism-related operations, including services, community input, and making recommendations to changes. The task force also may recommend uses of the cruise ship excise tax funds, and recommend which public body will take on this task.
3. Assist in the development of a Tourism Management Best Practices program.
4. Make recommendations on land use regulations and waterfront development policies that might be needed in light of tourism increases.
5. Discuss possible ways to cooperate with other Southeast communities on cruise tourism issues.
Carlson said the issue of setting a cap or limiting cruise ship tourism is one that Juneau has looked into as well, and she thought reviewing Juneau’s legal research would be a good starting point for the task force.
“Or start with our own independent research,” Carlson said. “With legal questions, you generally start with precedence.” Juneau’s general guidelines state a preference to limiting the number of ships in town to five, but it is nonbinding, Carlson said.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at Harrigan Centennial Hall.
