Goldbelt leaders will present Douglas cruise port plan to Juneau Assembly for first time on Monday

City leaders say they’ve gone a year without getting many answers; now they’ll get to ask questions

A proposed two-ship private cruise ship port on land along northwest Douglas Island owned by Goldbelt Inc. is shown in a conceptual illustration. (Image by Port of Tomorrow MG)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

Details about a private two-dock cruise ship port Goldbelt Inc. is planning to build on the west side of Douglas Island are scheduled to be presented to Juneau Assembly members on Monday evening by the company’s CEO and its board chairperson.

The Goldbelt presentation will be the first time the urban Alaska Native corporation has interacted with the Assembly about the project announced nearly a year ago, according to a memo by City Manager Katie Koester. Many city leaders said that announcement caught them by surprise, and details and communications from Goldbelt officials have been scant since.

"Given the scope and complexity of the project; its potential impacts to social, economic, environmental, and transportation systems; and its proximity to large tracts of CBJ-owned property on West Douglas Island, the Manager’s Office has formally reached out to Goldbelt staff requesting the initiation of regular meetings between our teams to coordinate on this development concept," Koester wrote.

The presentation is scheduled to be given by Goldbelt CEO McHugh Pierre and board Chair Katherine Eldemar during the Committee of the Whole meeting that starts at 6 p.m. Monday in the Assembly Chambers. No public testimony is allowed during Committee of the Whole meetings, but Koester stated it provides "an opportunity for the Assembly to ask questions and consider the elements" needed for the project to fit into the city’s official comprehensive plan.

The Goldbelt Aaní project is expected to be on about 250 acres of land owned by the company, with two docks able to handle the largest cruise ships currently visiting Juneau as well as extensive visitor facilities. The company states it hopes to open the port by the 2028 tourism season.

Among the numerous concerns expressed by city leaders and residents is how hundreds of thousands of visitors annually will impact an area that is now largely undeveloped, and whether ships arriving at the private port will be counted as part of a voluntary five-ship daily limit between the city and cruise lines. If so, 40% of current visitors could be diverted from downtown to an area about 15 miles away; if not, it would likely sizably add to the 1.7 million record cruise ship passengers expected in Juneau this year.

Goldbelt has stated the port will highlight the heritage of the area’s Indigenous residents via features such as a replica 1800s Tlingit village, as well as provide economic opportunities for today’s Alaska Native shareholders and citizens. A website detailing the project states the company plans to build much of its own infrastructure including a complete wastewater and water treatment system, as well as employee housing.

Koester’s memo states the proposed port is in an officially designated New Growth Area and thus requires a Master Plan. So far only a pre-application meeting by company officials with the city’s Community Development Department has occurred.

"Ultimately, the proposed Master Plan will be considered for adoption by the Assembly into the Comprehensive Plan after review by the Planning Commission," Koester wrote. "Because the area is adjacent to 3,434 acres of CBJ land, it is in our interest to collaborate in the Master Planning and produce a document that can guide growth in the ‘New Growth Area’ beyond a cruise port.

A followup discussion to Goldbelt’s presentation is planned during the Nov. 3 Committee of the Whole meeting.

"The plans and studies for West Douglas all point to large scale development by multiple landowners with a mix of commercial development and expansion of our housing stock," Koester wrote. "It is very important that we consider such issues as utilities, transportation, and emergency services for full build-out of the New Growth Area. This will likely also require collaboration from the U.S. Forest Service as the other adjoining landowner."

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.