Meeting colors

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Sitka Planning Commission Meeting on August 20, 2025: Tideland Survey, Short-Term Rental, and Rooster Ban Discussion

City and Borough Assembly — Wednesday, August 20, 2025

BodySitka, Alaska

SessionCity and Borough Assembly

DateWednesday, August 20, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:19:28

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:06

Mr.

0:06

Hagen, if you could uh turn on the microphone and say your name first.

0:16

I'm Peter Hagan.

0:18

Good evening.

0:22

With more industrialization of the downtown area, there's more and more engines and bus traffic.

0:28

Raises not only the exhaust pollution, something that is not mentioned as often.

0:35

And just as hard to ignore noise pollution.

0:39

It's loud piercing, supercharged roar, is present whenever they roll through town.

0:46

Construction trucks also use jake brakes or airbreaks at the roundabout.

0:53

As they pass through several times a day.

1:06

Yeah, four wheelers and motorcycles are also exceeded.

1:09

There seems to be no limit on what you can do.

1:14

I've witnessed tour guide, walking tour guides have to turn up their loudhalers or speakers so that they can be heard, and I can hear them two blocks away.

1:28

Totally unnecessary.

1:32

Man in a crab chute.

1:34

The man in a crab suit is shouting from the sidewalk with a loudhaler at buses, trying to be heard inside the buses as they pass.

1:46

Now also COVID's presented high egg prices.

1:51

So all the wannabe sick of farmers have chickens.

1:57

And now they got roosters.

2:00

I've been told by people that have a lot of rentals that if you have rabbits, that's gonna be on tonight's agenda, so you can't speak on that right now.

2:07

Okay, I'm sorry about that.

2:10

Uh I will say that uh the noise levels in Sitka, you can get human behavior studies that will show it raises the aggression aggression and aggravation in people.

2:24

Thank you.

2:25

Thank you.

2:30

Anyone else want to be heard?

2:32

It's not on tonight's agenda.

2:41

And if you could push the button, turn on the mic and state your name, please.

2:45

My name's Christina Cranston.

2:47

I live at 205 Monastery Street.

2:49

I uh spoke two weeks ago when you guys held your public meeting, and I'm here again on the same issue, and that is that vacant lot that's potentially being developed.

3:00

Um, and again, I'm only going on rumors because I haven't heard anything concrete that there could be some sort of busing station, parking lot for for buses, tour buses in particular.

3:13

Um again, I don't have anything concrete, but uh recently many of our concerned neighbors met Monday night.

3:19

We met for about an hour and a half.

3:21

There are at least 10 people that attended.

3:25

Um, everybody with some kind of concerns, questions to varying degrees.

3:30

Um we don't know what's happening there.

3:32

We're all going to be impacted.

3:34

Uh there are at least 10 homes and property owners that are directly surrounding this lot, with many more in the general area.

3:44

We're very concerned.

3:45

Um, what the gentleman uh before me said about noise control.

3:49

We're very uh noise pollution, uh, we're concerned about the uh diesel fuel fumes running all the time, um, the in and out, the traffic, how that's gonna affect that little tiny area.

4:01

It's already kind of hard to get in and out.

4:03

One one street is a very narrow one way, so that lot really just has two exits and three entrances.

4:13

Uh it's very difficult to make a left-hand turn on to Lake Street.

4:17

You'd most likely they'd have to go through the roundabout.

4:20

Um so we're just as concerned property owners as concerned citizens and uh community members.

4:28

We have a lot of questions that haven't been answered.

4:32

Um people know a little more than others, but again, we don't have anything concrete, but we are hearing that this potentially could be happening quickly as far as um that building being torn down, which is office space, community space.

4:47

Um I think there was even uh an apartment in there.

4:50

So it seems to me Sitka is losing housing and business um properties, potentially to make parking lots for tour buses and impact many, many, many property owners that also pay taxes.

5:06

Many of the properties that are going to be impacted are also dual businesses.

5:11

We've got Airbnbs, we've got long-term housing, short-term housing, other small businesses in the area.

5:18

And again, I'd like to stress that yes, it might be central business district, but it's also zoned with a residential component.

5:25

And so you have a lot of people that just live there.

5:28

We live there.

5:29

We work there, we're there all the time.

5:31

And so we're concerned again about the quality of life there.

5:37

Um, what's that gonna look like?

5:39

We also deal with the school buses in front, which which we knew about, and that's fine.

