Meeting January 20, the Economic Development Committee began thinking about the next steps for its ongoing review of entitlement lands use.
The City and Borough of Wrangell last April received management authority from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources for 9,006 acres of properties in accordance with the state Municipal Entitlement Act. The act portions out a percentage of state lands for administration by newly incorporated municipalities, as Wrangell had done in 2008.
Lands the Borough selected and the DNR approved include parcels located on the central east side of the island and Earl West Cove, Mill Creek, Olive Cove, Crittenden Creek, Zarembo Island, Thoms Place and Sunny Bay. The properties are largely unzoned and with the exception of Zarembo, unsurveyed.
Along with the Planning and Zoning Commission, Wrangell’s committee discussed future development options for the properties. The committee concluded its talks back in October, while Planning and Zoning wrapped up its own initial recommendations on Jan. 14.
Committee members and commissioners were largely in agreement that these areas continue to be used as they or adjacent developments have been. While this generally involves recreational and rural residential usage, the two advisory bodies will need to reconcile some minor differences.
For example, while Planning and Zoning felt Mill Creek would be best served by maintaining recreational uses like fishing, Economic Development foresaw some room for residential expansion and the allowance of a larger-scale lodge to operate there.
Director for Economic Development Carol Rushmore told the committee their preliminary discussions were just a starting point for a longer, wider conversation.
“The idea from here right now is to start a community discussion,” she said. Coverage by the local paper and radio station has prompted a number of comments and questions for Rushmore from the general public, and she recommended organizing a joint meeting with Planning and Zoning as soon as possible.
The meeting would be a workshop-type format, with maps and referential materials made available.
“I would like to hear what the public wants before we draw this up,” agreed committee member Mark Mitchell. He felt that at this early stage would be the best time to involve the public.
The committee and commission will have to begin working out some other questions as well, such as how to use timber resources that may be available on the transferred parcels. Taking Zarembo Island as an example, while much of the 1,290 acres have already been logged, the EDC felt there were sections still available to be harvested from before putting the properties up for sale.
Committee member Julie Decker pointed out the financial returns from such development could help to defray the costs of developing the property, such as its subdivision and the addition of a dock for residents. Details on what may be available, whether it would be worth the effort to harvest and how to permit such activities would still need to be worked out by the municipality, Rushmore explained.
Rushmore said maps and materials of the entitlement properties would be ready to review online by the end of this week, while a date for the workshop is being arranged for early March.
“We’ve just begun to start this process,” Rushmore said. “I visualize a whole year of public meetings with this.”
Materials from the DNR are already available for review. The final finding document for the transfer can be read at http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/muni/wrangell/FFD_wrangell_2015_signed.pdf, with additional specifics and documents found at the DNR website.
The EDC still has two of its six seats open, and is looking for new members. Thinking of the projects ahead, some members felt getting representation from the Wrangell Cooperative Association on board would be productive, particularly as plans for repurposing the Institute property start to develop.
Working with Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority in December on a community needs survey, the WCA is putting together a detailed housing needs assessment to address housing issues for members of the Tribe.
“It seems to uphold a lot of the things we’ve been talking about,” Decker commented. Among the options discussed at last month’s meeting, the future of the Institute property was brought up as a possible site to develop for senior housing.
“I don’t think it’d hurt to have their input on it,” said Mitchell.
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