Planning Commission

CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Minutes - Final Planning Commission Chris Spivey, Chair Darrell Windsor, Vice Chair Debra Pohlman Randy Hughey Richard Parmelee Tuesday, March 7, 2017 7:00 PM Harrigan Centennial Hall I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Chris Spivey called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM. Present: Spivey, Windsor, Hughey, Knox (Assembly Liaison) Absent: Pohlman (excused), Parmelee (excused) II. CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA III. CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES A Approval of the February 21, 2017 meeting minutes. Hughey/Windsor moved to APPROVE the February 21, 2017 meeting minutes. Motion PASSED 3-0. IV. PUBLIC BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR Bob Sam spoke on the importance of including cemeteries in preservation plans. There are over 20 major cemeteries in Sitka. Sam stated that the community needs to take responsibility for maintaining and respecting cemeteries. Vandalism has recently occurred. Sam stated that discovered graves should not be labeled “inadvertent discoveries.” VI. REPORTS B Planning Regulations and Procedures. VII. THE EVENING BUSINESS C Discussion and direction on the Parks and Recreation Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Planning and Community Development Director Maegan Bosak gave an introduction on the Comprehensive Plan process. Consultant Barb Sheinberg gave an overview of this meeting’s agenda and the upcoming schedule. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 1 Planning Commission Minutes - Final March 7, 2017 Sheinberg introduced the Parks, Trails & Recreation draft chapter. Work on this chapter has involved discussions with representatives of numerous entities involved with local recreation. Sheinberg stated that Sitkans really value recreation. The community has earned recognition as being friendly to biking and walking. Sheinberg stated that the municipality is involved with maintaining approximately 50 recreation sites. Sheinberg displayed a map of trails and other recreation sites. Sheinberg outlined general parks and recreation standards. Sitka exceeds the standards in regard to acreage. Sitka is below the standards for revenue, budget, and employment. Assembly Liaison Kevin Knox asked about how to quantify the contributions of Community Schools, other outside organizations, and volunteers. Sheinberg stated that there is a struggle to achieve sustainability. Sheinberg stated that consideration should be given to how facilities are being used and by how many users. Spivey stated that many of the listed activities are managed by Community Schools. Sheinberg stated that there are 79 commercial guides in the Sitka Ranger District. Sheinberg showed a graph depicting increasing use of Sitka’s US Forest Service cabins and campgrounds. Sheinberg outlined challenges to 1) syncing the high value of recreation with funding support, 2) prioritizing the maintenance of existing facilities, 3) upgrading playgrounds to newer safety standards, 4) managing Sitka’s urban forestry program, 5) using the triple bottom line to evaluate new projects and investments, 6) providing recreation opportunities for Sitka’s growing senior population, 7) operating funding for Mt. Edgecumbe Aquatic Center, 8) re-opening state parks offices in Sitka, 9) access to future uplands and alpine for recreation, 10) remote area recreation and land/waters, and 11) Katlian Bay Road extension. Sheinberg outlined the draft goal and objectives. Bosak introduced a group activity. Groups were instructed to build a park . Park components were given scores based on the cost of construction and maintentance, and groups were instructed to aim to keep the overall scores of their parks low. After 10 minutes, Bosak asked each group to share about their park to the larger group. BREAK 8:05-8:15 D Discussion and direction on the Historic, Cultural, and Arts Resources Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Sheinberg gave an overview of the Historical, Cultural, and Arts Resources draft chapter and thanked individuals and organizations that contributed information to the chapter. Sheinberg stated that it is hard to imagine another place in Alaska with more significant history than Sitka. Sheinberg outlined work conducted by the Sitka Village Planning Council and Sitka Tribe of Alaska. Sheinberg stated that STA’s 1995 Historic Preservation Plan was the first plan of its kind to be approved by any local Native government in the United States. Sheinberg displayed STA’s place names maps. Sheinberg outlined the city’s 35 years of work toward historic preservation. Sheinberg outlined the goals of the draft Historic Preservation Plan. Sheinberg explained the Certified Local Government program and multi-jurisdictional tax benefits for historic preservation. Sheinberg outlined arts and cultural facilities and organizations. Sheinberg explained the economic benefits of historic, cultural, and arts resources. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 2 Planning Commission Minutes - Final March 7, 2017 Sheinberg gave an example by outlining economic statistics related to Sitka Fine Arts Camp. Sheinberg outlined the chapter’s goal. The key questions are 1) what opportunities and challenges should Sitkans work to achieve and address over the next 15 years and 2) what is the municipality’s role? Sheinberg asked attendees to take 5 minutes to write down opportunities and challenges related to this chapter. Scott Saline showed the commission a map of municipally and privately owned land on Katlian Avenue. Saline proposes a land swap between the city and Hames Corporation to allow for the development of city parking that was planned in 1984 and access to the ocean. The overall goal is to return tribal land to Sitka Tribe of Alaska. Commissioner Randy Hughey asked about the citation of a quote, and Saline stated that it was from city documents. Saline stated that the creation of small lots was part of a regulatory taking. Spivey and Commissioner Darrell Windsor stated interest in looking into the idea. Hughey stated that the waterfront land was confiscated during the war years and never returned to native ownership, and this project may be the right thing to do. Charles Bingham stated that work has been done on the Lincoln Street District and Mission District historic plans and these should be followed through to finalization. Gerald Neel asked who is the representative for the Native community in Saline’s plan, and stated that the community should be at the table. Bob Sam stated that STA and the city have a working government-to-government relationship. Sam stated that he likes to see Native people in the room speaking on issues of concern to Native people. Sam stated that many tourists come to look for Princess Maksoutoff’s grave and other historic graves, but no one is giving good quality tours of these graves. Another unmet need is to help tourists find other sacred sites. Commissioners discussed that this could be an action item. Anne Pollnow stated that the library has a catalog of gravesites. Pollnow spoke her support for Revitalize Sitka. Pollnow stated that we should not forget the Filipino community. Windsor suggested that the planning office get copies of the catalog to hand out when requested. Knox stated that this board has been bringing more voices to the table during the Comprehensive Plan process, and he would like to see this networking continue. Sheinberg asked if Knox would like to see the commission hold occasional discussions on topics like has occurred during the Comprehensive Plan, and Knox stated yes. Spivey stated that the commission has been primarily doing zoning, but the commission should be making more intentional steps to gauge progress toward goals. Bosak stated that the commission has made a commitment to long-range planning and other plans and code updates are coming. Bosak recommends that the commission engage in short-term planning at one meeting per month and long-range planning at the other meeting. Scarcelli stated that the Parks and Recreation Committee’s meeting in a box results centered around the importance of collaboration. Kitty Sopow stated interest in indigenous language street names, outside art classes for tourists, and monthly art festivals. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 3 Planning Commission Minutes - Final March 7, 2017 V. PLANNING DIRECTOR’S REPORT Bosak stated that Nakwasina Sound Subdivision lots are now for sale. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Spivey adjourned the meeting at 9:16 PM. ATTEST: ____________________ Samantha Pierson, Planner I CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 4