The Haines Borough Planning Commission last week approved a conditional use permit for the installation of three helipads at 10 Mile Haines Highway, despite the developer’s refusal to provide details on plans for the landing site.
The commission voted 5-2 to approve John Floreske’s permit. Commissioners Heather Lende and Lee Heinmiller were opposed.
When asked what he would be using the helipads for, Floreske said: “The reason for the heliports is to allow helicopters to land and take off. That’s the reasons for them.”
Frustrated by the lack of information, commissioner Lende asked Floreske to at least “give a hint” as to what he was planning. “That hint would be kind of proprietary information. No disrespect, but that’s my business.”
Commission chair Rob Goldberg asked if Floreske would tell the group how many helicopters might be taking off and landing at the site. Floreske again declined.
“What I have in mind and what I might do in the future on that is proprietary information,” Floreske said. “My ideas of business and stuff are my ideas, and in a lot of cases it’s not good to let out those ideas too much because timing is important in some of these decisions.”
Floreske’s permit application shows plans for three 59-foot helipads 250 feet apart, each connected to an existing 1,100-foot gravel roadway by a 39-foot-long ramp. The helipads would be sited on the east side of the highway, several hundred feet from the roadway.
Floreske received an Army Corps of Engineers permit in March to fill 1,400 cubic yards of wetlands as part of the project.
Assembly member Debra Schnabel, liaison to the planning commission, urged commission members to get more information on the use of the helipads before voting to approve the permit.
“My imagination allows me to consider that there must be a reason why there’s three pads proposed, why one will not do,” Schnabel said. “Is it because there are so many helicopters that will be operating at one time that there have to be that many pads? I don’t know. Would that matter to you? It would matter to me.”
“Our community, I think, deserves to understand or have a better picture of what is the activity that is associated there and how will that activity impact us,” Schnabel said.
Commissioner Andy Hedden said he would like to see some mechanism in place to ensure the conditional use permit could be revisited if the activity turns out to be incompatible with the surrounding area, but didn’t think it was the commission’s place to keep pressing Floreske for details.
“I don’t think it’s always the borough or our prerogative to delve too deep into somebody’s business plan before approving their concept,” Hedden said.
Hedden also pointed out if the helipads are used for heli-skiing or some other commercial tour, the company would need to approach the borough for a tour permit.
Manager David Sosa submitted a three-page letter recommending the commission approve the permit, but with several conditions, including a one-year trial period and limited hours of operation.
Floreske argued the commission would be overstepping its bounds if it put a time limit on the permit or hours of operation. Commissioner Donnie Turner agreed.
“Nobody is going to invest money into building something that you are going to maybe three years from now get taken away from you,” Turner said. “Would you build a house on a three-year permit so that somebody three years from now can tell you that you have to tear it down or not use it anymore?”
The commission rejected both the trial period and limited hours, leaving the permit without an expiration date. However, the group did add three conditions: Floreske must allow access to the helipads for emergency services, abide by the conditions of the Army Corps of Engineers permit, and maintain flight paths that avoid the residential areas at 9 Mile and 7.5 Mile.
Commissioner Heinmiller, who voted against issuing the permit, said during creation of the Comprehensive Plan residents overwhelmingly indicated they would prefer helicopters to come and go from the airport. Heinmiller also said the heliport’s proximity to the road could be dangerous. “There’s no rational reason to be flying an aircraft that close to the public highway.”
Commissioner Lende expressed concern that the commission could be getting the borough into a lawsuit if it issued the permit without knowing what it would be used for. “I don’t want to make a decision that will cost the taxpayers money.”
Two residents turned out at the public hearing to testify on the permit. Desiree Duncan, land manager for the Tlingit and Haida Central Council, spoke on behalf of heirs to a 35-acre Native allotment adjacent to Floreske’s property. “We have potential buyers and we feel this would decrease the value and perhaps not allow them to sell their property,” Duncan said.
Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures co-owner Scott Sundberg said he is in “full support” of Floreske receiving a permit.
Sundberg’s other company, Big Salmon Ventures, is currently involved in a lawsuit over the borough’s issuance of a conditional use permit for a heliport at Chilkat Lake Road.