PUBLIC NOTICE OF PRELIMINARY REPORT FOR INCORPORATION OF A XUNAA BOROUGH AND DISSOLUTION OF CITY OF HOONAH

The Local Boundary Commission (LBC) staff preliminary report concerning the petition to incorporate a Xunaa borough and dissolve the City of Hoonah by local action has been released. The territory proposed by the city for incorporation consists of approximately 10,403 square miles (approximately 4,246 square miles of land, and 6,157 square miles of water) and includes the City of Hoonah and neighboring communities of Game Creek, Elfin Cove, Glacier Bay and Funter Bay. The cities of Gustavus, Pelican and Tenakee Springs are excluded from the proposed borough.

The report, petition, and other related documents are available for public review at the following locations open to the public: Hoonah City Hall, and the Hoonah Indian Association, and the LBC website https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/dcra/LocalBoundaryCommission/CurrentandPastPetitions/2023CityofHoonahPetition.aspx

The legal description of the area proposed for incorporation is set out in the Petition. A map of the area proposed for incorporation can be seen at Hoonah City Hall and the Hoonah Indian Association, as well as on the City of Hoonah’s website and the LBC website.

Standards governing the borough incorporation are established in Article X, Constitution of the State of Alaska; AS 29.05.031; 3 AAC 110.045 – 3 AAC 110.067; and 3 AAC 110.900 – 3 AAC

110.990. Procedures governing borough incorporation by local action method are set out in Article X, Section 12 of Alaska’s constitution, AS 29.05.060 - AS 29.050.150, and 3 AAC 110.400 – 3 AAC 110.700.

Any interested person or entity may file with the LBC written comments regarding the preliminary report. Written comments must be received in the office by 4:30 p.m. on July 8, 2024. That is the last opportunity to submit written comments on this petition. Questions concerning the proposed incorporation may be directed to LBC staff at the below mailing address, email address, and phone number:

Local Boundary Commission staff

550 West Seventh Avenue, Suite 1640 • Anchorage, AK 99501

Phone: 907-269-4559

Email: LBC@alaska.gov

The LBC has waived the requirement in 3 AAC 110.700(d) that commenters send a paper original of an electronically submitted comment. Commenters may instead submit comments either electronically or by hard copy. Following receipt and consideration of comments on the preliminary report, LBC staff will issue a final report. Procedures governing departmental reports are set out in 3 AAC 110.530.

The LBC will then hold a public hearing on this proposal, which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 10, 2024 in Hoonah. The schedule is subject to change. Per 3 AAC 110.560(e), a brief, document, or other evidence may not be introduced at the time of the public hearing unless the commission determines that good cause exists for that evidence not being presented in a timely manner for written response by the petitioner or respondents for consideration in the reports of the department under 3 AAC 110.530.