The Haines Borough Planning Commission discussed rezoning Takshanuk Watershed Council’s heavy industrial zoned property after previous commissioner Brenda Josephson questioned the borough assembly’s support of a Takshanuk letter requesting state grant money for trail development on the property.

People already bike, hike and cross-country ski in the area.

A natural trail “along the Chilkat River between Carr’s Cove and Jones Point” to provide public use and coastal access is included the borough’s comprehensive plan.

But play fields and parks are not an allowable use on heavy industrial zoned land, according to borough code. Josephson said if the land is rezoned, the commission has a responsibility to replace it with heavy industrial elsewhere in the townsite.

Takshanuk Watershed Council bought the property from Klukwan, INC. in 2015 with the condition they don’t “eliminate or degrade the property’s aquatic resources,” according to the deed.

At last week’s meeting, commissioner Donnie Turner cited the deed and said the area should remain heavy industrial.

“I’m not sure they can do trails,” Turner said. “I still think, at this point, we should leave it as heavy industrial because the area around it is still industrial and if you try to put parks and other stuff out there you are definitely going to encumber the rest of the industrial area.”

Besides Takshanuk’s property, the borough owned baseball field is also on land zoned heavy industrial.

Commissioner Lee Heinmiller said the commission should discuss zoning in the whole area, not just the land around Jones Point.

Commissioner Jeremy Stephens said he was concerned about losing heavy industrial zoned land.

“I agree it would be wise for the planning commission to look at potentially rezoning some other areas to make up the lost heavy industrial zone,” Stephens said.

Commission chair Jeff Goldberg said trails wouldn’t have much impact on the land. He said the property itself has changed. Ships used to unload logs to a mill that operated in the area. He said because of glacial rebound and a shallower river bottom ships can’t dock at the point now.

In other planning commission news, the group discussed designating the borough’s lot on Third Street and Main Street, known as Lot 8A, as a public use and recreation area.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee recommended the borough assembly designate the lot as public use and recreation area to promote a “town square concept.” The borough assembly, in a 3-3 tie vote split by Mayor Jan Hill, referred the matter to the planning commission.

The planning commission considered the designation about six months ago and determined it should remain under borough ownership.

Turner said he hasn’t changed his mind since then.

“It was only six months ago the planning commission decided that that lot, that we’re going to leave it alone; not designate it a park, not designate it for sale, but just to leave that piece of property alone and if somebody comes along with a great use for that piece of property then we can put it up for sale,” Turner said.

In 2016, two residents expressed interest in purchasing the lot from the borough. Two planning commissioners at the time wanted to see a business plan before they considered recommending the sale.

Stephens said he was glad the issue came back to the planning commission and said a lack of a plan for the property applies to the parks and rec committee as well.

“That (recommendation for sale) did not go through because there was no plan presented on what to do with the property,” Stephens said. “I think the same can be said here for the current group that is trying to take control of this property. They have not presented a plan whatsoever.”

In 2012 the commission voted to recommend the borough retain the lot as a “town square” for ten years.

Borough Manager Debra Schnabel said while the idea of public square needs development, “the possibility of a public square has economic development potential. That’s an increasingly more popular and more definable activity for community planning right now.”

The commission didn’t vote to give the lot a special designation.