Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout12012020 Planning & Zoning Work Session Laydown - Survey Question number 6 citizen comments Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK Q6 Your Comments are appreciated. Please provide any additional comments below LAYDOWN 12/1/2020 SURVEY COMMENTS 1112 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK # RESPONSES DATE 1 Using the property for a park was one of he original suggestions back in 1965 and is still a goof 11/29/2020 6:09 PM idea today. A good way to commemorate the Jesse Lee Home is to provide a space foe children to play and families to enjoy joint activities. 2 1 feel the history to the city, state and folks who were residents of Jesse Lee deserve a park 11/25/2020 9:11 AM and memorial. The site has beautiful views of the bay and it could be a wonderful site to visit, with gardens and open areas for children to play. With the dense housing in the surrounding area, it would be a wonderful open area, for residents living close by. Let's honor the history of the site. 3 My great grandparents met, married, and lived at the Jesse Lee home. It would mean so much 11/22/2020 8:49 AM to me if there were a memorial park there to honor them. 4 Use maybe a COVERED Picnic/Recreational area for 1/3 of property. Consider a USEAGE for 11/20/2020 10:34 PM US LOCALS. A Memorial of the JLH thru pictures & history could be incorporated. The area is surrounded by multi housing, single housing, and schools, all within walking distance of the JLH property. More single home sites are being developed in the area. The Benny Benson Park could be upgraded with JLH History& it is much more visible to visitors & locals. 5 Develop more job opportunities for Seward 11/20/2020 7:55 PM 6 build a nice free park 11/20/2020 8:59 AM 7 Please recognize this is a historical sight. My great grandfather and great grand mother lived 11/19/2020 9:20 PM and worked here.my grandpa was raised there and my mother went to school with kids from the Jessie Lee Home. 8 My Grandma and grandpa were orphans at the Jessie Lee home and lived in Seward their 11/19/2020 6:37 PM whole lives. I think the best use would be space to foster community activities and a place for people to come together and thrive. 9 My family is very connected to Jesse lee home. My grandparents were raised there and my 11/19/2020 5:34 PM father was born there when it was in Unalaska. They moved to seward with the home when it was built there. I had many friends in school with me that lived there. I think a park and memorial is by far the best use of that land. 10 PARk 11/19/2020 5:29 PM 11 We need more apartments or condos for families 11/18/2020 9:55 PM 12 New housing 11/18/2020 9:54 PM 13 1 think a mural should be incorporated onto the site as well as a nice garden and some 11/18/2020 9:50 PM sidewalk posts that hold historical information about the Jesse Lee Home and History behind it. 14 Build a park. Not a playground but a beautiful park. 11/18/2020 4:08 PM 15 At the very least there should be a memorial that includes a statue of Benny Benson. If there 11/18/2020 9:05 AM is a park, it would be nice if there was a path or paths on the property, with signs here and there on the path telling what building used to be at that particular spot and a few interesting facts about it. I have seen the film about the farm that was on the site and find it amazing how much it yielded. The film was made by Lee Poleske with the assistance of Amy Carney. 16 Keep existing tot lot on Dora Way and keep Open space and memorial for Jesse Lee. Traffic is 11/17/2020 9:22 AM bad and new subdivision going in is too much 17 We do not need more low income/rent controlled housing Unless it is strictly for senior 11/16/2020 9:38 PM citizens. This property should Not be used for housing! Or a business! Multi use park is perfect for this neighborhood. There is just one teensy park on Dora Way, much too small for area. 18 1 feel that turning the JLH site into a park is the only use of the property that's respectful to the 11/16/2020 9:16 PM native community and the part the JLH played in Alaska's history. What happened to the JLH after the 1964 quake was hugely disrespectful to the native community in that it was gutted by people taking what they wanted for their own uses. Had that not happened, it would have been much more likely the structures would have survived intact. Now once again, people want to take what they want from the JLH to make a buck. If people want to build housing in Seward there are a large number of undeveloped lots and the city should also consider selling/rezoning 2112 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK some of the other property it holds so people can build on those lots and not on the site of the JLH. If people feel there isn't enough affordable housing in Seward, it is because of all the vacation rentals by owner that remove housing from the residential rental inventory, which then drives up the cost of the residential rentals that remain. Don't further disrespect a place like the JLH by selling any portion of it for housing so some guy can sit in his recliner eating Cheetos and drinking beer where native school kids used to cry themselves to sleep grieving for their dead parents and the native communities they were forced to leave. 