The Haines Borough Assembly voted unanimously to approve a land lease agreement for a telecommunications tower near Lutak Dock. The agreement enables Vertical Bridge Development to build a tower that the company plans to sublease to Verizon Wireless, which would provide cell service to the Lutak area. Initial reports said the tower would have 5G capacity, but Vertical Bridge representatives said […]
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Posted inNews
Harbor ramp fix could cost about $200,000
A permanent fix for the harbor ramp, which was damaged by severe weather in early January, could cost in the ballpark of $200,000, according to Haines Borough Ports and Harbors Advisory Committee members. Harbormaster Shawn Bell said the borough is actively pursuing insurance but doesn’t know yet if the damage will be covered. The ramp came loose […]
Posted inNews, School Board
School board approves Upward Bound program, art club trip
The Haines Borough School District board approved at its Tuesday regular meeting a trip to Seattle for the Haines High School Art Club and a commitment to participate in the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Upward Bound program that helps rural, first generation, low-income high school students prepare for secondary education. The program includes college preparation, academic year […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough, Housing
Developer tax exemption goes to hearings
The Haines Borough Assembly introduced an ordinance this week that would exempt taxes on unsold or undeveloped lots in subdivisions for up to five years. All six assembly members voted on Tuesday to follow the unanimous recommendation of the borough’s housing working group, which a week ago forwarded the tax idea to the assembly. The temporary exemption […]
Posted inNews
ATVs now allowed on most borough roads
*This story has been updated to correct an inaccuracy. The story originally reported that the Haines Borough Assembly would need to vote to change code to allow ATV use in the borough. That was based on a misunderstanding of code. The new state law has taken effect in Haines and the assembly would need to vote to […]
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Lutak cell tower pushed to third hearing
The Haines Borough Assembly on Tuesday delayed voting on a resolution to lease land near Lutak Dock for a Verizon cell tower. The assembly postponed its decision about the tower until a third public hearing on Feb. 8. The tower would enable wireless communication services along Lutak Road and at the ferry terminal. Initially, it was reported that the tower would […]
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Borough seeks infrastructure project proposals from public
Any Haines Borough resident can propose an infrastructure project for formal review by borough staff under an initiative launched this month. Modeled after a Fairbanks North Star Borough program, the new program is intended to increase public engagement and expand the pool of ideas for the borough’s capital improvement project list. Haines Borough clerk Alekka Fullerton, who worked […]
Posted inNews
Roofs, sheds collapse after heavy snow then rain
Governor declares disaster emergency Heavy snow followed by rain last week damaged homes around town. Shori Heaton awoke on Sunday to find that her woodshed had collapsed under a wet snow load. Later that day, a slab of snow saturated with rain slid from her roof, tearing off her chimney. “I had people shoveling my […]
Posted inNews
Assembly grants heliski tour permit to fourth operator
After months of debate, the Haines Borough Assembly granted a heliski tour permit to a fourth operator in the Chilkat Valley. The Jan. 11 decision came three weeks after the assembly, in a 4-2 vote, adopted changes to the borough’s heliski code, raising a cap on tour permits for three years and replacing regulations on skier days with a limit on […]
Posted inNews
New year brings new hope for tourism
Haines had fewer visitors in 2021 than in any other year for the last two decades, except 2020, according to a report compiled by Haines Borough tourism director Steven Auch. But Auch and members of the Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) are optimistic that in 2022 the borough could see a return to pre-pandemic tourism levels — or […]