Commission questions cruise‑ship scheduling; staff cites CLIA coordination and borough guidebook

Commissioners pressed borough staff on how cruise‑ship calls are scheduled after noting a steady increase in visits over recent years. The borough planner and manager said the schedule originates with a global coordinator (identified as CLIA) that coordinates ship itineraries and submits proposed schedules to borough staff. Borough staff review those schedules for dock and staff availability and provide an informal nod when the borough can accommodate the visits.

Staff told the commission the borough used a cruise‑ship industry guide and a public survey conducted last year to assess community preferences and capacity. The survey, now posted on the borough website, was intended to give staff a sense of whether the community feels current cruise‑ship levels are appropriate. Staff summarized that more than half of survey respondents felt the current level was about right and that many comments favored smaller ships rather than very large vessels. Commissioners discussed the need for clearer, repeatable policies and asked staff to provide raw survey data and to clarify the borough’s use of the guidebook when informing scheduling decisions.

Commissioners said a regular cadence for public engagement, such as periodic surveys, could help reduce ambiguity about what the public wants and assist staff in applying the comprehensive plan.