Juneau has filed to annex 1,977 square miles of territory south of the borough, challenging a similar request from the new Petersburg Borough. Of that, 447 square miles is water.
Juneau’s annexation proposal seeks to add the watersheds of the Tracy and Endicott Arms, Dawes Glacier and Windham and Hobart Bays and Port Houghton to Juneau.
Some of that area, such as Hobart Bay, where Juneau’s Goldbelt Native corporation owns substantial holdings, is among the areas sought by Petersburg.
Petersburg last year began its own annexation effort, filing with the state’s Local Boundary Commission to take everything between the city and the southern boundary of the City and Borough into its new borough.
That set off concerns among Juneau leaders, who had long eyed much of that area as a future part of Juneau.
Earlier this year the LBC staff sided largely with Petersburg, though it did acknowledge Juneau had a stronger claim to Tracy Arm than did Petersburg.
Juneau and fellow Petersburg neighbors Kupreanof and Kake objected to the LBC staff recommendation as well.
The LBC will take public comments on Juneau’s annexation request until June 29. They may be made in writing or by email to LBC@alaska.gov
• Contact reporter Pat Forgey at 523-2250 or at patrick.forgey@juneauempire.com.
Comments (5)
Add commentThere it is
The reason Petersburg didn't want to be tied to Juneau voting district. Fear of annexation and taxation.
Goldbelt Land is Juneau Land
3000 Juneau shareholders and their families cannot be wrong.
Hobart Bay is owned by Goldbelt shareholders.
Petersburg and Hobart Bay
Petersburg fishermen (and women) have hunted and fished this area for years. Juneau has been virtually absent in this area - until now. All that is driving Juneau is a claim for future government control. If this area was so tied to Juneau for years (as the government in Juneau now claims) why were they waiting until now to try to grab the land? Petersburg has much lower levels of government control, regulation and taxation than Juneau has. I would hope that Goldbelt shareholders think this over when considering what is their best interests. I think Juneau just looks at this potential land grab as another opportunity to squeeze more revenue out of the Goldbelt Native Corporation.
Its a land grab by both
Its a land grab by both sides. Petersburg doesn't live there either, but somebody does, somebody who doesn't want their voice to be swallowed up by that of either city. Too bad the LBC are the states shoe horn men and the "choice" is one sided. Sure there will be an election, but then the petition will come back again and again until it passes forever. It's like saying do you want oatmeal or pancakes for breakfast and once you choose oatmeal that's all you get to have forever. Government never goes away, it's never undone. It only has to sneak in the door once and then it's the house guest that will never leave.
Why eye that area for a
Why eye that area for a future part of Juneau? Especially when CB&J still enforce a 3% "temporary" sales tax, and still cannot provide sewer to part of Juneau ...