Phew- that was a bit complex. The Comprehensive Plan was up for approval last night. Two members (David Stone and Jeff Bush) were absent. And you need 5 votes to pass anything, regardless of how many people are attending.
We spent a good while hearing testimony about why Montana Creek stream buffers should be at 500 feet rather than the Borough norm of 200. This proposal, sponsored by Trout Unlimited had been based on a scientific study and had done the rounds of various city committees and commmissions for almost two years. At the end it was approved by the Planning Commission who sent it to the Assembly. In the Committee of the Whole it was reduced to 200 feet, I proposed to move it back to 500 as a result of sound science and a broad public process. Four members voted in favor (Doll, Dybdahl, Botelho and me) while three opposed (Sanford, Wanamaker and Chambers). But without five votes it did not pass. Later I gave notice of reconsideration, so it could be voted on again once Mr. Bush and Mr. Stone are there.
Mr Sanford made a motion to include support for the Road in the Plan, but then moved to table it because he could not be sure of 5 votes. So the whole Comprehensive Plan is tabled until the next Assembly Meeting October 20. In the meantime I suggested that the Trout Unlimited Study be presented to the Assembly at an intervening Committee of the Whole Meeting October 13, and that was accepted (albeit a bit grudgingly by Mr. Wanamaker).
The other factor is that on October 20 we swear in any new Assembly members elected oin the October 7th elections.
So I hope that clears things up.....:)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Monday update and Tonight's Assembly
One more forum: Wednesday at 5:30 at DZ is a candidate forum sponsored by the National Education Association (NEA). I'll have to leave early to teach my Wednesday evening class.
I was interviewed by APRN for a segment on Ethics that was broadcast this past weekend. The hour-long program is archived at http://www.akradio.org/archive/index.html. My segment is near the end.
Tonight the Assembly will probably adopt the Transportation Development Plan. We will also have a hearing and possibly adopt the new Comprehensive Plan which will guide Juneau's development for the next 10-12 years. It has been reviewed by many groups and gone over line by line by the Planning Commission for the past year. The Assembly has spent 3 meetings examining it and amending bits and pieces.
The one small piece that I will address tonight is stream buffers on Montana Creek. A couple years ago Trout Unlimited did a detailed scientific analysis of this anadromous stream and recommended 500 foot buffers on either side of it (other streams on CBJ land have 200 foot setbacks. The setback requirement for development on private land is 50 feet from an anadromous stream). Over the past two years the Trout Unlimited proposal was presented to and approved by the Wetlands Review Board, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission. It was also reviewed without recommendation by the Affordable Housing Commission, the Assembly Lands Committee and several other groups. In other words, it has gone through the full public process, and then was approved by our Land Use experts- the Planning Commission. However, in the Assembly's final review of the document it was reduced back to 200 feet. I will bring this forward to our public meeting tonight and have invited members of Trout Unlimited, the Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation and others to present the case. I truly hope the Assembly will respect the scientific analysis and public process.
I was interviewed by APRN for a segment on Ethics that was broadcast this past weekend. The hour-long program is archived at http://www.akradio.org/archive/index.html. My segment is near the end.
Tonight the Assembly will probably adopt the Transportation Development Plan. We will also have a hearing and possibly adopt the new Comprehensive Plan which will guide Juneau's development for the next 10-12 years. It has been reviewed by many groups and gone over line by line by the Planning Commission for the past year. The Assembly has spent 3 meetings examining it and amending bits and pieces.
The one small piece that I will address tonight is stream buffers on Montana Creek. A couple years ago Trout Unlimited did a detailed scientific analysis of this anadromous stream and recommended 500 foot buffers on either side of it (other streams on CBJ land have 200 foot setbacks. The setback requirement for development on private land is 50 feet from an anadromous stream). Over the past two years the Trout Unlimited proposal was presented to and approved by the Wetlands Review Board, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission. It was also reviewed without recommendation by the Affordable Housing Commission, the Assembly Lands Committee and several other groups. In other words, it has gone through the full public process, and then was approved by our Land Use experts- the Planning Commission. However, in the Assembly's final review of the document it was reduced back to 200 feet. I will bring this forward to our public meeting tonight and have invited members of Trout Unlimited, the Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation and others to present the case. I truly hope the Assembly will respect the scientific analysis and public process.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Campaign Obsession
It is really hard to relax and try to keep perspective during this last frenzy of the Assembly campaign. I keep telling myself to remember that most people don't even know our names, let alone what the issues are. On the other hand, that is why they elect us-- to focus on issues that citizens don't have the time for.
