Haines advisory board backs changing ordinance language to shift Dalton Trail fee decisions to assembly

The Haines Borough Tourism Advisory Board on a unanimous recommendation asked the borough assembly to take a larger role in developing user fees for the historic Dalton Trail Road Maintenance Service Area (RMSA), moving a draft change in ordinance No. 2603730 from ‘‘shall’’ to ‘‘may’’ and striking the word ‘‘annual’’ from the code.

The recommendation, moved by Sean Gaffney and discussed at length by members, followed testimony that the Dalton Trail area is used widely for borough recreation and tourism — not just by adjacent residents — and that the existing ‘‘shall develop a fee structure’’ language has been inconsistently applied. Clerk (the meeting clerk) summarized the ordinance as an amendment to HPC 7.08.05(d) that changes who develops the fees rather than setting specific fee levels.

Why it matters: Board members said a fee-setting process limited to the RMSA has produced a revolving, annual set of recommendations that can be unpredictable for tour operators and cruise lines. "The average finding across studies suggest that a 10% increase in the final price paid by visitors is associated with roughly a 7% decline in demand," said Sean Gaffney, pointing to supplemental material included with the agenda. Members worried that annually shifting fees would make Haines harder for operators to plan for and could damage relations with cruise partners.

What the board recommended: The motion — to change the word ‘‘shall’’ to ‘‘may’’ and remove the requirement that recommendations be ‘‘annual’’ — was seconded and adopted by the TAB. Clerk said TAB staff will prepare a record of decision with the recommended language and forward it to the assembly package for the assembly’s second public hearing, scheduled for April 14. The TAB agreed to meet on Wednesday, April 1 (noon–1 p.m. for Title 5 discussion; 1–2 p.m. for Dalton Trail RMSA) so it can finalize its recommendations in time for the assembly publication deadline.

Board concerns and context: Members noted neighborhood arrangements — one neighborhood has reportedly been collecting local funds (examples cited: expense lines of about $11,000 and $7,000 and a reported balance near $72,000 for that account) to cover plowing — and asked whether a borough-level process would disrupt those local arrangements. Others emphasized the broader borough interest because many Dalton Trail roads are used by the public for recreation, berry picking and visiting the lake, not solely by adjacent property owners.

Next steps: TAB will draft the record of decision with the suggested language, work with Sean Gaffney and staff on the text, and forward it to the assembly for the April 14 second public hearing. The clerk said any materials for the assembly package must be ready for publication by April 9.