The Wrangell Planning and Zoning Commission met last Thursday evening, Nov. 14. The first thing they covered was the election of commission officers. This was not originally on the meeting's agenda, but was added at the request of Commissioner Don McConachie. Commissioner Terri Henson was re-appointed to her position as chair of the commission. McConachie was named vice-chair.
One of the big items of the evening was a public hearing for a conditional use permit for a proposed warehouse by the Stikine Inn. According to the meeting's agenda packet, the proposed warehouse would be located north of the inn with access off of Stikine Avenue. It is meant largely for storage, according to Jake Harris with the Stikine Inn, as the inn will need more room for storage during its expansion project. Harris also added that the warehouse would also contain an apartment. According to the agenda packet, the proposed warehouse will be 2,475 square feet, 45' x 55'. It will stand about 27 feet tall.
There was some disagreement about this proposed warehouse. Wrangell resident Kimberly Szczatko attended the meeting with a written statement about her concerns. She is worried that a warehouse will hurt the ocean view for herself, people living near the Stikine, and the general downtown Wrangell area. She also stated she did not feel it was right for the Stikine Inn to "monopolize a popular viewing location." She also said she was concerned about how this warehouse could change Wrangell's traditions. Lastly, among her claims, she stated that the property the warehouse is planned to be built on was appraised at $64,000, which she feels was very low for a waterfront property.
"Notice of this proposal was sent to me due to my proximity to The Stikine, however these changes will affect everyone in Wrangell, local and visitor," Szczatko read from her statement. "While the tidewater may now belong to The Stikine, our precious views belong to everyone in the community and it should be protected and respected, not destroyed for The Stikine's financial prosperity."
Harris spoke after Szczatko. He put forward that the warehouse would not interfere with the waterfront view as bad as she fears. He also said that he has spoken with other nearby residents who viewed the project favorably, and was sorry he had not had the opportunity to speak with Szczatko yet. He repeated the necessity of the warehouse for the inn's expansion project, and also said that he was not some outside force coming to change the city. He was wanting to make Wrangell better.
"We're here to continually build this community from the inside out," he said. "We're not an outside interest. I live here, I have family here."
There were no questions from the commission. Commissioners McConachie and Henson said that they understand Szczatko's concerns, and they sympathized, but that the warehouse was necessary and would benefit the town. The conditional use permit was approved.
The commission also approved a final plat requested by Dan Smith and Scott Young, to subdivide their property in the Wrangell Island West subdivision in half, and approved a conditional use permit for a small convenience store located in the Shoemaker Bay parking lot. They also continued their ongoing discussion of rezoning the old Institute property.
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