Legislature(1993 - 1994)
04/14/1994 09:05 AM Senate CRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
April 14, 1994
9:05 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Randy Phillips, Chairman
Senator Robin Taylor, Vice Chairman
Senator Loren Leman
Senator Fred Zharoff
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Al Adams
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION ON WHITTIER REDEVELOPMENT & URBAN DESIGN PLAN
WITNESS REGISTER
Gary Williams, City Manager
City of Whittier
P.O. Box 608
Whittier, AK 99693
Jim Barnett, City Attorney
City of Whittier
P.O. Box 608
Whittier, AK 99693
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 94-28, SIDE A
Number 001
The Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee was called to
order by Chairman Randy Phillips at 9:38 a.m. He announced the
presentation on the Whittier Redevelopment & Urban Design Plan
would be the only business to come before the committee.
GARY WILLIAMS, City Manager, City of Whittier, expressed
appreciation for the last year's appropriation of match money for
the Whittier project.
SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS asked what Whittier is doing as far as
explaining this project to the public, because he has received a
lot of comments from his constituents on why money is being
appropriated for this project when there is budget shortfall in the
state.
Mr. Williams spoke to the economic diversification and the new
industry in Western Prince Sound that can be created based upon
tourism and recreation. He emphasized that this is not a road for
Whittier; it is Alaska's road. It is a road that will produce
substantial economic benefit for the State of Alaska. Whittier's
role in this is simply to make the community available and to
participate in the economic activity that will result.
Mr. Williams directed attention to charts showing the Whittier core
area. He noted the railroad yards occupy the larger portion of the
core area and split the town between the living community and its
potential economic activity.
A draft environmental impact statement shows that improved access
to Prince William Sound will result in approximately 900,000 per
year for the first year and increasing thereafter with the opening
of road access. Currently, that area experiences approximately
200,000 visitors a year.
The project includes enlarging the harbor and providing 1,350
parking spaces in the harbor area. The key to this phase is a
bilateral agreement between the City of Whittier and the Alaska
Railroad for the reconfiguration of this area. The Alaska Railroad
owns 70 percent of the waterfront and 50 percent of the overall
core area of Whittier. That bilateral agreement is in progress.
One of the first things that has to happen in order to make the
plan work is that the ferry terminal will need to be moved in order
to provide additional area because they anticipate substantially
increased use of the ferry. By moving the ferry terminal, it
enables them to open up their entire harbor and provide for what is
expected to be the largest of the economic activity in the City of
Whittier, which is the day cruises. Also, access points will be
provided for people who trailer their boats in.
In each one of these redevelopment packages there is private
investment that with basic state and federal investment will
leverage many times the investment in private dollars put into
these functions.
One of the key developments in Whittier is the development of the
railroad dock and the marginal wharf building. It will cost $1.2
million to make the dock perfectly serviceable, and it will cost
another $2 million to build the marginal wharf building.
Mr. Williams related that the report by the consultants working on
the project, International Tourism and Resort Advisors (INTRA),
indicates that with a basic development over a course of time
amounting to approximately $30 million, it attracts nearly $80
million in private investment. The economy that would be developed
within the core area of Whittier would amount to about $30 million
a year annually. He added that the City of Whittier will be an
investor in this to the extent that they are able to bond.
Number 195
JIM BARNETT, City Attorney, City of Whittier, said this investment
that the state has already made, if protected and if permitted to
be constructed, will generate a very substantial tourism
opportunity in Southcentral Alaska. The community of Girdwood
already has substantial development underway, and the addition of
this project will provide the opportunity to generate substantial
tourism in this area near to Anchorage. He said they believe that
tour boats that left Whittier a couple of years ago for Seward
because of the condition of the railroad dock will come back in
strength.
Number 237
SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS reiterated his concern on the marketing of
this project to the public because these are state funds. GARY
WILLIAMS responded that this is going through a public review
process now, and the findings of the INTRA plan are being worked on
by the planning commission of the City of Whittier and being
integrated into their comprehensive plan. JIM BARNETT added that
the plan only came out about a month ago, but they have already
been talking to key business leaders. During the summer and fall
months they will continue to advise key businesses, as well as
going on the circuit and to explain the opportunities that exist
here. It is their intent, over the next six to eight months, to
respond to the public's concerns with the project.
Number 268
SENATOR TAYLOR stated his support for the project and noted that he
co-sponsored the original Whittier tunnel road with Representative
Betty Cato when she represented that district. He said it's going
on the tenth or eleventh year of this project and he is still
waiting for somebody to build one inch of new road in this state.
He stated that the Alaska Railroad Corporation has not been at all
supportive on this project because they still want to maintain
their own little monopoly. JIM BARNETT responded that the railroad
has helped with this.
Number 340
SENATOR LEMAN asked if they have good fishing opportunities in that
area that might relieve some of the conflicts that exist in the
Deep Creek fishery in the Kenai River. GARY WILLIAMS answered that
there is a fishery in Whittier, and if the Whittier option were
available, a lot of people would go there rather than drive to
Homer, Seward or Deep Creek.
Number 368
SENATOR ZHAROFF expressed his appreciation for the presentation by
the two gentlemen. He said it looks like they are proceeding along
lines with the progression. He added there is not much more the
Legislature can do to hurry the process along because there are
certain steps and benchmarks that they have to meet at certain
times.
Number 390
SENATOR PHILLIPS thanked Mr. Williams and Mr. Barnett for appearing
before the committee, and stressed the importance of getting this
project out before the public.
There being no further business to come before the committee, the
meeting was adjourned at 9:38 a.m.
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