Petersburg’s Borough Assembly will consider a new subdivision zoned for mobile homes at its meeting tonight. The assembly will take public feedback on an ordinance to rezone a lot near a residential area in town for mobile homes, but intended for stick built or manufactured homes.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers. KFSK’s Shelby Herbert has more on the Assembly’s agenda, which is the shortest it’s had in the last couple of months.
The Assembly will hear testimony on an ordinance to rezone a lot near the Severson Subdivision from Public Use to Single Family Mobile Home. Ambre Burrell, owner of Skylark Park, LLC, says she’s looking to subdivide the 5-acre parcel to allow for the construction of manufactured and stick built homes.
The project has the Planning Commission’s unanimous approval. Assembly member Donna Marsh had previously expressed her skepticism of the idea through written communications with the Borough. She said the section of muskeg in question is cherished by neighborhood children; that the development would bring down the property value of nearby homes, and that it would compromise the cleanliness and safety of the neighborhood.
However, Marsh walked back her stance on the project at last week’s meeting.
“I am 100% in favor of owners doing what they would like to do on their property,” said Marsh.
Still, she still has some questions about the structures Skylark Park plans to install.
“I guess my thought is, then: if before this project began—” said Marsh, “Would there be a discussion on what kind of definitions we put forth, to establish what mobile home is versus manufactured home? Because as was noted earlier, it can mean a vehicle or a camper. And I would like to see if there is going to be development, [it’s] a more permanent structure, rather than just — I can park my car there. But that could actually change my perspective.”
All the assembly members present — including Marsh — passed the ordinance in its first reading. If it passes at tonight’s meeting, it’ll have one more vote to go.
The Assembly will have two new faces at the table tonight to help make decisions. It will be newly elected assembly member Rob Schwartz’s second meeting since he swore in last week. Returning assembly member Jeigh Stanton Gregor, who won his seat by just one absentee ballot last week, will take his oath of office at the start of the meeting.
The assembly will hear a report from the CEO of the Southeast Alaska Power Agency, Robert Siedman, who is in town this week. He’ll report on SEAPA activities at the meeting.
The Borough Assembly has only one item of new business in front of them tonight. Vice Mayor Bob Lynn is requesting to direct Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht to reach out to the Mental Health Trust Land Office about a possible land exchange.
Lynn wants to trade a section of Borough land for a popular recreational fishing spot owned by the state. It’s a four-and-a-half acre parcel on the banks of the Blind River Rapids — which the Mental Health Trust Land Office is currently attempting to auction off. The auction closes on November 27th, and the bidding starts at about $102,500.
Not long ago, the Land Office approached the Borough about a different land development project — a proposal to create a subdivision with over 100 lots between Blind River Rapids and Papke’s Landing. At its meeting on September 5th, the Assembly voted to decline.
Lynn told KFSK that he’s concerned that residents may not be able to continue fishing in the area if someone buys the parcel that’s up for auction.
The Assembly will hold its regular meeting at 6 p.m. tonight in the assembly chambers. KFSK will broadcast this meeting live and post the recordings in our Assembly Archives. Anyone from the community can join the meeting in person, by phone, or on Zoom. There’s more information on KFSK’s community calendar.
Editor’s Note: This story has been changed to reflect that the assembly is considering rezoning the five-acre parcel near the Severson Subdivision for mobile homes, but the rezone is intended to make way for stick built OR manufactured homes.
