DATE: November 20, 2002

TO: Juneau Assembly

FROM: Dale Pernula, Director
Community Development Department

SUBJECT: Proposed change of Comprehensive Plan Land Use Designations for CBJ Lands and Montana Creek Corridor.


At the last Assembly COW held on October 28, 2002, additional information was requested relative to the change of land use designations on the Comprehensive Plan map in Montana Creek corridor. Of particular concern was how these proposed changes correspond with designations of these properties on the Land Management Plan, the Parks & Recreation Plan and the designation of property northeast of Montana Creek Road that is a potential source of construction material.

Attachments A and B are the existing and proposed Comprehensive Plan maps for the area, respectively. Attachment C is an excerpt from the Land Management Plan for the area and associated tables, providing comments on each of the parcels. Parcels 0411, 0412 & parcels 0429-0441 are the parcels under consideration for change. Referring to the comments on the associated table indicates that the parcels are designated for Natural Area Park, Mendenhall River greenbelt, Brotherhood Bridge Park, Wild Meadow Park, and Montana Creek Greenbelt.

Attachment D is the Parks and Recreation Plan. The Plan shows that part, but not all, of the upper Montana Creek area (north of Back Loop Road) is designated Natural Park Area. It also indicates that much of the lower Montana Creek and Mendenhall River corridors are designated as Recreation Service Park. However, according to Parks and Recreation Director, Kim Keifer, it is still the intention to change the designation of these areas to Natural Park Area.

Attachment E is an aerial photograph of the upper Montana Creek area showing the approximate boundaries of wetlands and flood planes. These are highly generalized and are presented only to provide information relative to the order of magnitude of these designations.

Regarding the issue of potential building material located in the area northeast of Montana Creek Road near the rifle range, please note that on attachment A, the existing Comprehensive Plan map, the parcel is currently designated NP-Natural Park Area. While it may be worthwhile to consider changing the designation of this property, the Comprehensive Plan update would not change its current designation.

Attachment A 
Attachment B 
Attachment C
Attachment D
Attachment E