UPDATE 2/2007: In 2003, statutory changes were made to the Alaska Coastal Management Program that substantially changed requirements for the contents of coastal district plans.  Regulations implementing the new statutes were approved in 2004, and all district plans were required to be changed to meet the new requirements no later than July 1, 2005. The City of Sitka recently completed its revision of its Plan.

The state of Alaska has an Alaska Coastal Zone Management Plan (ACMP), which was originally intended to govern many of the types of development that occur within the "coastal zone." However, ex-Governor Frank Murkowski nearly strangled to death the ACMP and rendered it ineffectual.

 Sitka has its own "Sitka Coastal Management Program," which was generally hailed as an exemplary local addendum to the state program. As a result of the Governor's dispatching of the program, in order to retain enforceable policies for many types of coastal uses and resources, each coastal district (such as Sitka ) was required to significantly rewrite their programs by July 1, 2005  In other words, unless we brought our Sitka District program into compliance with the new, watered down state plan, ours would sunset.

The date was extended, but the Sitka District has finished its Plan revision on time anyway. Please visit the City of Sitka's website to view the new Plan and maps.