Daily Sitka Sentinel from Sitka, Alaska • Page 1

Member of the Associated Press A I I Tuesday, December 4,1990 Volume 52 No. 234 Sitka Alaska 35c Bert Stedman uses a scale model to support his arguments for a house being built at 1109 Halibut Point Road (Sentinel photo by WUI Swagel) Board Delays Vote On tiPR Wall Dispute By WILL SWAGEL Sentinel Staff Writer Monday night's meeting of the Sitka Planning Commission resembled a courtroom, complete with an attorney, evidence exhibits and even closing arguments. In fact, the hearing had everything but a verdict. The commission heard two hours of testimony and arguments from both sides in a dispute between two Halibut Point Road neighbors at odds over the construction of a retaining wall along a property line. The wall was planned as part of a project to build a house at 1109 HPR.

At the end, commission members agreed to hold off on a decision until the Dec. 17 meeting, when City Attorney Theron Cole will be available to offer his counsel. Cole has been out of town on medical leave and was not available for Monday night's meeting. Commission members said because of the complex legal issues involved, they did not want to act without his members said they also wanted time to review new information presented at Monday night's meeting. One of the issues raised was whether the commission has any jurisdiction over the matters in the dispute at all; an attorney for one of the property owners said it doesn't Attorney Den ton Pearson made that assertion on behalf of his clients, Ron and Harriet McClain.

The McClains own the house next door to 1109 HPR. The McClains are objecting to the construction of a retaining wall just inside the property line of 1109 HPR, which is being developed by By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer After months of deliberation, the Police and Fire commission Monday approved, 3-0, a proposal to change the current ordinance regarding firearms. If passed by the Assembly, it would prohibit the carrying of a loaded firearm within any business or residential district in the City and Borough of Sitka. It would also be illegal to discharge any firearm within any business or residential district, or within 200 yards of any residence within the city and borough. Formerly these restrictions covered only the area within the city limits of Sitka before the city and borough were unified, the area between -the National Cemetery on one side and Da vidoff Street on the other.

Exceptions are included in the ordinance for protection of life, in areas designated by the chief of police and for state police officers. The definition of a "loaded firearm" was also approved, 3-0. According to the approved definition, a firearm is loaded "if the firing chamber, magazine, clip or cylinder of the firearm contains a cartridge." On another matter, the commission received mostly negative comments on a proposal to make American and Barracks streets one-way and to extend Seward down to Katlian. As proposed, American Street would carry Only 21 Days until Christmas north-bound traffic, and Barracks would carry south-bound traffic. Commission member Jerry Bowen said he'd heard the suggestion from people in the police and fire departments, who, he said, had complained of the hazards turning onto American and Barracks streets.

Wayne Olson, a downtown resident, said Seward Street is narrow and dangerous for pedestrians and vehicles, and could not handle, the added traffic which would come with the Seward Street extension. Also, he said, snowy conditions make American Street The proposal would require trucks making deliveries to the Pioneers Home or the Sitka Sentinel on Barracks Street to enter from Marine Street, which is off-limits to heavy trucks because of its weight limit, said Marjorie Ward, a member of the audience. Thad Poulson, editor of The Daily Sitka Sentinel, said the 20-30 foot change in elevation from the end of Seward to Kallian would make the extension steep and hazardous. Furthermore, he said, increasing traffic on narrow Seward Street "isn't the answer to any thing." Barracks and American are also very narrow and require drivers to be cautious, he noted. But the one-way street plan would cause more problems than it would solve, he said, by severely restricting access to various parts of the neighborhood and by forcing all north-bound traffic through the blind and steep intersection of American and Seward.

Fire Chief Doug Karpstein said the fire department hadn't any trouble getting to its destinations in the area and the one-way street proposal probably wouldn't help. Police Chief John Newell agreed that the one-way plan probably is not needed, but said there's no reason Continued on Page 8 Bernice Stedman. Previously the Mc- Clains obtained a stop work order on the project from the but the order was lifted by the city after the builder made a modification. The McClains the planning commission to appeal the lifting of the stop work order. Stedman was represented Monday night by her son, Bert Bert Stedman is a member of the Planning Commission, but he sat in the audience during the hearing and abstained from any action on the case as a commission member.

Ron McClain is a former member of the Planning Commission. Stedman used a scale model showing his mother's house, as it would appear once built, the McClains' house next door, and the topography of the neighborhood. He also produced photographs, blueprints and other information to support his mother's case. Stedman said zoning codes do not consider retaining walls to be structures requiring a variance from setback codes. He said scores of building permits have been issued without variances for similar retaining walls in Sitka.

