The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Planning Commission convened until nearly midnight Tuesday and listened to what the zoning clerk said was the most public testimony she’s seen since she was hired a year and a half ago.
Nearly a dozen north end residents spoke out against a rezoning request for the site of the former Salmon Falls Resort. The 11-acre facility was bought by the Ketchikan Indian Community last fall with the intent of turning it into a holistic healing center for people struggling with substance misuse.
“This project will stabilize lives, keep families together, create jobs, protect the environment, and most importantly, it will save lives,” said tribal CEO Emily Edenshaw, who spoke at the meeting. She said Salmon Falls is a suitable site for a healing center.
“Our ancestors endured so we can stand here today, and our children are watching what we chose to build,” Edenshaw said. “We intend and hope to build something worthy of both.”
Commissioners and meeting attendees agreed that addiction treatment needs to be a priority in Ketchikan. That sentiment reflects a 2020 study which indicates that drug and alcohol treatment is one of the most pressing health needs in the community.
KIC’s request was to rezone five adjoining lots on the property from Future Development and Low Density Residential zones to the General Commercial zone. This could essentially allow for a broad range of retail, wholesale and service establishments.
Some community members spoke in opposition of the rezoning request itself. The nearby Waterfall Creek Subdivision was established in the 1980s to preserve a low density, rural residential character.
Jack Lee is one of several residents of that subdivision who testified to the planning commission. He said that over the last few weeks, he’s met with a growing number of neighbors to discuss concerns about the old resort site.
“We want nothing more than to preserve the single family residential qualities, values and nature of our property,” Lee said. “Even one break in breach would set a dangerous precedent out there and make us subject to future challenges, and we don’t want to deal with that.”
Colby Slanaker is another area resident who testified against the rezoning request. He’s worried that if the healing center falls through and KIC sells the property, it could “become anything.”
But some property owners in the area of the former resort testified against more than just the rezoning request. Their concerns included potential property value impacts, security risks and emergency response times, among other worries.
Eliza Connolly believes KIC’s plan for the property is vague, and asked the planning commission to deny or postpone the zoning request until the tribe produces a “binding description of the intended use.”
“Approving rezoning based on an undefined operational plan creates a long-term risk,” Connolly said. “Once the zoning is changed, the use could expand to whatever this is from this point.”
KIC staff at the meeting said they’re still fleshing out a plan for the facility, but are happy to meet with residents to address their concerns.
Edenshaw could not immediately be reached for further comment. But she said at the meeting that the facility will model the tribally-run Didgwalic Wellness Center in Washington state.
She said the benefits of healing centers are personal for her because she once went through one.
“I am very proud to say that I was able to get the care that I needed after my husband died and it saved my life,” Edenshaw said. “I was able to get housing after my husband died. Housing saved my life.”
KIC staff at the meeting said it could be a while before the tribe secures all permitting and medical credentials to operate a healing center at Salmon Falls.
“It’s going to take a little time to plan this out, because we’re looking at planning the best wellness recovery center in the world,” said KIC President Gloria Burns during a phone interview. “That’s what we’re looking for, because our people deserve it.”
Commissioners and residents at the meeting suggested other potential uses for the property, including a cultural camp. Others proposed another location for the healing center, like the former Wells Fargo building downtown. That building is now KIC’s warming shelter.
In the end, the planning commission determined that KIC’s intended use for the property fit within the parameters of its current zoning classifications, and rezoning wasn’t necessary. The recommendation board voted 6-1 to deny the rezoning request.
The request will go before the borough assembly for final vote on March 16.
Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.
