Petersburg Assembly approves Tidal Network land sale 6-0 on second vote

A 0.23-acre borough parcel will transfer to the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, doing business as Tidal Network, after the Petersburg Borough Assembly approved the land sale 6-0 Monday. The resolution had been placed back on the agenda at the request of Assembly Member Mucci after failing 2-4 at the June 1 meeting. Under the agreement, Police Chief James Kerr told the assembly, the borough would gain long-term access to place public safety communication equipment on Tidal Network towers on Mitkoff Island, avoiding the cost of building and maintaining its own tower infrastructure.

Residents who opposed the sale urged the assembly to complete a full evaluation of alternative sites, structural engineering concerns, and impacts on nearby residents before transferring public land. One speaker cited a 300-signature petition. After public testimony in opposition, the assembly approved the resolution. Vice Mayor Stanton Gregor announced the result: "The resolution passes unanimously on a 6-0 mark."

Why Members Supported the Sale

Not all six yes votes represented a change from June 1. Assembly Member Jeff Valentine said he had not been present at the June 1 meeting. Assembly Member Newman explained that his earlier no vote had been cast knowing the resolution lacked the four votes needed to pass regardless, and that he was now voting on the merits. Assembly Member Martin, who had voted no on June 1, said the site compared favorably to towers already going up in Petersburg without borough involvement. "Looking forward on its own merits, I think it's a better site than the ones that have been sprouting up organically without borough involvement," Martin said. Multiple members described the location as the least problematic of the available options, citing its distance from sensitive areas and the public safety benefit of securing borough access to the communication infrastructure.

Police Chief James Kerr testified in favor before the vote. He told the assembly that reliable communications are critical for police, fire, EMS, search and rescue, and 911 dispatch, and that the agreement gives the borough options for placing public safety equipment on the towers without having to build its own infrastructure.

The land sale vote was not the only tower-related action Monday. The assembly also advanced Ordinance 2026-14 on first reading to establish zoning and permitting standards for wireless communication facilities and other towers. The ordinance passed first reading unanimously after five amendments, including changes to setback language, coverage-gap definitions, and a reduction of the sensitive-area setback distance from 1,500 feet to 500 feet. Assembly Member Mucci, who brought the ordinance forward, said having regulatory guidelines in place was important given the pace of tower activity in the borough. Assembly Member Newman said the ordinance gives the borough controls it currently lacks: "From day one, many, many months ago now, I've advocated that this is the tool in the toolbox that will help us navigate this issue."