Following consideration of five appeals, the Haines Borough Assembly stepped back from a planning commission decision last week to authorize a new heliport at 24 Mile Haines Highway. The assembly voted 4-2 to rehear River Adventures’ conditional use permit (CUP) application for the heliport, which had been approved for one year’s heliski season. Ben Aultman-Moore, Gabe Thomas, Debra Schnabel and Tyler Huling supported the […]
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Posted inHaines Borough, News
Assembly Briefs
Assembly plans Chilkoot corridor meeting, annual tour company conduct review The Haines Borough Assembly last week approved two advisory board requests geared to improve management of tourism along the Chilkoot River. The assembly agreed to hold a meeting with Chilkoot corridor stakeholders and land managers in the spring, ahead of the upcoming tourism season. The assembly also […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly Briefs
Two tour permits approved The Haines Borough Assembly unanimously voted to grant new commercial tour permits to Uncruise Adventures and SEAK Expeditions. Uncruise’s permit allows guided hikes on the Mount Riley Trail, Battery Point Trail and Mount Ripinsky Trail. The tours are part of an all-inclusive package and will not provide sales tax income. Uncruise proposed a per-head tax […]
Posted inNews
Resident appeals heli permit vote
A resident who lives near a proposed heliport at 24 Mile Haines Highway is appealing the Haines Borough Planning Commission’s Dec. 8 approval of a conditional-use permit for the heliport, which would be used for heliskiing operations. The planning commission voted 3-2 to approve a permit application from Chilkat River Adventures to build a heliport along the Chilkat River west of Wells Bridge — a decision […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Officials to weigh outsourcing tourism department
Borough staff and elected officials are considering contracting out the borough tourism department’s work. Haines Chamber of Commerce director Andrew Letchworth presented the idea to the Haines Borough Commerce Committee on Tuesday. The committee didn’t take action at the meeting, and details of a formal proposal have yet to be worked out. Borough manager Annette Kreitzer said […]
Posted inNews
Piedad water supply rivals Lily Lake
The Piedad springs are now rivaling Lily Lake as the town’s main public drinking water source. Townsite residents used more water from the Piedad aquifer the past two years than they have any other time on record, according to Haines Borough Water and Sewer Department supervisor Dennis Durr. About 45% of the borough’s public water supply came […]
Posted inNews
2022: Big year for post-pandemic firsts, Lutak Dock and late rogue crime wave
In 2022, some iteration of the phrase “back after pandemic hiatus” was scattered throughout CVN headlines and stories like crumpled surgical masks littered along city sidewalks and in coat pockets. From the annual Celebration canoe journey and Lynn Canal Community Players productions to the return of large cruise ships and Canadian tourists, 2022 marked the return of […]
Posted inNews
Ski group lobbies Commerce Committee
The Haines Borough Assembly’s Commerce Committee met Tuesday to discuss a public private partnership to build a ski lift operation in Haines. The Ski Lift Working Group, which consists of residents interested in the idea, is gathering community sentiment about the prospect. The group will meet to discuss the idea further in the new year. “I think […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Planning commissioners should be elected
In the coming weeks, volunteers will be circulating a petition with this question, “Shall Haines Borough voters elect members of the Haines Borough Planning Commission?” With about 250 signatures of residents, this question will go to Haines voters. I encourage you to sign the petition and vote for this change in law. This change simply means the borough’s planning […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Disappointed by accusations
A recent letter regarding a Planning Commission hearing implied that the hearing was “scripted in advance”. Whether it was the headline attributed to the LTE or the letter writer’s actual intent – it’s important that facts overcome conspiracy theories or supposition. The letter writer admits his confusion about the process, and I hope this letter […]