https://juneau.zoom.us/j/91515424903 or 1-253-215-8782 Webinar ID: 915 1542 4903
Submitted By:
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Katie Koester, City Manager
We would like to acknowledge that the City and Borough of Juneau is on Tlingit land and wish to honor the indigenous people of this land. For more than ten thousand years, Alaska Native people have been and continue to be integral to the well-being of our community. We are grateful to be in this place, a part of this community, and to honor the culture, traditions, and resilience of the Tlingit people. Gunalchéesh!
Public Request for Consent Agenda Changes, Other than Ordinances for Introduction
Assembly Request for Consent Agenda Changes
Assembly Action
During the Fall 2024, Round Four competition of the Juneau Affordable Housing Fund (JAHF), two projects were awarded funding through a competitive funding round. The awardees were announced at the November 4, 2024, Lands Housing and Economic Development Committee meeting. The 220 Front Street apartment project was approved at the December 16, 2024, Assembly meeting.
This project is seeking to build 20 units affordable to households making 80% of the area median income (AMI). During the initial competition, this project placed second and was awarded the remainder of the available competitive funds in the amount of $1 million. Because the original request for funding was $1.1 million, it was not fully funded. The Assembly, at their December 16th meeting, requested full funding of this project by awarding the additional $100,000 to meet the $1.1 million request.
This project meets the intent of the JAHF award guidelines document and the 2016 Housing Action Plan.
The City Manager recommends this ordinance be introduced and set for public hearing at the next Assembly meeting.
This ordinance would appropriate $5 million of grant funds from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities’ Harbor Facility Grants Program. This funding would provide support for the phase IV of the Aurora Harbor project. Phase IV project work includes the installation of new main walks J and K in the north end of the basin, completing the headwall float to reconnect the north parking lot to the harbor; updating the gangway, electrical system, lighting, potable water, and fire suppression systems; and installing a new Tee float on main walk H. The local match requirement will be met with existing 2017 and 2022 1% Sales Tax and Harbor Enterprise fund balance. Docks and Harbors anticipates a bid award in February 2025.
The use of 2017 1% Sales Tax funds is consistent with the intent of the of the initiative approved by voters in the October 4, 2016 municipal election. The use of 2022 1% Sales Tax funds is consistent with the intent of the of the initiative approved by voters in the October 4, 2022 municipal election.
The Docks and Harbor Board will review this request at the January 30, 2025 regular meeting.
The City Manager recommends this ordinance be introduced and set for public hearing at the next Assembly meeting.
Juneau Economic Development Council’s (JEDC) property at 612 W. Willoughby Ave. Suite A does not qualify for CBJ’s non-profit property tax exemption in 2024 because they did not submit their exemption application timely. As a result, property taxes cannot be exempted for 2024, and must be paid by JEDC. This is an unanticipated financial burden for JEDC. This grant would, in effect, acknowledge the intended non-profit purpose of 612 W. Willoughby Ave. Suite A, even though it did not meet the strict legal criteria to be exempted.
The Assembly Finance Committee will review this request at the January 8, 2025 meeting.
The City Manager recommends this ordinance be introduced, referred to the Assembly Finance Committee, and set for public hearing at the next regular Assembly meeting.
Parks and Recreation has been working with AEL&P and AJT Mining Properties to improve recreational access between Cope Park and the Gold Creek Flume. By relocating an 86-foot long timber bridge from Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei (Brotherhood Bridge Trail) to Cope Park, a new trail connection can be made. This connection will require crossing approximately 250 feet of property owned by AJT. AJT has offered an easement at no cost. Alaska Statute 09.65.202 provides for a level of indemnification for landowners that allow recreational use of their land without charge. Ordinance 2025-01 allows the Manager to execute an agreement and allows an exception to the general prohibition on indemnification.
The City Manager recommends this ordinance be introduced and set for public hearing at the next Assembly meeting.
This resolution would facilitate the CBJ’s participation in the State’s FY2025 Shared Fisheries Business Tax Program by certifying to the State that the CBJ suffered significant effects during calendar year 2023 from fisheries business activities within the CBJ’s qualifying area.
Pursuant to this program, the State distributes a share of State fishery revenues to each participating community in the Northern Southeast area.
It is anticipated that the CBJ’s share will be approximately $1,431.58.
Clerk's note: This resolution was originally before the Assembly at its December 16, 2024 meeting but the resolution document was inadvertently marked as confidential and did not appear in any of the published packet materials. The resolution is now included in the packet for Assembly action.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly adopt this resolution.
Per CBJ Code 44.10.120, tentative agreements between BRH and the ILWU must be presented to the Assembly for review and ratification. The Hospital Board approved this agreement at its December 19, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly adopt this resolution.