Campaigney type stuff--- Just finished the Chamber of Commerce forum. Next week is a Wednesday 10:20 am Capital Chat debate between me and my opponent Karen Taug. I believe we will be expected to ask questions of one another. Thursday noon at ANB hall is the Tlingit Haida Candidate forum. I got a call yesterday about a JDHS forum for next Monday, but won't be able to attend. My radio spots are running on KINY. Next week I'll run them on KSUP and Taku-105 for a week. I took out some print ads in the Empire for next week and a Capital Weekly ad. This is what your campaign contributions go for. I committed to staying under $5,000 and I am at $4,400 right now. I'll probably take out one or two more Empire ads with endorser names. That will take me to my limit. Is that more than anybody wanted to know?
It's been interesting to listen to the questions we have been asked at the various forums. There is no strong theme this year. I think the one repeat question is affordable housing. We also have had a couple on stimulating the economy, a couple on childcare, and a couple on the problem of vagrancy.
We had a Committee of the Whole meeting Wednesday to finish up our review of the Comprehensive Plan and the final draft is posted at http://www.juneau.org/cddftp/documents/2008DraftCompPlanAssemblyReview09.24.pdf We will have a public hearing on the plan at our Monday 9/29 meeting. If you have ANY final comments we need to hear them ASAP. Or you can come testify Monday night.
Campaigney type stuff--- Just finished the Chamber of Commerce forum. Next week is a Wednesday 10:20 am Capital Chat debate between me and my opponent Karen Taug. I believe we will be expected to ask questions of one another. Thursday noon at ANB hall is the Tlingit Haida Candidate forum. I got a call yesterday about a JDHS forum for next Monday, but won't be able to attend. My radio spots are running on KINY. Next week I'll run them on KSUP and Taku-105 for a week. I took out some print ads in the Empire for next week and a Capital Weekly ad. This is what your campaign contributions go for. I committed to staying under $5,000 and I am at $4,400 right now. I'll probably take out one or two more Empire ads with endorser names. That will take me to my limit. Is that more than anybody wanted to know?
It's been interesting to listen to the questions we have been asked at the various forums. There is no strong theme this year. I think the one repeat question is affordable housing. We also have had a couple on stimulating the economy, a couple on childcare, and a couple on the problem of vagrancy.
We had a Committee of the Whole meeting Wednesday to finish up our review of the Comprehensive Plan and the final draft is posted at http://www.juneau.org/cddftp/documents/2008DraftCompPlanAssemblyReview09.24.pdf We will have a public hearing on the plan at our Monday 9/29 meeting. If you have ANY final comments we need to hear them ASAP. Or you can come testify Monday night.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Candidate Forum, Voting, Pool
Somebody was telling me the other day how frustrated they were to not know of various things happening. There is so much going on--it is tough to keep up.
Tonight the Planning Commission has their regular meeting beginning at 7pm and including a hearing on the Aquatic Center to be built at Diamond Park
http://www.juneau.org/plancomm/Agenda092308.php
Wednesday evening (9/24) 7:00 pm is the League of Women Voters candidate forum at City Hall.
http://juneaulwv.org/ You can come down for the face to face-- or you can listen to it on KTOO radio or internet stream http://www.ktoo.org/. I believe KATH TV will be taping for broadcast at a later time. Please attend or listen in.
Last Sunday the Empire printed its Juneau Voters Guide with bios, and Q&A from all the candidates for Assembly and School Board. You can find it all at http://www.juneauempire.com/elections/
Today is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot-- but you can vote right now at City Hall or the Mendenhall Mall. Get it done! Vote now!
http://www.juneau.org/clerk/elections/2008/2008-Absentee_Info.php
Tonight the Planning Commission has their regular meeting beginning at 7pm and including a hearing on the Aquatic Center to be built at Diamond Park
http://www.juneau.org/plancomm/Agenda092308.php
Wednesday evening (9/24) 7:00 pm is the League of Women Voters candidate forum at City Hall.
http://juneaulwv.org/ You can come down for the face to face-- or you can listen to it on KTOO radio or internet stream http://www.ktoo.org/. I believe KATH TV will be taping for broadcast at a later time. Please attend or listen in.
Last Sunday the Empire printed its Juneau Voters Guide with bios, and Q&A from all the candidates for Assembly and School Board. You can find it all at http://www.juneauempire.com/elections/
Today is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot-- but you can vote right now at City Hall or the Mendenhall Mall. Get it done! Vote now!
http://www.juneau.org/clerk/elections/2008/2008-Absentee_Info.php
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