[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6518545,"mediaKeyId","5391261-6d292d65520a91192352db0252bdbbb0","parentId",5391261,"title","Assembly forwards disorderly conduct ordinance to full body; directs staff to return with shelter safety-zone analysis","audioSeconds",4440,"startMs",2600000,"endMs",7040000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5391261-6d292d65520a91192352db0252bdbbb0&start=2600&end=7040","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5391261-6d292d65520a91192352db0252bdbbb0/thumbnail_2600000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6518545/Juneau-City-and-Borough/Alaska/Assembly-forwards-disorderly-conduct-ordinance-to-full-body-directs-staff-to-return-with-shelter-safety-zone-analysis","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518545-0c56bf59d67845250685476bc73bfc82/orig.mp4?Expires=1775497723&Signature=oMAJNaM8MoFF9n0yEakOq9nsXRGyuiofGJCTwGVJBB6ol5EDhh~cgPbvnXveX~zAOW0srhx1TQeEUFnXtXQzmYzAlQg4Vn75iRNnPexCTzK4qtxuKfFVTOWUoGGZ1bmHFMRqPRXyD6HWX9GwqLRk5dYJmtHimUVmL~M9FYFmt0UmKzVeMybsQEMCYaX4lfoaEsvemvVxn3Spp2B9rZJ~8wBREqwWVbgUeED3cYWqgyA19ynUbfGmtnMZFq92P5k2Sx5eWJqMKRVBLw6sF6rBumxIFEU7kT8HL1Z9fTASzQI6PHvpgYDn6tDBhhyxfgLJlZe91F1bbj8QmfxH42sOFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Juneau City and Borough","date","2025-07-15T17:21:48Z","article","The Assembly Committee of the Whole on July 14 discussed a multi-faceted set of options to reduce community impacts from public camping and disruptive behavior near service providers. The body voted to forward Ordinance Serial No. 2025-28B, which updates disorderly conduct language, to the full Assembly for introduction and further consideration; the committee approved the move by roll call, 7 in favor and 2 opposed.

Why it matters: The ordinance would give police an additional, more-expedited tool to address behavior that affects sidewalks, stairwells, parking garages and other public-right-of-way spaces. Supporters said the change would allow officers to address smaller-scale incidents without the time-consuming trespass process; opponents urged more stakeholder outreach and careful consideration of impacts on people experiencing homelessness.

What passed and how the committee voted: Mayor Weldon moved the ordinance to the Assembly for introduction. The main motion passed by roll call: Mayor Weldon, Miss Atkinson, Mr. Bryson, Miss Hall, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Steininger and Deputy Mayor Smith voted yes; Miss Hughes Candice and Miss Wall voted no.

\"This gives us much more of an immediate action,\" Juneau Police Chief Boss told the committee, describing the current practical difficulties in delivering a trespass notice or locating property managers late at night. Chief Boss and other staff emphasized the ordinance is meant to be a tool to enable compassionate problem-solving and faster response when individuals are creating an immediate obstruction or safety issue.

Staff briefs and options discussed: Deputy Manager Barr briefed the committee on four broad categories of city responses included in the staff memo: (1) the disorderly conduct code change to allow more immediate enforcement for camping or obstruction in rights of way; (2) the shelter safety-zone (an exclusion buffer around shelters and service providers); (3) reestablishing a staffed summer campground; and (4) time, place and manner rules as a regulatory framework.

Deputy Manager Barr emphasized enforcement currently prioritizes voluntary compliance and connection to services, and that the disorderly conduct change is intended to help officers address smaller, single-person incidents (for example in a parking garage or bus stop) before they expand into larger encampments.

Shelter safety zone and related concerns: Representatives of service providers, including the Glory Hall and Teal Street Center, had requested a shelter safety zone to reduce disruptive behavior in the immediate area around those facilities. Staff and the police cautioned that a safety-zone boundary could be difficult to draw and could raise practical issues for clients who need to access services inside the zone. Attorney Wright said the proposed disorderly conduct language mirrors state statute but that the Assembly can revise that language if it wishes.

Staff described operational details and prior practices:
- The city uses two main data sources for homelessness: the annual point-in-time count and the housing inventory count.
- The police typically give encampments 48 hours' notice before large-scale disbandments; the proposed code change would help with more immediate problems.
- The department has used a threshold of roughly three or more tents to indicate a growing encampment that may warrant larger-scale action, though staff said the threshold is a guideline, not an automatic trigger.
- The city has experimented with porta potties and sharps containers; staff said those experiments have had limited success and presented waste-handling challenges.

Effect on providers: Staff warned that if day services such as those at the Glory Hall were to close, impacts would likely disperse across Juneau and exacerbate theft, public health and unsanitary conditions. Several assembly members urged both enforcement tools and investments in shelter and low-barrier housing.