5:45

Um, I can't imagine what our life is gonna look like when we have buses on both sides of us all around.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Animal Welfare███████████████████████████████████████39%

Procedural█████████████████17%

Public Safety█████████████████17%

Public Works██████████████14%

Transportation Safety█████5%

Public Engagement████4%

Tourism████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Sitka Planning Commission Meeting - August 20, 2025

The Sitka Planning Commission met on August 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Harrigan Centennial Hall. The meeting included three main agenda items: approval of an Alaska Tideland Survey for a dock lease, a modification to a conditional use permit for a short-term rental, and a discussion on a proposed zoning code amendment to prohibit roosters in residential zones. Public comments were heard on noise pollution from tour buses and potential development of a vacant lot, as well as on the rooster issue. The commission voted 4-0 to approve the tideland survey and the short-term rental modification, and postponed the rooster discussion pending further information from police, fire, and legal departments.

Consent Calendar

The August 6, 2025 meeting minutes were approved (not detailed in transcript, but listed on agenda).

Public Comments & Testimony

Peter Hagan (Sitka resident) spoke about noise pollution from increasing bus traffic and construction vehicles, noting that tour guides and a person in a crab suit use loudspeakers to be heard over the noise. He also mentioned that high egg prices during COVID have led to more backyard chickens and roosters, and referenced animal behavior studies linking noise to increased aggression.
Christina Cranston (205 Monastery Street) expressed concerns about potential development of a vacant lot possibly becoming a bus parking station, stating she and at least 10 neighbors met to discuss the issue. She cited worries about noise, diesel fumes, traffic, and loss of housing and business properties, and asked the commission to consider the impacts on nearby homeowners.

Alaska Tideland Survey 1753 (BP 25-06)

Staff Report: The survey defines a lease boundary for tide lands adjacent to a dock, float, and gangway on a single-family home on Gilmore Island. The Department of Natural Resources requires plating authority approval. The dock is existing and has never had an Entry Authorization before. Staff recommended approval, noting no impacts to traffic, noise, or safety, and consistency with the comprehensive plan.
Applicant: Brita Speck (attorney for Frederick D. Smith Living Trust) clarified that this is a required part of the ADL (Application for Disposal of Lands) process through the state, and that more similar surveys are expected as leases come due. The dock is existing and the survey is the final requirement for the EA (Entry Authorization).
Vote: The commission approved the survey 4-0 (Chair Windsor, Vice Chair Riley, Commissioner Mudry, Commissioner Sherman).

Modification to CUP 24-02 – Short-Term Rental at 419 Marine Street (MISC 25-12)

Staff Report: The applicant, Caitlin Way, previously received a conditional use permit for a short-term rental in the upstairs unit. She now wishes to live upstairs and rent the lower unit (Apartment A). The rental will operate May–October, with a maximum of four guests, quiet hours from 10 PM to 8 AM, and a renter handout for garbage. The applicant is completing construction and must obtain a certificate of occupancy for the upstairs unit before the rental can begin. Staff recommended approval.
Public Comment: None.
Vote: The commission approved the modification 4-0, including adoption of required findings.

Discussion on Proposed Zoning Code Amendment – Prohibiting Roosters (ZA 25-04)

Staff Report: The applicant requested a zoning text change to prohibit roosters either in all residential zones or throughout the city. Staff presented three options: (1) broad prohibition in all zones; (2) prohibition in residential zones only; (3) allowance in low-density and island zones with prohibition elsewhere. Additional criteria included securing poultry and potential nonconforming uses. Staff noted enforcement challenges and recommended input from police and fire.
Applicant: Carolyn Nichols (Sitka resident for over 40 years) described persistent noise from a neighbor's rooster, crowing from 4 AM to 11 PM, which has caused sleep deprivation and health issues. She also cited damage from free-ranging chickens entering her yard, greenhouse, and shop, and stated that complaints to the neighbor, animal control, and police have been ineffective. She supported an outright ban and proposed a three-strike rule for free-ranging fowl.
Public Comment:
- Megan Pasternak (Cascade Creek Road) reported similar problems with neighbors' chickens and roosters, and noted that chickens attract bears. She suggested option three (conditional use for rooster allowance) might be best, but expressed concern that neighbors in allowed zones might still be disturbed.
- Pete Hagen (Sitka resident) recounted issues with a half-wolf dog (since hit by a car) and ongoing rooster noise, as well as damage to his rental property from chickens, including 50 piles of feces on a deck after cleaning.
Commission Discussion:
- Commissioners expressed caution, noting that the issue may be more about enforcement of existing codes (e.g., noise complaints, animal trespass) than a need for new regulation.
- Commissioner Muir emphasized that the problem appears to be isolated to a few bad neighbors, and questioned whether citywide regulation is appropriate.
- Commissioner Muir also noted that the commission has higher-priority zoning work (e.g., telecommunications).
- Commissioner Riley suggested that enforcement capacity is limited due to understaffing at the police department and animal control.
- Chair Windsor committed to contacting Police Chief John to raise the issue.
Vote on Postponement: The commission voted 4-0 to postpone the item until staff can obtain reports from the police and fire departments, the animal control officer, and legal counsel regarding state regulations and enforcement options. The decision does not set a specific date; it is open-ended pending receipt of information.

