Juneau committee hears presentation and public testimony on Auk Landing dock proposed by Hoonah Totem

Juneau’s Assembly Land, Housing and Economic Development Committee received a presentation and took public testimony Feb. 24 on Auk Landing, a proposed Hoonah Totem cruise-ship dock and mixed-use development at the Whittier and Egan intersection in downtown Juneau.

The presentation reviewed a navigability study from the Marine Exchange of Alaska and a traffic study produced over roughly 18 months; the public record and a city survey were also summarized. Committee discussion moved to the Committee of the Whole for questions and further review.

The project team, represented at the dais by Susan Bell of Hoonah Totem, told the committee the development has been shaped by multiple rounds of public input and by recommendations from the Visitor Industry Task Force and the planning commission. Bell said the presentation on Feb. 24 would emphasize new materials, including a navigability study and a traffic analysis.

Ed Page of the Marine Exchange reviewed the navigability work, which used automatic identification system (AIS) data to replay vessel transits and test proposed dock alignments. Page said the study examined several placement angles and concluded the proposed alignment “does not really interfere with the maneuver in those vessels” shown in the dataset and that, based on the simulated scenarios, “it won't be [a] significant impact on their routes and transits.” The study noted, however, that not all craft (notably float planes) carry AIS and that anchorages—which can swing and reduce available searoom—remain a variable the project must address.

Corey Wall, summarizing an approximately 200-page traffic study, said existing intersection levels of service (LOS) were measured and modeled for future growth plus the Auk Landing development. The study recommends relatively minor mitigations—restriping and signal timing adjustments rather than intersection widening—and finds LOS would remain within acceptable thresholds used by the Alaska Department of Transportation and the City and Borough of Juneau under the modeled scenarios. Wall said those mitigations are reflected in the packet tables provided to the assembly.

Public testimony split along familiar lines. Supporters included representatives of the Juneau Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Association, bus drivers and tour operators who said the dock would reduce downtown “hot-birthing” and relieve some bus congestion, and residents who said the project would generate construction and ongoing employment and add cultural and public-space amenities. Craig Dahl, executive director of the Juneau Chamber of Commerce, said the project would “create employment opportunities during the construction phase and provide small business opportunity when it is complete.” Desiree Harrison, vice president of the Downtown Business Association, said moving a vessel to shore would “give the passengers more time in port” and likely increase downtown spending.

Opponents and skeptical speakers raised several recurring concerns: air pollution and shore power, pedestrian and vehicle congestion around the South Franklin/Egan bridge corridor, safety where float planes, small craft and cruise-ship shore launches operate in close proximity, and the timing of approvals relative to infrastructure. Carla Hart told the committee, “The Assembly must first decide if an additional private cruise dock should be allowed,” and urged the body not to treat the lease discussion as the final, determinative step without first addressing whether a new private cruise dock belongs downtown.

Several speakers urged the assembly to condition any lease or occupancy on delivery of shore power infrastructure and other mitigations. Steve Boehnke of Renewable Juneau said current permit language is vague and “doesn't give that assurance” that shore power will be available and recommended either a prerequisite of completed power infrastructure before passenger operations or binding financial commitments (for example, a bond) to help pay for extending transmission to the site.

Speakers also asked the assembly to require pedestrian and sidewalk improvements before the dock opens. Heather Marlowe requested an “infrastructure prerequisite for occupancy” so sidewalks and other waterfront connections are upgraded in tandem with increased passenger flows; Marlowe also noted that crew members are not counted in the passenger totals used in traffic modeling.

Multiple commenters praised the project's inclusion of public amenities and cultural programming. Presenters said the development team has committed to removing a nearby derelict dock and to siting a cultural center and public plaza; Hoonah Totem representatives said public meetings and tourism surveys informed those features. Some speakers emphasized the project is local-led investment: Tom Boutin called it “a home team investing locally.”

Committee members and staff noted next steps: staff will continue coordination with the project team, the planning commission and the Coast Guard; a more detailed navigational study involving local pilots and captains was described as planned for mid-March; and the assembly will take up questions in the Committee of the Whole. No final lease or permit action was taken on Feb. 24.

The Feb. 24 meeting drew about 15 people for public testimony and several additional presenters; testimony and the packet materials will be part of the record as the assembly continues its review.

What happened next: the committee recessed to continue the discussion in Committee of the Whole and to schedule follow-up work on navigational modeling and permit conditions, including potential lease requirements related to shore power and pedestrian infrastructure.