Instruction to staff: Committee member Miss Wall moved and the committee approved a direction that staff bring back more information specifically on a shelter safety zone and other tools to protect service-provider operations in the Teal Street neighborhood. That directive passed without objection.

Next steps: The ordinance will be introduced to the full Assembly. Staff will return with additional analysis on shelter safety-zone options, including boundary possibilities, operational implications for service providers and likely enforcement and homelessness-service trade-offs. The committee also asked staff to continue considering summer campground feasibility and harm-reduction measures (needle disposal, toilet access) but flagged staffing and safety as major obstacles.

Speakers from the meeting included Deputy Manager Robert Barr, Chief Boss (Juneau Police Department), City Attorney Wright, Commander Ruskie, and multiple Assembly members who took part in the discussion and the roll-call vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 14, 2025 Assembly Committee of the Whole Worksession","oneSentenceSummary","The Assembly Committee of the Whole voted to forward Ordinance Serial No. 2025-28B (disorderly conduct code changes) to the full Assembly for introduction and directed staff to return with more information on establishing a shelter safety zone around social-service providers in the Teal Street neighborhood.","taxTitle","Juneau City and Borough, Alaska","taxId",13703,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":44,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518550,"DOT, CBJ and consultants wrap up Planning and Environmental Linkage study for Juneau's Juno-Douglas North Crossing",2529,71000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5391261-6d292d65520a91192352db0252bdbbb0&start=71&end=2600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5391261-6d292d65520a91192352db0252bdbbb0/thumbnail_71000.jpg","/articles/6518550/Juneau-City-and-Borough/Alaska/DOT-CBJ-and-consultants-wrap-up-Planning-and-Environmental-Linkage-study-for-Juneaus-Juno-Douglas-North-Crossing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518550-d3f3d7e4a08df3354d906126adc59071/orig.mp4?Expires=1775497723&Signature=no8bzzcPxRtGC9EtEpgSPfWsCQvUJ93PXdyPUtn1YRg1GrIwRqazUAf9oosQh~Ta4ChX4wuRFyVpH8eXVN0o~4vebbUjRc1KtPLyE-snCtGY1QytAwq5mBcGRSlLLWhdM8F05u78k~otFNTBNtJbLDmKLN7xK2lDJNwaUM36rOsVJ1P3LzGGBxUkAzoA3qVdqjVa76f0C3EkrpJf7drrhbCJ0Zj6jOxoTzCaISJI0-ZNPieJxMI~Ie-K9XtUb1OvKRG42p0kEYjIENpoW5ca9KkRRyTA3Ex9-tCHwDSBefXo5T6zpcKprdv0R1jfCAWuy9LI6bAnQB-7iCX521qNLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Christopher Goins, South Coast regional director for the Alaska Department of Transportation, told the Assembly Committee of the Whole on July 14 that DOT has submitted a final Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) study for the Juno-Douglas North Crossing to DOT headquarters and plans to move into the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) phase within weeks.

The PEL process was used to narrow a wide set of possible crossing options into a smaller group of alternatives to be evaluated in NEPA, DOT and CBJ representatives said. \"We decided to go forward with a new process called the Planning Environmental Linkage Study\" to reduce the number of alternatives before NEPA, Goins said.

The PEL was presented by Steve Noble, senior project manager with Dowell Engineering, who said the work began in spring 2022 and included intensive public engagement. \"This has been probably the project that's had the most public involvement of any project I've participated in in the last 30 years,\" Noble said, noting seven advisory committee meetings, three open houses and multiple pop-up events. He said the PEL team received more than 600 comments on the final draft.

Why it matters: The PEL narrows what would otherwise be a large, complex NEPA process into a manageable set of alternatives. NEPA-level study, Noble and Goins said, can take several years. Goins estimated a multi-year NEPA timeframe; Noble suggested NEPA could be two to five years, followed by several years of design before construction could start.

What the PEL concluded: The PEL carried five corridor locations forward for NEPA evaluation: Salmon Creek, Twin Lakes, Vanderbilt, Sunny Point (A and B variants) and Mendenhall Peninsula, with Salmon Creek and Mendenhall Peninsula scoring relatively higher under tightened weighting for refuge impacts. Noble said the Mendenhall Peninsula alternative is far costlier than other options, with a planning-stage estimate in the range of $1.1 billion to $1.7 billion versus roughly $300 million to $400 million for other alternatives.

Noble explained the scoring: the team applied additional weight to impacts inside the Mendenhall Wetlands National Wildlife Refuge following public and stakeholder input; alternatives that cross refuge lands consequently scored more poorly. Because of limited field work so far, Noble said the technical case for eliminating any of the five carried-forward alternatives is weak and recommended that all five (plus the required no-build alternative) be evaluated during NEPA.

