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- Category: Local News
- Created on Thursday, 04 June 2020 15:50
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Assembly members heard the professional consultants’ report on possible uses of the 830-acre parcel of city-owned land in the No Name Mountain area Wednesday during a joint work session with the Planning Commission.
Afterward, they expressed skepticism about the feasibility and cost of various development concepts.
The city had commissioned the professional study of the undeveloped area near the end of Halibut Point Road in hopes of opening it up for economic activity.
A recurring theme of the draft master plan presented by Jones and Jones Landscape Planners of Seattle was the high cost of developing the parcel.
“It doesn’t sound easy. It doesn’t sound inexpensive… Is it worth it?” Assembly member Steven Eisenbeisz asked, referring to the rough, marshy terrain in most of the area.
Jones and Jones analyst Charlie Scott replied that “It is very challenging. And as we got into the study we realized that maybe one of the reasons there hasn’t been more development here is that it is a very challenging site.”
Harbor Point and No Name Mountain are pictured this afternoon from the Old Sitka Cruise Ship Dock. A draft master plan for the Granite Creek to No Name Mountain area was discussed at a joint Assembly and Planning Commission meeting Wednesday. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
A key finding of the survey Scott said, was that housing built in the area would not be low-cost.
“Due to challenging site conditions and high construction costs, housing in the area is unlikely to provide much if any affordable housing. However, parts of the study area could be developed for high-end homes with views,” Scott said.
He added that there is interest in expanded quarry activities in the Granite Creek area.
“The two existing quarries in Sitka can meet foreseeable demand for construction rock,” he said “However, there is a strong feeling among local contractors that additional quarries need to be opened. Or that the city needs to modify its lease agreement for quarrying at Granite Creek.”
The report listed options for the Harbor Point area, the only waterfront area of the parcel. One use would be for “recreational tourism,” and the other for high-end housing.
Assembly member Thor Christianson said “I would advocate putting out proposals for it, and not necessarily saying how and letting the market decide to a certain extent, do we want to try for ‘Disneyland-North’ or for housing.”
Eisenbeisz raised a concern that building large tourist facilities in the area, near the end of Halibut Point Road, could reduce the number of cruise visitors coming downtown.
“It was touted as a benefit (in the study) that having recreational land would reduce busing into town. I believe our downtown merchants and businesses would take exception to that being a benefit. I’m a little cautious on that going forward,” said Eisenbeisz.
Assembly member Richard Wein echoed that concern. He cited the example of Icy Strait Point near Hoonah, which he believes reduces visitors to the town itself.
“You have one area where the cruise ships go and they have all the recreation there and it isolates them from the rest of town,” Wein said.
He also cautioned against putting too much dependence on the cruise industry.
“COVID has changed and will change the entire notion of cruising, because the ships are just incubators,” he added. He said he favors housing development for the site.
Explaining his concept of allowing market forces to determine the use of the desirable beachfront land, Christianson said he was not in favor of anything that would require a subsidy from the city. The uplands are unsuitable for most uses, he added.
“It’s too expensive to build up here, it’s too steep, and the ground is too wet,” he said.
Assembly member Valorie Nelson said she hoped for more Assembly discussion on the matter. She added that she was disappointed that no low-cost housing opportunities were presented.
“It’s not going to help with low-cost housing or anything like that. I think we’re totally failing, that Community Land Trust house they sold, that’s not affordable housing, no matter how you look at it,” she said.
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