Alan Munro was right in his letter to the editor sharing the public outrage and disdain over the recent Planning Commission approval of an indoor gun range that touts assault style rapid fire weapons for local family fun and as a tourism attraction. Something is very wrong with the CBJ notice and approval process or in our Juneau Empire reporting or both.
I don’t know anyone who regularly scans the legal notices for upcoming hearings on issues vital to the community of Juneau. City ordinance requires only that notices for projects falling under Planning Commission review are mailed to nearby neighbors and published in the legal section of the newspaper. There is nothing to distinguish between a minor request for a variance that may affect nearby neighbors and a project of significance to users of the area or to the entire community. Three recent examples:
• Notice on Cruise Docks 16 B, a proposal for two offshore berths and moorage floats at the site of existing downtown cruise docks failed to notify harbor users and the community at large. Lack of notice was part of the appeal. The appeal was lost.
• Notice on a request to re-zone an area between the Mendenhall Wetlands Game Refuge and the airport to industrial and light commercial use got out only because a nearby neighbor was a member of Audubon and the notice was included in their newsletter. A published letter to the editor followed. Written comments from 55 citizens were generated in time for the Public Hearing. The applicant pulled the request the day of the hearing. He is expected to revise and return.
• Part of the current appeal on the proposed indoor gun range featuring assault style weapons is lack of adequate notice to the community.
Generally the members of this community learn about these projects only when the Juneau Empire publishes an article, and that generally is only after there is an appeal. By then views of community members are discounted, because they missed the hearing deadline. They missed the hearing deadline because they weren’t informed until after the deadline.
The values of the community of Juneau are at stake. I understand that wider notice is complicated in determining what is worthy of a wider notice and how a wider notice should be accomplished. This issue is worth tackling by our elected and other officials. The Juneau Empire too has a role when the city lets us down. The Empire receives and publishes many public notices and could publish stories on projects it considers significant before the Public Hearing deadline. Citizens could then participate in the review process and have their views considered, rather than discounted as too late.
Patricia OBrien
Juneau
Comments (25)
Add commentIt was too
It was advertised and the public had ample opportunity to comment. The planning commission did their job legally and transparently.
This should not be delayed another moment because of last minute whining by Phil and friends, the developers went by the book....build it!
You are absolutely right,
You are absolutely right, Patricia! Putting it in the paper, on the radio etc is not enough. I think we should revisit every decision made by the planning commission and see if any member of the Juneau community feels slighted. For those building projects that someone now objects too, we should make them tear it down. And I am sure you would volunteer to go door to door to every house in Juneau and personally deliver the meeting times and agenda. Cant have any whiner miss out!
OK reality time. They followed the same procedure they do for every project, for as long as I remember. Those who want to be included make an effort to be included. Those who are too lazy or apathetic dont try to get the info, then whine about it later...
I'm speechless
and can't think of a Subject line. Really, Patricia?
"The Empire receives and publishes many public notices and could publish stories on projects it considers significant before the Public Hearing deadline."
Or the public could READ the PUBLIC notices that are published as part of the process. Why is the newspaper's job to alert the public? I'm not saying they shouldn't, but you shouldn't expect it.
As KP said, those who want to be included make an effort.
The abysmal voter turnout (31.9% in the last Municipal election) is indicative of the apathy of the general public, and goes a long way to explain the post-decision whining.
Did you vote, Patricia? And do you own any real property here that might be adversely affected? Just trying to put your opinions in perspective.
Lazy
I too find myself on the side of lazy on many topics as kpawsuh put it. Whose fault is that, mine and no one elses. While I do see the other side of the conversation, that fact of the matter is that the process is the process and has been for a long long time. I appreciate a good conversation after-the-fact to ensure the process was followed and that there was no questionable steps take, but that doesn't look to be the case (I could be proven wrong).
Don't like the existing process, change it or better yet, form a group whose job is to monitor every thing that is done by the assembly. That way you can get in on the conversation when you are supposed to.