Key technical and schedule points:
- The PEL relied largely on desktop work with a limited field campaign (two weeks of field work in October 2023).
- The Salmon Creek option assumes the ability to construct near the Salmon Creek Dam; the project team filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for dam information but said the response timeline required deferring deeper analysis to NEPA.
- The Mendenhall Peninsula option's high cost is driven by span length and structural requirements; the team used USGS subsurface data to make planning-level pile-depth assumptions.
- NEPA technical work will likely include two seasons of biological field studies (wetlands, fisheries, birds), cultural resources, visual and noise analysis, right-of-way and 4(f)/6(f) considerations, and Coast Guard coordination where navigation determines bridge height.

Public feedback and topics raised: Comment themes included strong preference to avoid impacts inside the refuge, concern about dam safety and Salmon Creek, airport compatibility, private-property impacts, demand for more environmental study, and debate over whether a second crossing is needed. Noble said public and stakeholder feedback led the team to add weighting for refuge impacts during the level 2 screening.

Funding and local role: Goins and CBJ staff emphasized the project will require substantial local match for federal grants; Goins and CBJ staff urged the Assembly to weigh political and fiscal trade-offs during NEPA and later funding decisions.

Next steps: The PEL has been submitted to DOT headquarters. With final PEL approval expected imminently, the project team plans to enter the NEPA phase. Noble said NEPA could take two to five years, followed by about three years of design before construction could start on whichever alternative survives NEPA.

Speakers from the meeting: Christopher Goins (South Coast regional director, Alaska Department of Transportation), Denise Koch (engineering and public works director, City and Borough of Juneau), Steve Noble (senior project manager, Dowell Engineering).","Christopher Goins, South Coast regional director for the Alaska Department of Transportation, told the Assembly Committee of the Whole the final Planning and Environmental Linkage study for a potential second Juno-Douglas crossing has been submitted to DOT headquarters and that DOT and CBJ plan to move the project into the NEPA environmental review phase.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518537,"Assembly discusses meeting times and audio problems; manager to pursue options including sound-system design and off-site meetings",1280,11031000,12311000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5391261-6d292d65520a91192352db0252bdbbb0&start=11031&end=12311","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5391261-6d292d65520a91192352db0252bdbbb0/thumbnail_11031000.jpg","/articles/6518537/Juneau-City-and-Borough/Alaska/Assembly-discusses-meeting-times-and-audio-problems-manager-to-pursue-options-including-sound-system-design-and-off-site-meetings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518537-7bf64351c3841e844664d48ce553db49/orig.mp4?Expires=1775497723&Signature=i-mdAudFb~6R5V-rnTUnrDKOPaldY7aA2Eoc2o9ci1FZCxcLsEVv7pFnsEM7qqOYERcnWoITBlY9KcfFdeER8UJpnP0T9DNrzaNLynqGPfFhPa4U2x0K93JdF-UkSw49ksiuevYw9gGOPBDqv4ifm~ihjooEUVJSRVpfkYMkweKEvSsvL3bzmjVSw2yXgMEYfgJZ3M~jq4qgS4-XQloKnX54MmnFCniKU25VCVraBuUzklqGA0BicWItd2Ue3kYiCWfbsFM2CHSgPDLqp75sRiJLGp903BePlLJKcI~3YNJNl1RSHoXiVUN~K5Vpwhw2dckJSWESFJyqaRi78A9z-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager Koester presented options for changes to meeting start times and for improving the Assembly Chambers audio system during the Committee of the Whole on July 14. The manager said staff can pursue modest schedule changes (move one committee earlier), a broader restructure (new start times and committee slots), or off-site meetings while the audio system is fixed.

Why it matters: Members said late-night endings and poor in-room sound quality reduce public access and make participation harder for residents and for some committee members. Several members favored a targeted change (Option 2 in staff materials) that moves one committee earlier and shifts evening start times slightly to reduce late-night work, while exploring better audio and off-site options when needed.

Audio system and off-site meetings: Manager Koester said a design for a new sound system is estimated at roughly $60,000; several members supported pursuing a new system while using alternative venues (for example Centennial Hall or a school auditorium) for meetings where public audibility is crucial. The manager said staff would return with rule changes if the Assembly chooses a revised meeting schedule.

Executive sessions and timing: Committee members reported a positive experience with holding an executive session at the start of a meeting to enable a clear end time; several members said that approach makes difficult decisions and deliberation more manageable than waiting until late in the evening.