While the Assembly typically declines to take a position on statewide issues, Proposal 156 will directly impact Juneau and Southeast Alaska by reducing hatchery permitted pink and chum salmon egg take levels by 25%. Southeast hatcheries produce chum salmon to supplement wild stocks and sustain commercial fisheries. In 2024, hatcheries contributed approximately $34 million of the estimated $75 million commercial harvest value to Southeast Alaska’s economy; 86% of that value was from chum salmon. A reduction to salmon production will impact our local hatchery, DIPAC, our commercial fisheries, our charter fisheries, as well as our subsistence and personal use fishing.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly adopt this resolution.
CBJ has entered a Participating Agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass National Forest. Through this agreement, CBJ has been awarded $1,000,000 in funding that would provide for continued technical and financial support for near-term studies to provide base line data for the United States Army Corps of Engineers General Investigation study to find a long-term solution to future Mendenhall Lake outburst flooding. The local match requirement of $326,707 will be met by in-kind Engineering and Public Works personnel service costs which must be met by the end of the agreement.
The Systemic Racism Review Committee reviewed this ordinance at its December 17, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
This proposed rezone requested by CBJ (applicant) is consistent with development to the west and north. Bonnie Brae and Blacktail Subdivisions to the west are zoned D3. Lots to the north along North Douglas Highway are also zoned D3. Development will be challenging due to mapped wetlands and slopes in excess of 18 percent.
The Planning Commission heard this proposal at its regular meeting on October 22, 2024. The Planning Commission recommends the Assembly approve the rezone.
The Assembly Lands, Housing & Economic Development Committee reviewed this request at the December 2, 2024 meeting.
The Systemic Racism Review Committee reviewed this ordinance at its December 17, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
This proposed rezone requested by CBJ (applicant) is uphill from the Auke Bay community core. Staff recommends reducing the applicant’s scope to eliminate incompatible Comprehensive Plan land use designations, resulting in a total of approximately 29.5 acres for rezone. Mapped wetlands cover most of the proposed rezone, which will increase development costs.
The Planning Commission accepted Staff recommendation at its regular meeting on October 22, 2024. The Planning Commission recommends the Assembly approve the reduced scope rezone.
The Assembly Lands, Housing & Economic Development Committee reviewed this request at its December 2, 2024 meeting.
The Systemic Racism Review Committee reviewed this ordinance at its December 17, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
The applicant (CBJ) requests a rezone of approximately 33 acres uphill (north) of 15700 Glacier Highway from RR to D3 (in the Auke Bay area).
The Planning Commission considered this proposal at its regular meeting on October 22, 2024. The Planning Commission recommends the Assembly approve the rezone.
The Assembly Lands, Housing & Economic Development Committee reviewed this request at the December 2, 2024 meeting.
The Systemic Racism Review Committee reviewed this ordinance at its December 17, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
Applicant (CBJ) requests a rezone for approximately six acres at the end of Karl Reishus Boulevard from 10SF to D10 creating opportunity for multifamily housing.
The Planning Commission considered this proposal at its regular meeting on October 22, 2024. The Planning Commission recommends the Assembly approve the rezone.
The Assembly Lands, Housing & Economic Development Committee reviewed this request at the December 2, 2024 meeting.
The Systemic Racism Review Committee reviewed this ordinance at its December 17, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
At the Regular Planning Commission meeting on October 22, 2024, the Commission voted to recommend approval of a CBJ (applicant) request rezone of 39 acres of CBJ land south of Grant Creek from D3 to D18. A fraction of these 39 acres was subject to a 2022 Property Acquisition and Disposal (PAD2022 0002) that received a recommendation of approval from the Planning Commission and Assembly Lands Housing and Economic Development Committee.
The Planning Commission recommends the Assembly approve the rezone.
The Assembly Lands, Housing & Economic Development Committee reviewed this request at the December 2, 2024 meeting.
The Systemic Racism Review Committee reviewed this ordinance at its December 17, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
At the Regular Planning Commission meeting on October 22, 2024, the Commission voted to recommend approval of a CBJ (applicant) rezone of approximately 87 acres of undeveloped land north of Grant Creek from D3 to D15. Rezone is consistent with the adjacent zoning district.
The Assembly Lands, Housing & Economic Development Committee reviewed this request at the December 2, 2024 meeting.
The Systemic Racism Review Committee reviewed this ordinance at its December 17, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
On April 23, 2024, the Planning Commission, at its special public meeting, adopted the analysis and findings listed in the attached memorandum dated April 16, 2024, and recommended that the City and Borough Assembly adopt staff's recommendation for a text amendment to adopt the Blueprint Downtown Area Plan as an addendum to the CBJ Comprehensive Plan with revisions noted in the staff report. The Commission added a recommendation to encourage a stronger focus on housing with preference language for projects involving housing downtown.
