Juneauites have a few chances to get involved in local government this week, with multiple meetings being open to the public.
Funding for downtown waterfront project
At the regular City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting tonight, an ordinance involving a new waterfront development to support cruise passenger growth in Juneau will be discussed.
In the agenda of tonight’s meeting, City Manager Rorie Watt recommends that public hearing on this item be pushed back, after a recent court order changed the way cities can spend money that they collect from marine passenger fees and port development fees (head taxes) that are fees collected from each cruise ship passenger.
[Judge makes ruling on cruise ship lawsuit]
“Passenger benefits are not relevant,” Judge H. Russel Holland wrote in his 35-page decision. “The proper question as to each category of expenditure by (the CBJ) is: Does the expenditure provide a service to a vessel? If the answer is yes, the expenditure is constitutional. If the answer is no, the expenditure is unconstitutional under the Tonnage Clause.”
View the full agenda for the meeting on the CBJ website.
Auke Bay zoning
CBJ has been working on developing a new plan for Auke Bay. Two weeks ago, they held a public input meeting to mixed response.
There are two zoning districts being proposed: a smaller “town center” Community Mixed-Use district and an overlay district that is larger and encompasses the town center district.
The main differences in the proposed zoning include changes that would increase lot sizes, require buildings to put their parking in the back or on sides of buildings and incentivize, but not require, developers to build the higher density buildings that CBJ planners hope for.
The next meeting will be held at noon on Dec. 20 at 230 S. Franklin St.
Search for next District 1 Assembly member
Assembly member Jesse Kiehl was elected in early November to the state Senate. In anticipation of his resignation in January, the Assembly began accepting Letters of Interest and Declaration of Candidacy forms on Nov. 30. They’re accepting applications through the close of the business day on Jan. 2, 2019.
Residents eligible for the District 1 seat must live in downtown Juneau, Douglas, North Douglas, Lemon Creek or near the airport. If you have questions about which Assembly District you reside in, you may contact the Clerk’s Office to confirm your eligibility.
Per CBJ code, the appointed candidate will serve “until the next regularly scheduled election” in Oct. 2019, at which time the seat will be placed on the municipal ballot for the remaining year of the term.
Declaration of Candidacy forms are available on the CBJ website or in hard copy at the Municipal Clerk’s Office. In addition to the requirement to file a Declaration of Candidacy form and Letter of Interest, the person appointed to the seat will be required to file an Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) Public Official Financial Disclosure Statement within 30 days of taking office.
• Contact reporter Mollie Barnes at mbarnes@juneauempire.com or 523-2228.