19 Years ago, the owner of a B&B had to physically live in the home that they were using for 11/16/2020 2:19 PM nightly rentals. At some point, the City Code (or law)was changed that eliminated this requirement. In turn, many single-family homes were bought by people with plans to use them as nightly rental units with no intention of living in them. Although this comment does not directly address multi-family housing, the dearth of housing in general has been exacerbated by this Code change. 20 Seward's biggest problem is overcrowding, overdevelopment, and lack of green space and 11/16/2020 8:52 AM landscaping. Excessively large structures are being built on small lots, resulting in Seward imposing a Manhattan-like claustrophobia, instead of the open, airy space that an Alaskan city should provide. Seward didn't feel as cramped when I moved here 28 years ago, but due to the overdevelopment which has occurred during that time, today I regret it. What would I do to change things? Seward needs much more park and green space in its interior, and more room for landscaping around its homes and businesses. I would propose that any new or rebuilt structure in Seward occupy no more than 10% of the lot on which it sits, with the rest of the space dedicated to landscaping. The Seward Marine Center at Third and Railway could be a good model for proper relative size of a structure to its lot. Making the Jesse Lee property into a park would be a good step in the direction of making Seward more green and spacious and would give it a little less sense of being overcrowded. 21 Zone it commercial so that it may be rebuilt in its formal likeness to house a childcare facility 11/15/2020 10:59 PM & children's museum. Solve Seward's lack of quality affordable childcare. Give our children a place to play & learn year round regardless of weather. Create year round jobs & make Seward a more appealing place for families to live. 22 It's only appropriate that a park and a memorial replace the old Home, as it meant so much to 11/15/2020 11:23 AM the community for so long. That part of town would benefit greatly from a park. Thank you for asking for our input 23 1 believe the section of land known as 101 Benson should remain as a Historical area of 11/14/2020 6:20 PM Seward. No mention in this survey description was the public notified of this areas'city designation as a"Historical District". This is a failure of the Community Development Dept. & Planning &Zoning Board. In addition both of those groups should be working collaborative with the Seward Historical Preservation Commission! Yes, there are various bits of open spaces in Seward, all open spaces are dedicated and focus for children. Make an open space for a touch of more maturity. Not screaming children& parents. The surrounding area could include a walking path, community gardens, outdoor gazebo/band stand& bocce ball would benefit all our community members of every age! Benson Drive could be made through to Phoenix Drive. The dirt drive through the middle of lot 105 Benson, could be moved to the left. This allows parking for the park, &space on the right for single family resident homes in a multi-family zone designation. Neither the City Council nor the Community Development/Planning&Zoning Board should move forward without a secure discussion with the Seward Historical Preservation Commission. 24 KPB Parcels 14535105 at 1900 Phoenix Road and KPB#14535104 at 100 Benson Drive, just 11/14/2020 4:38 PM north of the JLH property, block the connection of Benson Drive from Swetmann Drive through to Phoenix Road. The city now has a golden opportunity to dedicate a 60' ROW to extend Benson Drive along the north portion of 101 Benson (Lot 15B)and a curving ROW on 105 Benson (Lot 15A). This would provide more emergency access/egress options to the adjacent high-density Gateway subdivision and the new Phoenix subdivision, and relieve traffic congestion on Phoenix Road. I agree with the stated intent of Council on July 13, 2020 to preserve this significant historic site as a memorial park, with a pavilion and benches that incorporate salvaged materials and design elements of the demolished Jesse Lee Home. Include interpretive panels and an accurate plaque next to a lighted flagpole featuring the Alaska Flag. Preserve and protect the historic spruce trees and any remaining landscaping. The Gateway Subdivision is a high-density neighborhood with many families. There is only one pocket playground to serve the area. An open green space to run and play, to sit and enjoy the view, or enjoy a picnic would offer a high quality of life option for nearby neighbors, Seward- 3/ 12 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK area residents, and visitors. As the JLH is a national historic site, a small parking lot, perhaps on Lot 15A, should be