The Stedmans' plan is to build a nine-foot-high retaining wall along the property line separating 1109 HPR from the McClains' lot. The fill on the street side of the beachfront lot will allow for a strecMevel parking area. Bert Sledman said his mother's living quarters will be on same level as the parking pad and garage. The parking area is designed to give Mrs. Sledman a level area to turn around without backing onto the highway.

The $250,000 house is actually a two-story structure, but the lower level, with a daylight frontage toward the beach, is to remain unused, although it could be rented out in Ihe-futurc if the house is sold, Bert Sledman said. The McClains contend that ihc nine-foot-high concrete wall rising above their side yard will block air, light and their view, and generally lower the value of their property. Pearson said the McClains took their objections to city officials and were told their only recourse would be through a civil suit. But when they sued in Sitka Superior Court to hall the wall construction, then-presiding Judge Duane Craske ruled that all administrative options had not been exhausied, and sem the issue back to the commission. City planner Wells Williams issued a stop work order for the project in Continued on page 8 Sitka Sound Seafoods To Buy Alaskan Harvest By Sentinel Staff Sitka Sound Seafoods has entered into an agreement to buy the value- added processing company Alaskan Harvest, managers of the two businesses announced today.

Alaskan Harvest was founded here two years ago by Larry Smith and his sister, Sharon Gillispie, and now has other stockholders as well. It has pioneered secondary "value-added" seafood processing and a sea cucumber industry in Sitka. Smith said he believes Alaskan Harvest was the first company in the United Slates to sell frozen, rcady- for-the-microwave seafood entrees. The company uses locally-caught salmon, halibut and other fish to produce packaged products that go directly into the frozen food sections of supermarkets across the country. Smith said he will continue to be affiliated with the operation for some time, during a transition period and also to do certain research and development work for SSS.

In a prepared statement, SSS said that it has wanted to expand into the secondary processing business for some time. "It will help Sitka Sound fulfill its commitment to utilize the City of Sitka cold storage facility now under construction, and to create off-season seafood processing jobs," the company said its announcement. "It will also provide stable facilities for growth and diversification of the dive harvest industry in Silka." Smith said plans call for SSS to freeze seafood in a new cold storage facility being erected by the City and Borough of Sitka, so that value-added processing can occur year round. For years, the primary seafood processing in Silka was limited to cleaning and quick-freezing the product before shipping it to out-of-state markets or processors. Alaskan Harvest created a year-round secondary industry when it started its finished product processing.

Smith said the new cold storage facility now being built by the city, is "absolutely essential for having a value-added processing facility in Sitka." Without it, he said, there would not be sufficient cold storage space here to store fish for year-round processing. In fact, said Smith, Alaskan Harvest has been in the unusual position of having to buy fish that was shipped to Seattle, after having been caught in Alaska, in order to have a supply for a 12-month operation. Smith reported that in its two years, the company has grown from a handful of employees to its present 20 to 25-person payroll. It is also affiliated with about 40 divers, since a sea cucumber industry began. "We're real proud of where we've taken the business," said Smith.

He said the firm had sales of $1 million last year. "We've basically pioneered two industries here in Sitka. Both have turned out to be very successful." Hickel Sworn In; Vows a 'New Day' By BRIAN S. AKRE Associated Press Writer JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) Wally Hickel, sworn in Monday as Alaska's first independent governor, declared "a new day for this great land" and promised to protect the resource-rich state from outside interests. "Alaskans are truly independent, regardless of political party," Hickel said.

"We like to stand our ground, whatever that ground might be. And we're not awed by outside interests, however big they are or think they are." Hickel replaces Democrat Steve Cowper, who did not seek re-election to a second term. Hickel is returning to the governor's mansion 22 years after he quit halfway through his first term to become U.S. interior secretary under President Nixon. At 71, Hickel is the eldest governor in the state's 32-year history.

State Sen. Jack Coghill, a longtime Hickel friend, was sworn in as lieutenant governor. He replaces Steve McAlpine, who served two terms and lost his primary bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. About 800 people witnessed the 30-minute ceremony in Juneau's convention center, Centennial Hall. nickel's wife Ermalee and three of their six sons joined Coghill and his wife Frances, Cowper, McAlpine, religious leaders and members of Hickel's Cabinet on the dais.

The new governor placed his hand on a family Bible held by Mrs. Hickel and swore to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of Alaska." Retired Superior Court Judge Ralph E. Moody, another longtime Hickel friend, administered the oath just before noon. The audience of Hickel supporters, state employees and local residents gave Hickel a standing ovation after the oath. The new governor gave the thumbs-up sign.

