Note: The meeting transcript indicates a date of September 21, 2026, but the official record lists the date as September 23, 2026. This summary uses the official date.
The committee convened at 5:03 PM with all four members present and the PRAC liaison online. They approved the agenda and minutes, acknowledged that a previously kept item (Second and Franklin land purchase) could not be heard due to lack of proper public noticing, and postponed it to the next meeting. The main topics were regulation of e-bikes and e-motos, and a utility easement request.
E-bike and e-moto regulation: Mr. Barr presented a memo with recommendations to distinguish e-motos from e-bikes using three criteria: functional pedals from the original manufacturer, a maximum speed of 20 mph on level ground using motor power alone, and a motor rated at 750 watts or less. Vehicles not meeting these criteria would be treated similarly to gas-powered dirt bikes—prohibited on public property and only allowed on private property or designated areas. He recommended not pursuing regulation of e-scooters or e-skateboards at this time to focus on the immediate e-moto issue. The committee discussed enforcement, age limits, helmet laws, and whether to adopt a single borough-wide rule or different rules for park spaces. Members largely agreed with the staff recommendations but differed on whether to handle the parks-specific ordinance (Ordinance 2026-41) separately. After deliberation, the committee indicated they would like to consider both the parks ordinance and a borough-wide ordinance together to ensure consistency.
Utility easement: Staff requested that the committee forward a request from AELMP for a utility easement in perpetuity (originally granted in 1988) to the full assembly. The easement is for a main transmission line through downtown. The committee unanimously voted to forward the request with support.
Staff report and recognition: Mr. Blydoorn presented a 10-year recap of the 2016 Land Management Plan accomplishments, highlighting the work of outgoing Chair Hughes Gandhi. He presented her with a terrarium and treats. Chair Hughes Gandhi expressed gratitude.
PRAC liaison report: Paulette Trimer reported online that the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee named the 35-mile off-road vehicle park "Area 35," provided an update on the Treadwell Disc Golf course, and discussed foreclosed properties.
All right. We will call this September 21st meeting of the Assembly Lands, Housing and Economic Development Committee to order. It is 503. Ms. Hall, would you do the land acknowledgement, please? Yes. Thank you. We would like to acknowledge that the city and borough of Juneau is on Clinkett Land and wish to honor the indigenous peoples of this land. For more than 10,000 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 honor the culture, traditions, and resilience of the clinkett people. Mr. Blydoorn, would you please note the role? Thank you, Madam Chair. We have all four members of the committee present, and we have Paulette Trimer, who is the practically liaison online with us today as well. Great. Thank you. That brings us to approval of agenda. While talking to staff just now, you all may have already noticed potential oversight on the agenda. I didn't uh catch until today when it was already noticed. Um at our last meeting, we were running out of time, you may recall. We had the second and Franklin uh request to purchase land, and folks weren't ready for wanted to talk about it more than we had time for. So we kept it in committee, but we did not publish it on this agenda. We do have the um requesters to purchase the land in the audience, but the sort of because it wasn't noticed publicly, we can keep it in committee for another meeting, which just means it will be on the first agenda. Um, and that delays things, uh, which I apologize for. Um if we get through all of our agenda topics, and we have time at the end, we have no meeting, you know, we have no materials here. So I think it sets us up for a little bit of a failure. Um so is the committee comfortable keeping it in committee and putting it on the next agenda. Ms. Hall, do you have something to say? Well, given it wasn't properly noticed, yeah. I was a little confused. I think for you know, because I have had conversations. Um yeah, if it wasn't properly noticed, then I guess do we have a choice on that? Mr. Blydorn or Mr. Barr, do you have anything on that? I am not parliamentarian-wise. I think I'm I to err on this side of caution, I would say wiki. Oh, we have the attorney right here. Well, two attorneys. Oh, sorry. I saw you, Miss Lane when I walked in the room. Okay, let's ask the attorney if we even have a choice. Madam Attorney, thank you for that. Um, you do not have a choice. If it was not properly noticed, you can't move forward. Great. Thank you. Um, Mr. Kelly, go ahead.