Landslide and Avalanche Assessment

Update

At the CBJ Assembly December 11, 2023 regular meeting, the Assembly voted to adopt the 2022 Downtown Juneau Landslide and Avalanche Assessment avalanche maps. The Assembly did not adopt the landslide maps in the study. The Assembly also approved associated regulations for avalanche areas, and repealed the 1987 hazard maps.

Recorded CBJ meetings, Agendas & Minutes

The final ordinance may be found HERE. The December 11, 2023 minutes may be found HERE [Coming soon.]

COMING SOON: A bullet point summary of the approved ordinance.

Project Overview

CBJ’s former hazard maps, adopted in 1987 for downtown Juneau, are based on maps created in the 1970s. These low-resolution maps combine landslide and avalanche areas into a single map with identifies moderate and severe hazard areas. The former maps are available here.

In 2018, the CBJ Community Development Department received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to update these maps with current scientific analysis, and to evaluate landslide and avalanche areas separately. Tetra Tech Inc. was hired as the contractor. Tetra Tech provided a first draft assessment in May 2021 with new maps. In April 2022 Tetra Tech provided a final assessment with minor revisions to the primary document and maps, and supplemental memorandums. The contract with Tetra Tech expired on April 30, 2022. The grant expired on September 30, 2022.

The final assessment includes updated maps, memorandums with background information on areas of special concern, and a memorandum that explains how to interpret the maps.

Assembly Decision December 11, 2023

At the CBJ Assembly December 11, 2023 regular meeting, the Assembly voted to adopt the 2022 Downtown Juneau Landslide and Avalanche Assessment avalanche maps. The Assembly did not adopt the landslide maps in the study. The Assembly also approved associated regulations for avalanche areas, and repealed the 1987 hazard maps.

The final ordinance may be found HERE. Coming soon….The December 11, 2023 minutes.

This project is complete.

For past meeting materials and zoom information please see Agendas/Minutes | City and Borough of Juneau Alaska Meetings (municodemeetings.com)

Final Hazard Assessment

The project area map and final hazard assessment are available at the links below.

Virtual CBJ Assembly Meeting – September 21, 2021

On September 20, 2021, the CBJ Assembly reviewed the draft Landslide and Avalanche Assessment at a virtual Committee of the Whole work session. The Committee did not take public testimony and did not take a vote. The Assembly generally recommended developing additional technical information and public outreach for the assessment; gathering more information regarding potential impacts on home values and insurance; and presenting regulatory, policy, and mitigation recommendations for adoption at the same time as the final hazard assessment. Assembly minutes are included in the documents section. CDD is currently moving forward with these recommendations.

Virtual Planning Commission Meeting – August 10, 2021

The CBJ Planning Commission held a public regarding adoption of the Downtown Juneau Landslide and Avalanche Assessment, case#AME2021-0008 at a virtual public meeting on August 10, 2021. The Planning Commission’s Notice of Recommendation to the CBJ Assembly is available in the Documents section below, along with the minutes and Community Development Department and contractor presentations.

Neighborhood Meeting – July 21, 2021

The public review draft of the maps was presented to project area property owners, business owners, and other interested parties at virtual meeting on July 21, 2021 with CDD and the contractor.