The Pederson Hill Subdivision is inching closer and closer to becoming a reality. The proposed subdivision will go before the Juneau Planning Commission on Tuesday, Feb. 28, for a preliminary plat approval and city project review, according to a release from the City and Borough of Juneau.
The proposed subdivision would contain 86 residential lots. This is a regulatory step toward developing it. Land & Resources Manager Greg Chaney said Juneau is facing a shortage of available lots at the moment, and this plan would help.
“The goal for Pederson Hill is to provide affordable, entry-level housing for young families, as well as retirees wanting to live close to family,” Chaney said in the release. “The city wants to develop the land in order for the private sector to build the houses.”
Chief Housing Officer Scott Ciambor said in the release that the demand for single-family housing is still very high in Juneau, backed up by the 2012 Juneau Housing Needs Assessment, which indicated that Juneau needed around 515 single-family homes. Since then, Juneau has only constructed 228 homes.
This is more than a decade in the works, as CBJ identified the 26-acre area of city-owned land for future development in 2006. The area is currently forested, but CBJ hopes to construct streets, water, sewer and electrical services with the help of a private contractor. Other steps have been taken toward creating the development, including the fact that the Affordable Housing Commission passed a motion to support the proposal at its meeting earlier this month.
Members of the public can weigh in at the Planning Commission meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. in Assembly Chambers.