The Assembly discussed the adoption of the recommended text amendment at the June 3, 2024 Lands, Housing, and Economic Development Committee and the September 9, 2024 Committee of the Whole meeting. After discussion about adoption options, resolution vs. ordinance, the COW passed a motion to direct staff to draft an ordinance to adopt the Blueprint Downtown Area Plan as part of the CBJ Comprehensive Plan, 7-1.
It is noted that grammatical and formatting errors will be resolved prior to the final printing of the Plan. A handful of corrections recommended for approval are noted in Attachment A.
The draft Blueprint Downtown Area Plan may be found online: https://juneau.org/community-development/blueprint-downtown.
The Systemic Racism Review Committee reviewed this ordinance at its December 17, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
In July 2024, the CBJ Assembly made $4,000,000 available for use by for-profit and non-profit organizations, public and regional housing authorities, and tribal governments interested in the creation of affordable and workforce housing in the City and Borough of Juneau. On November 4, 2024, The LHED Committee reviewed funding recommendations and forwarded this project to the full Assembly for approval.
This ordinance appropriates $3,000,000 to the Creekside Apartments project.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
This ordinance would transfer $288,836 from the Juneau Police Department Roof Replacement CIP to the Deferred Building Maintenance CIP. This transfer would return unspent funds previously appropriated through 2023-04(b)(G). This project is complete and ready to be closed and does not require the remaining funds.
This transfer of project funding is consistent with the intent of the 2022 1% Sales Tax initiative approved by voters in the October 4, 2022 municipal election.
The Public Works and Facilities Committee reviewed this request at the December 2, 2024 meeting.
The Systemic Racism Review Committee reviewed this ordinance at its December 17, 2024 meeting.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly take public testimony and adopt this ordinance.
In September 2024, Luke and Keely Paden submitted and application to the Lands Office with a request to purchase a 0.6 acre waterfront property located adjacent to the Jensen-Olson Arboretum. The 2016 adopted Land Management Plan lists this property as “Retain”, and this property is managed by the Parks and Recreation Department as public access to the waterfront. Disposal of this property is inconsistent with adopted plans, including the Comprehensive Plan, Land Management Plan, and Parks & Recreation Master Plan. It is also inconsistent with Ordinance 96-26 because this parcel has been “preserved from other uses for the purpose of inclusion in the Juneau Open Space & Parks System.” The Lands, Housing, and Economic Development (LHED) Committee reviewed this application at the 12/02/24 meeting and provided a motion to deny this application.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly adopt a motion to deny the Paden application to purchase the property adjacent to the Jensen-Olsen Arboretum in accordance with the motion passed at the December 2, 2024 Lands, Housing and Economic Development Committee meeting.
The ownership for the uplands property of the Seadrome Building (76 Egan Drive) is a quilt work of small parcels owned by Goldbelt (dba Cultural Preservation, Inc.) and by CBJ (managed by Docks & Harbors). The property lines create challenges for both the CBJ and Goldbelt including the CBJ not having access from Egan Drive to CBJ property; and, Goldbelt, owner of the Seadrome Building, stymied in developing meaningful improvements due to the layout of the multiple parcels, each requiring setbacks. Goldbelt is proposing an land exchange, potentially including purchase & sale of CBJ property, with Docks & Harbors for re-development of the Seadrome Building. Goldbelt’s preliminary plans would be to raze and replace the existing building with a facility suited for the downtown waterfront.
If supported by Assembly motion, negotiations with Goldbelt will commence and a purchase & sales agreement or new lease will be returned to the Assembly for adoption by ordinance via the Docks & Harbors Board. There are no monetary commitments by CBJ with this motion for direct negotiations with Goldbelt. The Lands, Housing and Economic Development Committee reviewed this application at the December 2, 2024 meeting and provided a motion of support. In December 2022, the LHED Committee provided a similar motion of support.
The City Manager recommends the Assembly adopt a motion of support to consider the proposal.
Mayor's Report
Committee and Liaison Reports
Presiding Officer Reports
The public may participate in person or via Zoom webinar. Testimony time will be limited by the Mayor based on the number of participants. Members of the public that want to provide oral testimony via remote participation must notify the Municipal Clerk prior to 4pm the day of the meeting by calling 907-586-5278 and indicating the topic(s) upon which they wish to testify. For in-person participation at the meeting, a sign-up sheet will be made available at the back of the Chambers and advance sign-up is not required. Members of the public are encouraged to send their comments in advance of the meeting to BoroughAssembly@juneau.gov.
ADA accommodations available upon request: Please contact the Clerk's office 36 hours prior to any meeting so arrangements can be made for closed captioning or sign language interpreter services depending on the meeting format. The Clerk's office telephone number is 586-5278, e-mail: city.clerk@juneau.gov.