The Haines Borough Planning Commission is nearing a consensus on the resource extraction definition, but some members don’t think it’s ready to go to the assembly.
At a workshop last week, the commission reviewed three options for revisions to the resource extraction code, the culmination of nearly a year of work.
Option one amended the definition and provided a matrix of minimum amounts of material that would be considered resource extraction based on minimum lot sizes.
Option two was similar but added a clause to account for landowners who do not live on their property.
Option three got rid of the matrix and listed exemptions, and added language about minimizing environmental impacts, aesthetic value, and “viable land use compatible with land use trends in the surrounding area.”
Several Mud Bay residents expressed support for option three. Nancy Berland said she was concerned the other options would infringe on the intent of the Mud Bay code. Burl Sheldon said the “matrix” system would take up too much borough staff time.
John Carlson said he was wasn’t sure how the ambiguous language in option three could be enforced. Marsha Davis from the University of Alaska agreed.
Commissioner Jeremy Stephens said he thought the commission should skip the Thursday workshop and pass the work on to staff. He said he wasn’t prepared to move forward because new testimony from audience members hadn’t been investigated.
“Staff needs the ability to access legal (assistance), they need the ability to realize how much of their time it’s going to take to enforce these things, and they also need to do a full vetting,” Stephens said. “A lot of good points are still being raised. The public is obviously against what we had in the first place and we’re now getting confused with additional options.”
Stephens also said the commission had “no business drafting ordinance in a public meeting.”
Commissioner Donnie Turner disagreed.“I would be massively disappointed if we just throw this to staff,” Turner said. “I could make a decision today on this. Kicking it down the street is getting frustrating.”
Commissioners said they could agree on option one, if a similar clause like in option two was added to separate personal use from resource extraction on uninhabited land.
Borough planner Holly Smith said she will draft an ordinance using option one for discussion at the May 10 planning commission meeting. She said she will also meet with commissioners and community members individually to compile a list of questions that may still need to be explored.
“The purpose is to make sure that during the May 10 meeting there’s something put forward that they have general consensus on,” Smith said.
Mayor Jan Hill said the planning commission and borough assembly might have a joint meeting in May to discuss resource extraction before it goes to an assembly meeting.