Key Outcomes

Approved Alaska Tideland Survey 1753 (4-0) – plating board approval for the survey as part of the ADL process for an existing dock.
Approved modification to CUP 24-02 for short-term rental at 419 Marine Street (4-0), subject to conditions including certificate of occupancy for upstairs unit.
Postponed discussion on prohibiting roosters, pending further information from police, fire, animal control, and legal departments. The item remains open for a future meeting.
Acknowledged Commissioner Mudry's last meeting; staff and commissioners thanked her for her service.
Future Action: Chair Windsor will contact Police Chief John regarding enforcement capabilities. Planning staff will prepare a report on zoning in the central business district related to public concerns about bus parking.

Meeting Transcript

Mr. Hagen, if you could uh turn on the microphone and say your name first. I'm Peter Hagan. Good evening. With more industrialization of the downtown area, there's more and more engines and bus traffic. Raises not only the exhaust pollution, something that is not mentioned as often. And just as hard to ignore noise pollution. It's loud piercing, supercharged roar, is present whenever they roll through town. Construction trucks also use jake brakes or airbreaks at the roundabout. As they pass through several times a day. Yeah, four wheelers and motorcycles are also exceeded. There seems to be no limit on what you can do. I've witnessed tour guide, walking tour guides have to turn up their loudhalers or speakers so that they can be heard, and I can hear them two blocks away. Totally unnecessary. Man in a crab chute. The man in a crab suit is shouting from the sidewalk with a loudhaler at buses, trying to be heard inside the buses as they pass. Now also COVID's presented high egg prices. So all the wannabe sick of farmers have chickens. And now they got roosters. I've been told by people that have a lot of rentals that if you have rabbits, that's gonna be on tonight's agenda, so you can't speak on that right now. Okay, I'm sorry about that. Uh I will say that uh the noise levels in Sitka, you can get human behavior studies that will show it raises the aggression aggression and aggravation in people. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else want to be heard? It's not on tonight's agenda. And if you could push the button, turn on the mic and state your name, please. My name's Christina Cranston. I live at 205 Monastery Street. I uh spoke two weeks ago when you guys held your public meeting, and I'm here again on the same issue, and that is that vacant lot that's potentially being developed. Um, and again, I'm only going on rumors because I haven't heard anything concrete that there could be some sort of busing station, parking lot for for buses, tour buses in particular. Um again, I don't have anything concrete, but uh recently many of our concerned neighbors met Monday night. We met for about an hour and a half. There are at least 10 people that attended. Um, everybody with some kind of concerns, questions to varying degrees. Um we don't know what's happening there. We're all going to be impacted. Uh there are at least 10 homes and property owners that are directly surrounding this lot, with many more in the general area. We're very concerned. Um, what the gentleman uh before me said about noise control. We're very uh noise pollution, uh, we're concerned about the uh diesel fuel fumes running all the time, um, the in and out, the traffic, how that's gonna affect that little tiny area. It's already kind of hard to get in and out. One one street is a very narrow one way, so that lot really just has two exits and three entrances. Uh it's very difficult to make a left-hand turn on to Lake Street. You'd most likely they'd have to go through the roundabout. Um so we're just as concerned property owners as concerned citizens and uh community members. We have a lot of questions that haven't been answered. Um people know a little more than others, but again, we don't have anything concrete, but we are hearing that this potentially could be happening quickly as far as um that building being torn down, which is office space, community space. Um I think there was even uh an apartment in there. So it seems to me Sitka is losing housing and business um properties, potentially to make parking lots for tour buses and impact many, many, many property owners that also pay taxes.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com