provided to accommodate visitors from outside the neighborhood. A proposed children's museum and daycare center is another in a long series of pipe dreams that has no possibility of adequate funding or success. More multi-family housing on this site will destroy the memory of this historically significant city/state/national institution, exacerbate the traffic congestion, and destroy the beautiful historic spruce trees. Another need in Seward is a dog park. Please consider if part of Lot 15A could be dedicated to the small parking lot and dog park. It is interesting to see on the aerial how much JLH property is outside the fence. This area is generally steep, especially on the south side, and serves as a buffer between the JLH property and the adjacent multi-family housing, and should be maintained as a vegetative buffer. Please honor this site as a memorial to the Jesse Lee Home, and recommend a rezone to Park to Council. Thank you for this opportunity to comment. Carol Griswold Inside Seward city limits 25 This could be a great place for a ice skating rink in the winter and a roller skating rink in the 11/14/2020 10:12 AM summer. The memorial park should help increase the health of the community in the spirit of Jesse Lee Home. And the proximity close to schools could provide opportunities for a hockey league. Big enough space for hockey fun+just skating too. 26 A dog park with a space for kids would be particularly lovely for residents nearby. 11/14/2020 10:11 AM 27 A small memorial on the site is appropriate with perhaps a bench looking south down the bay. 11/14/2020 9:38 AM Please don't spend lots of funds on the memorial. It doesn't need to be extravagant. The Friends of Jesse Lee should contribute funding to the memorial (better yet, pay for the entire memorial).1 don't see the need for any of it to be a park. It's difficult to say if there is enough park/open space in Seward. There is a children's playground very close to the property. There is lots of forested land in the nearby area to explore. I don't know if Seward has enough multi- family residential options. There is definitely a shortage of affordable housing in Seward. There is lots of subsidized housing in town. I would like to see the property developed with affordable housing. This would benefit the community with more housing and more taxable property. Thanks for the opportunity to respond. 28 I think that a dog park is definately needed in Seward. It would also be a great place to have a 11/14/2020 5:56 AM historical walk with statues of the residents and historical facts along the path. To stay in theme a community garden that talks about the garden and animals grown and Jesse Lee, and homesteading in Seward. I think making it multi functional for the community would get the greatest use out of it. Seward unfortunately does need more housing. I possible it would be great for lower middle class and low income and to include with cafe/shops like they are doing in Anchorage to help build communities. 29 Please move the Benny JLH memorial to the lagoon at"his" park 11/13/2020 8:26 PM 30 Build apartments or condos with a great view! 11/13/2020 8:24 PM 31 With multi-family dwellings on the site, Phoenix Road will become very dangerous with traffic. 11/13/2020 1:17 PM There are already quite a few new homes being built at the end of Phoenix. Between the apartment complexes in the area and homes, I feel that there is enough development already. 32 The property in the area is already being developed with over 50 more housing units. Dora Way 11/13/2020 10:36 AM is already so tightly packed that to do such a thing to the Jesse Lee Home land is unthinkable and unnecessary. 33 The sight of the former Jesse Lee home is not an appropriate place to build housing. 11/13/2020 7:29 AM 34 I've grown up right by Jesse Lee Home for 16 years, my entire life. Before it was demolished, 1 11/12/2020 7:49 PM had a view of it right outside my bedroom window. I think that anything built on the old property should not only be a memorial to the Jesse Lee Home, but also provide a new way to connect Seward's youth. That's why I propose that some of the new land should be used for an ice rink. Growing up as a hockey fan, there weren't many options for playing hockey or ice skating at, especially during the Summer. Seeing as the property is near many neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and even our local schools, this would make it the perfect spot to build an ice rink. Much more, it is a great year-round option for fun and enjoyment for people of all ages. Best wishes. 35 As a homeowner that lives two houses away from the property I see plenty of housing 11/12/2020 7:24 PM development going on in our neighborhood right now. How many more homes do we really need? I would like to see the property to be used as a memorial and a community garden. There are plenty of these successful community gardens nationwide. I envision our Seward 4/ 12 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK citizens not only benefiting from the food that it would provide but also as an educational opportunity for our schoolchildren and a place for our talented local artists to showcase their work. On top of that a community garden would pay homage to what the Jesse Lee Home gardens provided to our community in the past. I thank you for your consideration. 