Summary, suck it up and deal.
Why are
automatic weapons so important to have the option to shoot? Please enlighten me, do they enhance something that is missing in your lives?
It seems the outspoken majority in favor, are ex military, and or LE/first responders. What's the attraction, most vets I've spoken with (if you can get them to) don't want any reminders of what they've seen, or done.
As someone else mentioned on this subject, this ain't a coffee shop.
To say that rules were followed is technically true, but since one of the owners is on the planning commission and thus knew exactly how to make as little 'noise' as possible, until it was too far through the permitting process to be publicly scrutinized to any effect, is disingenuous at best.
The NRA isn't the same organization it was when I learned about firearm safety. That is what they used to be about(firearm safety), now it's more like firearm promotion.
Just curious, how many places in Alaska have this kind of business, that include the option to rent and fire automatic weapons?
I...
I thought the fact IT WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE JUNEAU EMPIRE would have been adequate. Maybe the fact that this information is available online. This is to assist those that believe others should live their own personal individual lives under your standards.
Political correctness has been spilling over into private business ownership for far too long. If you don't like the product, DON'T SHOP THERE! That is your freedom. My freedom is to go enjoy shooting some firearms. My freedom is to teach my children how to respect a firearm and not blow their/some other childs head off when visiting a friend's house whose parents own guns. You have your right to ensure your kid learns firearm safety from his PS3. Please, ensure our children don't play together as your children won't know how to a) function in society without being told how to think/react, and b) will think of a firearm as a console game.
Guns are legal, businesses with guns are required to operate within the law. If they do, IT'S THEIR BUSINESS!
Yeah thanks humanbeing.....
As for my post, and it "NOT THE SUBJECT OF THIS ARTICLE!!!!!!!" I think it ties nicely to the inadequate notice to the public. The city had changed the zoning ordinance to permit this place to be in the location it is proposed, before the general public really had any idea it was coming, or what it was all about. As my father used to say "that's a sneaky and underhanded way to do things".
You would think a business that is as controversial (and the owners and CBJ knew it would be) as this, would want broad community approval (not just the same tired @$$ dozen or so bloggers) and do everything possible to ensure that. The opposite is true, in fact.
I didn't cry foul when you asked off topic your little buddy LibHater, about you being in the market for white king, or halibut, in season of course....did I? I'll post where and what I like. I follow the rules of engagement, and closer than you, from what I read. You must be running out of legitimate points, as I've noticed you've become the blog police lately.
What's your stake in this business? I take it you're one of the vets, who didn't get enough.
Lastly humanbeing, I noticed you didn't have the courage to answer my question about the number of businesses in AK that allow rental of automatic weapons, or the NEED of the few, to be able to do such!
For the third time
publicly, humanbeing...Thank you for your service to OUR country. I was not insulting your courage on the battlefield. We've been through this before. You served in Vietnam, a lifetime ago, let it go, or at least quit begging for recognition.
My comment about courage, was in regard to you avoiding my very direct question about the businesses in AK that rent automatic weapons, and the NEED of some in our world to "play" with weapons of death.
That's fine, because I looked for myself and either there isn't any businesses, or they don't advertise their "services" openly.
If you can cry about your point of view from behind your screen in anonymity, so can I. I don't care to meet you in public for anything, you don't come across as very stable of demeanor....but thanks for the offer to kick my @$$...many have tried. I'm just not into that machismo nonsense anymore, I grew out of that in my twenties.....a lifetime ago.
I'm sorry if I disrupted your little (we're the only community citizen's opinion that matters) coffee club, with my comments.
Yeah humanbeing,
I'm sure I'll be losing lots of sleep over your comments towards me. Why don't you take your sorry game back to Massachusetts.
humanbeing
Reading comprehension isn't at the top of your skill set, is it? I've never said I was against the indoor range. Just the automatic weapons rentals, and the sneaky and underhanded way it has gotten to this point in the process.
Thanks again, but I don't drink coffee, and even if I did, I wouldn't have one with you.....scary has nothing to do with it.