Next steps: The manager will pursue the preferred direction the Assembly provided: a modest schedule change (staff to prepare revised Assembly rules and procedures for a new start time option), investigate sound-system design and costs, and schedule select off-site meetings as needed to ensure the public can hear proceedings. Staff will return with draft rules and cost estimates.","The Committee of the Whole debated three scheduling options for Assembly, committee and HRC meetings, expressed support for smaller schedule changes to reduce late-night sessions, and discussed poor sound quality in the Assembly Chambers. City Manager offered a $60,000 estimate to design a new sound system; the Assembly gave general direction to",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518541,"CBJ advances multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan to full Assembly; seeks FEMA approval to qualify for grants",1090,8310000,9400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5391261-6d292d65520a91192352db0252bdbbb0&start=8310&end=9400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5391261-6d292d65520a91192352db0252bdbbb0/thumbnail_8310000.jpg","/articles/6518541/Juneau-City-and-Borough/Alaska/CBJ-advances-multi-jurisdictional-hazard-mitigation-plan-to-full-Assembly-seeks-FEMA-approval-to-qualify-for-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518541-9be34f3fa05fd7a4bdcf86a7b22772d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775497723&Signature=G--Haaq~d1yaj3pQzaLixIQ4JGe2I7iJY9eIFvNzY8q88PCvfPQWZLBaJSb53WMp6fDVSRPs87NnzaCRQN2D-rBCc2p3bQR4j5SBRERLzOnKwajQ4EXXYlGMDK1x5Hs0tcx5O7df5NSEKMkSGC~MGMPbG~UGJePndSNuvKLT4ud1tE1ucJZpDUv3q97hr3DOG36VQ8syu3q5atNGaJXxG05tiuSrqd14QfBVztT0~1H1aMqT9oTAfgAngWa2mfcaA9wbbrW~JRFmYdOXilxWpJEL-QvG3DeyGuued5kM0HKj7ENqY-VFExw3WC95EAAiRktX~lva4mgjTfgk-VuXqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee of the Whole on July 14 voted to forward a draft multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan to the Assembly for adoption and onward submission to the State and FEMA. Emergency Programs Manager Ryan O'Shaughnessy and consultant Laurie Young of Fairweather Science presented the plan, which the staff and consultant described as a non-regulatory guiding document required for a range of hazard mitigation grant programs.

Why it matters: A FEMA- and state-approved hazard mitigation plan is a prerequisite for many federal and state mitigation grants. CBJ staff said the plan is needed now to be eligible for upcoming hazard mitigation funding cycles.

Plan components and findings: O'Shaughnessy described the plan as composed of two main parts: (1) a comprehensive risk assessment (more than 300 pages) covering hazards from earthquakes and severe weather to cybersecurity and high-hazard dam failure; and (2) a mitigation action plan listing projects that could reduce identified risks. The mitigation list was culled from public input, previous plans and agency suggestions. The planning team reviewed roughly 187 project ideas and selected 104 for the draft mitigation-action list.

Special topics and data use: The plan uses the best available science and existing studies; no new standalone field studies were initiated for the plan. The draft includes mapped landslide-risk areas based on prior contractor (Tetra Tech) mapping, overlaid with older 1992 maps to avoid implying parcel-level regulatory status. Staff reported they coordinated with the state hazard-mitigation office and FEMA throughout the drafting process and said FEMA and the state had been engaged and were supportive of the approach for inclusion without making those maps regulatory.

Schedule and public comment: The plan was kicked off in January 2025 with public meetings (Jan. 29 and June 17). The mitigation-action list was released for public comment in early July; staff said the public comment period runs through July 25. CBJ will submit the plan to the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, which will forward it to FEMA for review; staff acknowledged that FEMA review times vary and can be slow.

Assembly direction and adoption: Mayor Weldon moved the resolution forwarding the draft plan to the full Assembly and asked for unanimous consent; the motion was adopted without objection. Staff said that if FEMA or the state requests changes during review, staff will make those revisions and report back to the Assembly and that the plan will be formally updated on a five-year cycle with annual reviews proposed to avoid a future lapse.

Next steps and follow-up: After Assembly adoption and state/FEMA review, the plan would be final and allow CBJ to apply for hazard mitigation grant programs and other funding. Staff emphasized the plan is non-regulatory and is intended to inform mitigation priorities and funding requests, not to serve as a land-use code or development regulation.

Speakers included Ryan O'Shaughnessy (CBJ Emergency Programs Manager), Manager Kester (introduction), and Laurie Young (Fairweather Science, on the phone).","The Committee of the Whole voted to forward a draft multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan to the full Assembly for adoption and to submit the plan to state and federal agencies for approval. The plan consolidates risk assessment and a mitigation action list across CBJ and Central Council of Tlingit & Haida, includes a 300-plus page risk","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Assembly forwards disorderly conduct ordinance to full body; directs staff to return with shelter safety-zone analysis

DOT, CBJ and consultants wrap up Planning and Environmental Linkage study for Juneau's Juno-Douglas North Crossing

Assembly discusses meeting times and audio problems; manager to pursue options including sound-system design and off-site meetings

CBJ advances multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan to full Assembly; seeks FEMA approval to qualify for grants