36 A park would be exceptional as it helps us maintain a clean, open, and enjoyable community 11/12/2020 7:14 PM to live in 37 Our family owns several houses, operate a State wide business from Seward and is closely 11/12/2020 3:45 PM associated to the community of Seward. Two of us made a drive around survey of the area yesterday 11.11,2020 and see many new homesites and multifamily buildings. It is always a wonder that parks exist in neighborhoods with the pressure to develop land. While I am totally supportive of development the quality of life enhanced by parks has a greater beneficial consequence. A memorial associated to an open space at this site would be a complement to the community. 38 hOW APPROPRIATE TO DESIGNATE THE OLD SITE OF JESSE LEE HOME TO A PARK 11/12/2020 12:08 PM THAT WOULD PROVIDE A GREEN RECREATIONAL AREA FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BEYOND. tHINK HOW WONDERFUL IT HAS BEEN FOR SEWARD TO HAVE THE GREEN BELT ON THE SHORES OF SEWARD. 39 A simple but pretty park area/memorial for Jesse Lee Home would be a great idea. It could 11/12/2020 10:16 AM potentially employ local residents to provide the upkeep and have a place for locals to enjoy Do not build any low income housing! There is too much of that already! 40 A community center(a rec building)would be a great addition to Seward. Somewhere that has 11/12/2020 1:41 AM a gym-with showers-computer/game room. Perhaps a movie theater? Kids and residents need more to do in Seward year round especially out of the rain 41 Make so that can be used as a celebration space: weddings, birthday, memorials that has 11/12/2020 12:17 AM great photo options 42 Being the home was for children, a memorial and park would be honorable. Would also be 11/11/2020 11:07 PM enjoyable to have a public use covered area and garden. 43 1 think the City should retain the property and lease for use as a community recreation site and 11/11/2020 9:30 PM a small portion as a memorial site. 44 Keep the area for the Jesse Lee as a park/memorial! 11/11/2020 8:19 PM 45 Any memorial should seek to look at all perspectives, not all children were happy and well 11/11/2020 7:58 PM cared for. There needs to be a truth and reconciliation component. 46 There are so many more creative ways to use the property of the Jesse Lee Home than to 11/11/2020 7:45 PM zone it multi-family. If you are considering pocket zoning as a park then I would suggest to pocket zone it as commercial land. It is a perfect location for a childcare center/chlidren's museum, being close to the schools and the construction of new homes/multiplexes. There are a number of multi-family complexes being developed; addressing the lack of housing. If we expect more people to move to Seward to live, then we should strongly consider the livability of our city. If there is a lack of childcare and no indoor play opportunities for our youth, then families will have homes to live in but no incentives to move here in the first place. Let's be as creative as the children who once lived in the JLH and do something for the youth of our generation on that same property. 47 Put his memorial near his park at lagoon 11/11/2020 7:23 PM 48 Park, facilities, memorial, dog park, NO gym toys for kids.They have enough options. Apath 11/11/2020 5:44 PM throught out flower gardens 49 Seward has a very special history and I have seen many historical sites go abandoned or sold 11/11/2020 1:54 PM off to be forgotten. It is important these stories are not lost, but preserved and memorialized for future generations. Yes, Seward needs more affordable housing options, but I believe this history should also be preserved. There is a balance that can be obtained here. 50 The JLH filled a crucial need for many Alaska children of varying backgrounds in the 20th 11/11/2020 12:46 PM century. Memorializing the JLH by providing a public park dedicated to Seward's families and children is an appropriate use of what was once an environment dedicated to sheltering Alaska's youth. Things to consider including in designing the park are picnic shelters, playground equipment, a garden, and importantly an interpretive memorial. The memorial 5/ 12 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK should address the positive and negatives of life at the JLH, as well as the Benny Benson story of the Alaska flag. 51 Do not sell the property. Do not use for low income housing. Move city services from 6th Ave 11/11/2020 12:19 PM to this location and remove the city structure on 6th and use for more public use. 2nd use should be for elder housing 70 years or older, tghese days 60 year olds are still too young for special services. 52 A memorial would be nice. But I do think there is a need for more housing options, and that 11/11/2020 10:06 AM would be a great location. 