Juneau Assembly Meeting Summary - December 16, 2025

The Juneau Assembly convened on December 16, 2025, at 6:11 PM to approve the November 17th minutes, process a modified Consent Agenda, and address five public hearing items ranging from zoning code revisions to city lease authorizations. The meeting featured extensive public testimony, particularly regarding the Telephone Hill redevelopment, where citizens raised significant concerns about historic preservation, financial feasibility, and the lack of a concrete development plan. Two ordinances (40 and 43) and a budget appropriation ordinance were adopted with unanimous consent, while the Downtown Douglas/West Juneau Area Plan was referred to a future Committee of the Whole.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Max Rosen (Friends of the Juneau Public Libraries): Expressed full support for the Juno Public Libraries, emphasizing their role as a non-judgmental resource and urging the Assembly to maintain budget support despite fiscal challenges.
• Joshua Adams (Incremental Developer): Strongly opposed the planned demolition of Telephone Hill. Argued that the Assembly should fund a Section 106 review and preserve the historic homes as a means to remember local history.
• Mark Whitman (Douglas): Opposed the demolition of the Telephone Hill site (formerly a brick oven bakery). Stated that preserving the site requires maintaining the "people and memory" of the location, not just physical remnants, and questioned the removal of heritage elements like heritage roses.
• Catherine Fritz: Advocated for "Concept D" (incremental infill) as a superior alternative to demolition. Emphasized that this approach would increase housing density, lower costs by $5.5 million, and align with existing neighborhood strata.
• Larry Talley: Expressed strong opposition to the current Telephone Hill project's financial feasibility. Stated that without a pro forma, the $155 million projected cost creates an unrealistic gap, suggesting the Assembly is proceeding with an unfeasible plan.
• Paige Bridges: Supported the incremental infill approach (Concept D) and opposed the demolition. Cited local architect Sean Boydey's report stating that developers see no profit opportunity in the current demolition model and that infill keeps money local.
• Tony Tangs: Critiqued the public process surrounding Telephone Hill, characterizing it as corrupt and manipulated by city management without proper committee review or public input.
• William Quail: Requested a reduction in petty cab fees from $800 to $20 (and harbor fees from $600) to assist small business owners facing high insurance rates.
• Susan Clark: Raised concerns regarding the statistical significance of surveys and the lack of proper feedback from the city. Opposed the project's trajectory due to waste reduction concerns and the existence of an unresolved lawsuit.
• Mary Alice McKean: Questioned the existence of a concrete alternative plan (87 units) versus the advertised 155-unit plan. Demanded transparency, arguing that proceeding without clear disclosure would be a "bait and switch" for the community.
• Bruce Simmons: Questioned the Assembly's stewardship of resources. Requested specific answers regarding ownership, construction responsibility, and subsidy costs before proceeding with irreversible demolition.
• Carol Brookless (Steering Committee Member): Opposed Planning Commission recommendations for the West Juneau plan. Noted that the proposed changes (like treating a specific parcel like any other) ignore known landslide and water drainage risks. Also stated that the current Telephone Hill costs could reach $100 million when financing is included.
• Robert Sewell (Steering Committee Member): Opposed development above Sixth Street. Stated that the community voted against it and that the proposed changes were a "concoction" by the Planning Commission without community will.

Consent Calendar

• Ordinance 2025-40, Part B: Amending Title 49 (Land Use Code) to allow reasonable accommodations for the Fair Housing Act, subdivide parcels adjacent to arterial streets based on underlying zoning, and modernize zoning map references. Adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance 2025-43: Authorizing the lease of an 8-acre fraction of city land at Crazy Horse Drive to Juneau Animal Rescue for $10/year (instead of $3,000/month) for a permanent shelter. Adopted unanimously after rules were suspended to allow public clarification on acreage.
• Ordinance 2024-01, Part B & C: Appropriating $1,316,554 for FY25 operating costs, including risk management claims, pandemic response transfers, and downtown parking camera installation. Adopted unanimously.

Discussion Items

• Telephone Hill Redevelopment: The Assembly received extensive testimony regarding the feasibility and impact of the project. Key issues included the lack of a financial pro forma, the potential for $14M-$16M development gaps, the desire to preserve historic structures, and the push for incremental infill development. The project sponsor and staff were not present to address specific pro forma questions directly during the public hearing.
• Downtown Douglas/West Juneau Area Plan: The Planning Commission recommended several amendments to the plan, including deleting text regarding Alaska Native stewardship, modifying Mayflower Island actions, and altering density designations above Sixth Street. Carol Brookless and Robert Sewell, former steering committee members, spoke against these specific amendments, arguing they ignored community input and environmental risks.

Key Outcomes

• Ordinance 2025-42 adoption referred: The Assembly voted unanimously to refer the adoption of Ordinance 2025-42 (Downtown Douglas/West Juneau Area Plan) to the next Committee of the Whole for further discussion, rather than adopting it immediately.
• Executive Session: The Assembly entered executive session to discuss collective bargaining negotiations. No action was taken or recorded during the public portion of the session.
• Meeting Adjournment: The meeting was scheduled to adjourn following the executive session.