I had your number after the first post of yours I read. Since that, you've only reinforced my original thoughts.
In the end, I'd refer you to the second sentence of my above post.
Glad to see
you corrected the disingenuine, had a good laugh over that one. Have you updated your other posts, so don't look like what you are?
Get over yourself, I did.....sleep well humanbeing, I'm done with your nonsense for tonight.
if juneau residents are upset
then let them be heard. A second appeal on the same grounds won't be heard. This is what appeals are for. This isn't a coffee stand. The armory intends to provide automatic weapons for customers to fire in their gun range. It's an armory. We should all have expected at least one appeal. Get on with it and make sure everyone is happy.
Really? 49er
"my very direct question about the businesses in AK that rent automatic weapons, and the NEED of some in our world to "play" with weapons of death.
That's fine, because I looked for myself and either there isn't any businesses, or they don't advertise their "services" openly."
And your point is? Get a sniff.
The Gun Store
... in Las Vegas does a great business catering to people. It's a very safe way to partake in the experience.
To those of you who don't want the experience - don't patronize the store.
To Ms. O'Brien - your own son left Juneau because he couldn't afford to live here. Immediately after you protested additional development in the West Valley. I told you then and I tell you now, you chased your kid out of town - don't do the same to mine.
Not everyone skis or swims. Some kids like 4-wheelers, snow machines, and some like to learn marksmanship. I don't ski and I don't look good in a swimsuit anymore but I support those activities with my tax dollars. This is a private investor, and your tactics of delay are costing them money. They should sue you to get reimbursed when this is over!
That's funny akdebs,
I always thought it was the overabundance of realtors and greedy developers that were driving people out of Juneau, because they can't afford the artificially inflated prices for rent and mortgages.
@shyabrick Your suggestion requires you to pull your head out of that general area first, doesn't it?
G'day cupcake, sleep well? I see you reworded a few of your posts after I signed off last night. Still meaningless to me, but they do read better.
Clarification for ima49er
Ms. O'Brien came to my door when I lived down the street and protested Phase 2 of Montana Creek Subdivision because she didn't think they should build any more houses. That's what I was getting at.
Build the indoor range.
Build the indoor range. I'll use it.
Thanks akdebs,
still wonder how you conclude she chased her son out of town by protesting Phase 2....guess you know specifics, that you're not sharing? Sounds like you're dredging up old news, to discredit her opinion, because you don't agree with what she says, or stands for.
How would that have anything to do with chasing your children out of town?
ima49er
If all new construction is stopped because some want vast privately owned areas as their own private park, all it does is drive up the cost of ALL housing for everybody.
Nicely sidestepped
Is there something wrong with wanting somewhere within walking distance to enjoy the natural environment, without a development, or commercial area to obstruct the view?
Maybe if developers didn't hoard prime land, and realtors didn't artificially inflate prices. Reasonable prices, and places to build wouldn't be the issue that it is.
Whoops
my fault.
Feel free to contact me
if you'd like to discuss this further. I feel what I'm trying to say is getting completely lost here.
Just an FYI - Realtors work the market they are given. I assure you it would be a whole lot easier to sell some affordable houses that what our market is. More people would be more able to afford a house.
As to your last comment, you cannot have it all your way. This isn't Burger King. The private land can be developed, sold to someone who wants that private park, or left fallow - driving up the value of other lands from those willing to sell.
I take real issue with people in Juneau making it impossible for someone to develop anything in this town. If they want a private park, they can buy the land, pay taxes on it, and "protect" it. Maybe they could donate it to the city, or SEAL Trust, or something along those lines.
It's not getting lost,
I'm just not buying what you're selling.
Can we use the range for archery too?!!!
Please!
Missing the point
Appears that the information regarding the indoor range was disseminated in accordance with CBJ guidelines. I believe that some are missing the point in that it is not a VOTE. Never hesitate to get involved in the "process". It may not always go your way, but at least you had the opportunity to comment.