Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tenani Bay Septic topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tenani Bay homeowners tell assembly decades‑long septic failures are blocking permits and occupancy
Summary
Multiple Tenani Bay homeowners told the Haines Borough Assembly that a shared wastewater system has been out of compliance for years, that the borough failed to assume maintenance as represented, and that DEC is denying permits; residents requested written explanations, action and possible tax relief.
Several property owners from the Tenani Bay subdivision used the public‑comment period at the March 10 Haines Borough Assembly meeting to press the borough to address a long‑running wastewater and permitting problem.
Barry Wood said he and other homeowners acquired lots in 2019 on the understanding the subdivision had a functioning collective wastewater system and that the borough would assume maintenance and final permitting responsibilities. "This failure of oversight falls directly on Haines, on the Haines Borough," Wood told the assembly, adding that he was pressured to accept permit responsibility for his lot and that delay in fixing the system threatens home occupancy and exposes owners to liability.
Mark Fowler said he and his wife spent hundreds of thousands of dollars building a house that may not be occupiable because the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will not issue permits while the subdivision system remains noncompliant. Tina Marie Fowler and other speakers described being told by borough representatives that the city would manage the septic system and said that information later changed, producing confusion and financial harm.
Speakers requested a written explanation of the borough’s current position on managing the system, a clear plan and timeline for corrective action, and consideration of tax relief or other remedies for affected property owners. Several warned that, if the situation does not change within weeks, they may pursue legal remedies to protect their property investments.
Assembly members did not take immediate action during the meeting but heard the comments in public session; staff did not present a reply on the record at that time.
What happens next: residents requested that the borough administration provide a written status update and a corrective action timeline; the assembly will need to decide whether to direct staff to develop a plan or to pursue regulatory/financial remedies.
— Reporting from the March 10, 2026 Haines Borough Assembly meeting.