During, his campaign and again Monday, Hickel appealed 16 Alaskans' historic sense that they have too little control over the state's vast resource wealth. He promised to take a tough stand in dealing with outside business interests, environmental groups and Congress. "We will not tolerate those who would take advantage of Alaska's people or abuse our beautiful state," he said "We're going to insist that they play by our rules." Hickel also urged a return to the traditional values of family, work and caring. "I invite all Alaskans, especially those in public service, to join me as we rededicate ourselves to those values as we begin this new day together," he said. The ceremony had a large dose of religion.

Monsignor James F. Miller of Juneau's Roman Catholic diocese offered the invocation, the Lord's prayer was sung by Pastor Henry Mohn of Juneau's Bethel Assembly of God Church, Pastor Jerry Prevo of the Baptist Temple offered a prayer, Pastor Pat Brayton of the Valley Chapel in Juneau gave the benediction, and the Juneau Oratorio Choir sang Handel's "Praise the Lord." Support by the Christian right was a major factor in Hickel's surprising victory in a three-way race. Hickel is Catholic. Prevo said Hickel and Coghill were elected by "divine providence," Brayton thanked God "that these men you have chosen to govern us are not ashamed to acknowledge you." "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice," Brayton said. "We pray now that the days ahead will be an era of great rejoicing for our state." Hickel, a self-made millionaire, spoke at length of wealth.

"True pioneers know that wealth is not money, or even money in the bank," he said. "Wealth is work having a job to do. It's self-satisfying, something to be proud of. "Let's claim this new wealth collectively. And let's use it to build a culture that the next generation doesn't want to leave, but will be proud to inherit." The oil industry's presence was felt or at least heard during the event.

As guests filed in the hall, a local elementary school choir repeatedly sang the theme song, "Share the Dream," that ARCO Alaska uses on its ubiquitous public-image television Continued on Page 8 Carter Warns Against Oil Drilling in ANWR By WILLIAM E. SCHULZ Associated Press Writer ATLANTA (AP) Ten years aftei he signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, former President Jimmy Carter said Monday there is a new attack on the wilderness it was designed to protect. He and conservationists, gathered at the Carter Presidential Center to discuss the future of the Arctic and northern Alaska, believe plans to drill for oil on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will be a major part of the energy strategy President Bush is to announce next year. "Are we going to conserve a little bit and not destroy that precious natural region?" Carter said during a news conference. Carter, who had been defeated for re-election, signed the bill on Dec.

3, 1980. It protects 104 million acres of land, an area as large as California, from unrestricted development. Much of it is preserved as wilderness. Conservationists praised the legislation. "Today, Alaska is a great laboratory for the world," said George Frampton, president of the Wilderness Society.

Pointing to the Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 24, 1989, in which 257,000 barrels of oil washed up on more than 1,200 miles of Prince William Sound shoreline, he asked, Are we going to let another great ecosystem, the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge, be the next victim of our dependence on oil?" Carter responded by saying, "to substitute the destruction of that precious Alaska land instead of a reasonable conservation bill, I think is criminal." "I see no reason ever to drill there," Carter said. Carter said there is only a slight chance of finding oil under the refuge and even if it is found, "it would be only 2 percent of our national energy need." That much can easily be saved by conservation, he said. Conservation isn't an attempt to cut the oil profits of Arab nations, Carter said. Saudi Arabia doesn't need the excess profit it is making as a result of increased production during the Gulf crisis, Carter said. The Saudis want the earnings spread out over a longer period of time.

But oil, as much as anything else, is the reason American troops are in Saudi Arabia, he said. American forces were sent to the Arabian peninsula after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August, cutting off American oil supplies from that small coun- try "We would not have interceded, in my judgment, if oil had not been involved," Carter said. No Calls in Over a Week for Sitka Fire Department Crews By Sentinel Staff For the last week, Sitka firefighters and EMT's have been digging hydrants out of the snow, maintaining equipment and brushing up on paperwork anything but putting out fires and making ambulance runs. That's because there's only been one emergency call since Nov 26 and that was a fire drill at Sitka Community Hospital for which hospital workers failed to notify the department. This is the longest dry spell between emergencies that the fire de- partment has had for at least two years, Fire Chief Doug Karpstein said today.

The veteran firefighter said the department expects the number of calls to go up when the weather gets as bad as it has been, because it usually brings chimney fires, car accidents and snow- and cold-related injuries. "I guess people are starting to take a better look at their wood stove installation and Iiow they're burning" he said. "People must be taking the weather seriously and driving "Which is good," he added..