Sitka planners favor 30 to 40 home lots near Sitka High School

Sitka planning commissioners favor a plan for 30 to 40 single-family lots near Sitka High School, with additional land held back for denser housing later. The commission reviewed the idea at its Sept. 2 meeting at Harrigan Centennial Hall, according to the City and Borough of Sitka's fall newsletter.

Commissioners examined early lot layouts for two sites the city says have strong near-term potential for new housing: municipal land next to Osprey Street and the land near the high school. For Osprey Street, they favored a mix of single-family homes for ownership and new apartments. The reserved space near the high school could someday hold dormitory-style or apartment buildings, the newsletter said.

The Planning Department and city consultant PND Engineering presented the update on Phase II of the Housing Land Suitability and Feasibility Study. The study carries five priority areas from Phase I into more detailed analysis and early planning concepts.

Alaska News previously covered the search narrowing to two parcels with about eight buildable acres, amid what that article described as a critical shortage of affordable housing. An earlier Alaska News article noted that an Assembly ordinance would cut the lot size requirement for a backyard apartment from 14,000 to 8,000 square feet and bar them from R-2 lots. The Sitka Community Land Trust also sought a variance to cut required parking from two spaces to zero at 1306 Halibut Point Road. The Alaska Legislature has passed SB 50, which requires first and second class boroughs to include housing development plans in their comprehensive planning. Sen. Forrest Dunbar of Anchorage sponsored the bill, and Rep. Rebecca Himschoot of Sitka backed it, citing her experience as a former assembly member. The bill awaits Gov. Mike Dunleavy's signature.

Three other Phase II areas face more work: land between Sitka High School and Gavan Hill, the Benchlands corridor along Kramer Avenue, and land around Harbor Mountain Bypass Road. The city said those areas are larger and carry more complex near-term constraints. Current work includes hydrology, natural hazard assessment, sensitive habitat mapping and utility capacity analysis.

The Planning Department expects Phase II findings to be final before the end of the year. That could lead to future public discussion and next steps, though the newsletter gives no date for it.