5.24.050 Approved commercial ski tour areas.
A. The borough clerk shall maintain the official commercial ski tour area map.
B. Temporary Additions to Approved Commercial Ski Tour Areas.
1. An applicant for a special helicopter ski competition event or commercial ski production permit may request the addition of territory to the “Haines Borough Approved Commercial Ski Tour Areas” map for a special ski event, not to exceed seven days of competition. All such requests shall expire at the end of the season within which the event takes place. Requests shall be submitted to the manager. All requests shall be in writing, be accompanied by a diagram showing the proposed additional area with reasonable specificity and shall explain the reasons for the proposal.
2. No later than seven days after receipt of a request submitted in compliance with subsection (B)(1) of this section, the manager shall prepare a written recommendation to the assembly. In preparing the recommendation, the manager shall consult with Alaska Department of Fish and Game regarding the impact of the proposed use on wildlife.
3. The assembly may act on the manager’s recommendation by resolution. If the assembly approves the temporary addition of territory, the “Haines Borough Approved Commercial Ski Tour Areas” map shall be amended by designating the additional territory as “temporary” and identifying the dates for which the additional territory is approved. Approval by the assembly is contingent on the acquisition of a permit for the season within which the event is to be held.
4. The shared use policy (subsection (C) of this section) is not effective for the duration and in the location of a special commercial ski production or a special ski competition event.
C. Shared Use Policy.
1. All commercial ski tour permit holders shall yield to nonmotorized, recreational backcountry users, within the boundaries of the area known as Telemark Ridge at the head of the Haska Creek drainage, on a by-request basis.
2. Recreational backcountry users may contact a permit holder by phone and email at least 48 hours in advance of the activity and request to use a specific area on a specific day.
3. Confirmation shall be given by the permit holder within 24 hours of the request.
4. The person making the request shall notify the borough clerk of the request.
5. Cancellation of the request shall be communicated to the permit holder before 9:00 a.m. on the day of the activity.
6. Failure by recreational users to communicate a cancellation of the activity may result in the loss of request privileges.
7. Failure by a permit holder to confirm a request, or to yield an area to recreational users, shall be reported to the borough clerk and recorded for future review.
8. The duration of a recreational activity in any specific area shall be for a maximum of three days consecutively, and for no more than 10 days per month.
9. The shared use policy in its entirety is not effective for the duration and in the location of a special commercial ski production or a special ski competition event.
D. Nontemporary Amendment of the Haines Borough Approved Commercial Ski Tour Areas Map.
1. Amendments to the Haines Borough Approved Commercial Ski Tour Areas map may be considered on a five-year cycle beginning 2020. The process to review and amend the map shall be according to the following procedures:
a. At least 30 days prior to May 15th of every fifth year after 2020, the manager will solicit proposals for possible map amendments. Proposals are due by May 15th of that year. Proposals shall include the name and contact information of the party proposing the amendment and justification for the proposed amendments. The area of the proposal shall be submitted in a Google Earth Keyhole Markup (.kml) format or Environmental Systems Research Institute shapefile (.shp) format. Only one specific area per proposal is allowed (a party proposing multiple areas to be amended must submit multiple proposals). Proposals are due by May 15th.
b. If the manager determines the proposals are complete and with merit, as soon as possible after May 15th, the manager shall establish an advisory committee to review any proposed map amendments. The committee shall convene no later than June 30th.
c. The committee shall include at minimum: one heliski permittee, one representative of Takshanuk Watershed Council, one assembly member, one member of the parks and recreation committee and one member of the tourism advisory board, none of whom represent a proposing organization or individual. Committee members may be volunteers chosen at random.
d. The committee shall organize itself as to procedure.
e. The committee shall consult with ADFG area wildlife biologists in its deliberations.
f. The committee shall make any recommendations to the assembly through the clerk’s office.
g. The borough assembly may adopt amendments to the Haines Borough Approved Commercial Heliski Tour Areas map by resolution by November 1st of the calendar year. (Ord. 22-02-608 § 15; Ord. 20-03-562 § 27; Ord. 18-09-512 § 40)