Two public hearings are scheduled for tonight’s Petersburg Borough Assembly meeting. One is for a resolution to approve leasing Borough-owned tidelands to American Cruise Lines. The other is for an ordinance making changes to the Borough’s budget.
The Assembly will continue weighing whether or not to approve the budget changes — accounting for buying fire department gear, fixing a sprinkler system at the Mountain View Manor’s Elderly Housing facility, repairing wastewater infrastructure in Frederick Sound, and accounting for recently awarded federal revenue for schools and roads. The Assembly unanimously approved the changes for the first time last week and will need to approve them three times to take effect.
American Cruise Lines is a small cruise ship company that frequently stops in Petersburg. It’s increasing its summer visits to town, and wants to build a cruise ship dock for its small passenger ships. The Borough and the company have been discussing the project logistics for years. This resolution is a final step toward construction, and passing it would approve leasing part of the Borough tidelands located on Dock Street next to the U.S. Coast Guard Dock. American Cruise Lines would build a float and gangway there, and the project should be completed in two years, according to the proposed lease.
The lease agreement and project have been vetted by the harbormaster’s office, the local harbor advisory board, and Petersburg’s planning commission. The agreement lasts 50 years, with 5-year renewal cycles. The starting rent is 10% of the tideland’s appraised value — $9,550.
The cruise line is also trying to build docks for its vessels in other Southeast communities like Wrangell and Haines as part of a regional expansion. American Cruise Lines stopped in Petersburg more frequently last year, but there were space constraints. Petersburg’s harbormaster has said the dock could help with congestion in the maritime community, especially during the summer cruise season.
Hydropower and a potential data center project are also on tonight’s agenda. The Petersburg Borough Assembly meets at 6:00 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers. KFSK will broadcast that meeting live.
