(SitNews) - Among items on the agenda for the Ketchikan Assembly meeting scheduled for Monday is a work session to discuss the recently completed Herring Cove Draft Study which addresses the growing impact that thousands of visitors have on the Herring Cove neighborhood.

The goal of the study was to identify possible solutions to the problems identified through the public involvement process and to develop recommendations to the Ketchikan Borough Assembly for further direction. Three major recommendations are outlined within the draft report. The first addresses the primary public safety issues, pedestrians in the right-of-way on South Tongass Highway; the second, the lack of infrastructure for vehicles; and the third is sanitation.

Three public meetings were held by Borough planning staff in the development of the draft report. The first public meeting held on May 7, 2013, was for property owners within the Herring Cove area. Approximately thirty people were in attendance, including two Planning Commissioners. That meeting focused on the identification of issues related to visitor impacts. The second public meeting on May 9, 2013, was for the tour operators and cab companies. Approximately sixteen people were in attendance, including a Planning Commissioner and a representative from ADOT&PF. That meeting focused on tourist impacts to the area and safety concerns related to tourists within public rights-of-way.

The majority of Herring Cove residents present at the May 7th meeting opposed additional rezones of residential property to non-residential or changes in the zoning code to allow conditional use permits for seasonal retail.

A third public meeting, held on July 16, 2013, in the Assembly Chambers, provided the opportunity for citizen input into the first draft of the study report. Approximately thirty people were in attendance. The comments received were utilized to further refine the report and recommendations.

Some to the issues identified during these public meetings include:

• Potential for injury is very high in the Herring Cove area
• Number of people on bridge from tour buses, taxi, fishing
• Buses backing into highway
• Taxis park on bridge
• Access to beach, trespass on private property, could slip on rocks and get hurt, cause liability to property owners
• Bears attracted to fish carcasses on road and private property left by fishermen
• Need signs warning about bears and interaction
• No enforcement of pedestrians on bridge by troopers
• Decrease speed limit – residents tried petition, but it failed
• Bears becoming acclimated to humans
• Visitors knocking on residents doors to use the restroom
• Lack of public sanitation provides both nuisances and potential health issues related to the waste run-off into public areas
• Number of visitors & increased traffic impacts quality of life for residents
• Driveways mostly blocked
• Reduce speed limit

Borough planning staff also consulted representatives of several agencies; Alaska Department of fish & Game, Alaska Dept. of Transportation, and the Alaska State Troopers. Planning staff noted these consultations helped provide a different perspective into the problems identified during the first two public meetings and also helped to identify the best possible solutions to these issues.

The Planning staff presented the first draft report, which was finished on August 10th, to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Planning Commission on August 13, 2013. The Planning Commission supported the recommendations within that draft plan, but Commissioner John Harrington questioned why a reduction in the speed limit couldn’t take place before pedestrian facilities were added.

Additional comments were received from the Planning Commission, Assembly Member Glen Thompson, and the Ketchikan Borough Manager, which led to further revisions to the draft report and the development of a resolution for the Assembly requesting that the Alaska Department of Transportation reduce the speed limit along South Tongass Highway between mile 8 and 8.4, for the time period between May and October. The Assembly approved that resolution at its September 3rd regular meeting.

The next step in the plan process is a work session before the Ketchikan Borough Assembly on September 16th. The final step will be to seek direction from the Assembly on the recommendations outlined within Herring Cove Draft Study report.

Monday night's work session will give the Planning staff the opportunity to review the recommendations in the report with the Assembly. The expected result of this work session is that the Assembly will direct staff to implement the recommendations in the Herring Cove Study. Beyond the recommendation for the reduction in the speed limit, which has already been addressed, the following summarizes the other recommendations outlined on Page 14 of the September 6th draft of the study.

• Use of CPV funds for the development of a pedestrian bridge(s), viewing platforms, and associated walkways along South Tongass Highway.
• Use of CPV funds to establish a public parking lot on the large industrial property owned by the Fitzgeralds, this parking lot should include restrooms and trash receptacles, also funded and maintained with CPV funds.
• Use of CPV funds to develop public access (an easily recognized trail or path leading from the parking area to the authorized fishing locations) to the cove through the use of a tideland parcel also owned by the Fitzgeralds. In addition, develop facilities such as fish cleaning stations on the property and signs (funding could be supplemented by state and federal agencies).
• Work with ADOT&PF and the Troopers to ensure public safety by enhancing the enforcement of parking and standing in the right-of-way. Signage and the development of facilities should work cooperatively with efforts by the Troopers to enforce laws and regulations.
• Working with KVB and ADF&G, create an outreach program to improve education of visitors through signage, brochures, and tour operators with classes on wildlife awareness in order to protect visitors and wildlife.
• An annual review of the area to evaluate the impacts and the improvements (i.e. parking, garbage, trespassing, etc.) in order to determine if modifications are needed.

The Herring Cove area has grown into a major tourist destination over the last several years with the area drawing thousands of visitors (residents and non-residents) from around the Ketchikan Borough who wish to fish within the designated public fishing area. These visitors have an impact on the Herring Cove neighborhood.

The Road Safety Team (RST), which is comprised of staff from the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the University of Alaska – Fairbanks visited the Ketchikan Borough in late June. The team conducted a road safety audit for the City of Ketchikan and other areas of the roaded system within the borough. Planning staff met with the RSA team at Herring Cove to discuss the issues outlined within the Herring Cove Study report. The RSA team concurred with the findings and recommendations outlined in the report regarding pedestrian facilities, the need for parking facilities, and the need for education of tour operators and visitors on pedestrian and traffic safety.

The Ketchikan Borough Assembly meeting will be held in the Borough Assembly Chambers, 1900 First Avenue, Suite 144 (White Cliff building). The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm, Monday, September 16, 2013. The public is invited to attend.

On the Web:

Herring Cove Draft Study
http://www.kgbak.us/planning/documents/HerringCoveDraftReport9-6-13.pdf

"Revision log" to identify the changes from the initial draft
http://www.kgbak.us/planning/documents/HerringCoveDraftReport.pdf

Email Plan Comments
plancomment@kgbak.us

September 16, 2013 Assembly Meeting Agenda & Information Packets (click here)

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