53 Build apartments 11/11/2020 8:44 AM 54 1 1NVISION GRASS SMALL ROLLING HILL MAYBE A WATER FOUNTAIN WITH A SMALL 11/11/2020 8:39 AM COVERED AREA FOR OUTDOOR MUSIC SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD BE DRAWN TOO AND ENJOY, MAYBE A LUNCH SPOT FOR SUMMERTIME FOOD TRUCKS.. WITH SEATING MAYBE A OUTDOOR CLASS ROOM FOR TODAYS STUDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE JESSE LEE HOME AND THE CHILDREN THE GREW UP THEIR ...... YOU ASKED.......LOL 55 There is important in the historical memory of the jlh, as to recognize Seward's compassionate 11/11/2020 7:20 AM Care during times of need. I would love to see a work out park on the eastern flank of the property, as to continue providing healthy outdoor activities for adults and children. A small children's park lies only one block up from this location. This type of project could be tied into the flow of the high school trail system, creating a continuous walk about for citizens and visitors alike. Sell the other 3/4 for housing, so Seward can continue to grow in a healthy manner. 56 To use the property for anything but a park dishonors the children and staff who called it home 11/11/2020 5:06 AM over many years. 57 The downtown parks are completely saturated with tourists during the summer months. Would 11/10/2020 11:12 PM be a nice option for the families who live here year round to have an additional, slightly less obvious play area for kiddos. Maybe put another pavilion up there! 58 Give the community an actual community park. One person at the city has a vision and 11/10/2020 10:57 PM believes in listening to the citizens. I want to thank her for that her name is Ms Wilde. Thank you for listening to me. This has been a very hard journey and it will be a shame if the city ignores us. I hope a lot of people respond to this survey. 59 Glad to see something is finally going to be done about this building. By all means, please 11/10/2020 10:52 PM save some land for a park and fitting landmark, 60 The area around the Jesse lee property is already very densely populated by Seward's 11/10/2020 9:56 PM standards. Additional multi family developments should be spread out. We need places to go and be. Kids need places to go. A park is worth far more to the community than more development that could anywhere else. 61 This might be a good spot to consider an ice rink. Especially with the amount of family 11/10/2020 9:11 PM dwellings in the area 62 Would like to see a sports complex (dome)that the citizens can use year round and would 11/10/2020 9:00 PM employ people year round. 63 Community center or housing with similar appearance to Jesse Lee home 11/10/2020 8:43 PM 64 The council's original resolution was for a park with a memorial incorporating features of the 11/10/2020 8:38 PM original building. I support that objective, and hope the entire area is turned into a public park of some sort. Maybe with an area for community garden plots, like at the Wells Fargo?We have a number of multi-apartment buildings that have opened in town in the last year, let's make a park that's easily accessible to the residents of the existing apartment buildings already in the area. 65 Kenai peninsula resident 11/10/2020 8:27 PM 66 band shell!!!!!!!!! Band shell!!!!!!!!!!! Bands hell!!!!!!!! 11/10/2020 6:26 PM 67 This part of town needs a park in which the Denali Cooks can play. Giving the Denali Cooks an 11/10/2020 6:23 PM outdoor venue here in Seward would add character and attract customers to our many businesses in town 6/ 12 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK 68 The mayor and council assured those who spoke for preserving JLH that if it was taken down 11/10/2020 5:33 PM there would be memorial to the home built on the site. This site is significant to our entire state. There will be increasing residential development in this section of town. A park would serve those residents in the area. Selling the property for a multifamily development could just serve to make a wealthy person wealthier and does not have the potential to serve the entire community. 69 A park, grills, Pavillion etc... for the residents to use in that area. 11/10/2020 4:51 PM 70 dog park 11/10/2020 3:58 PM 71 NO more memorials for this. We ALREADY have a Benny Benson Memorial. That's sufficient. 11/10/2020 3:42 PM 72 1 may be biased because I live RIGHT next to this property and would hate to see this land 11/10/2020 3:23 PM with it's great location and view go off to the highest bidder. I think the land (and view)should remain something that all of Seward's citizens can access, not just the few that can afford the housing that is built there. 73 1 strongly recommend that 0.66-1.66 acre of land should be reserved for a park and large 11/10/2020 3:22 PM playground not unlike the Parks Playground at 310 Ballaine Blvd. This would serve as a wonderful family friendly location to all of the residential housing in the area. Additionally, I think the city should work a trade with James Pruitt, owner of 1900 Phoenix Rd and 1909 Dora Way, to exchange 1900 Phoenix Rd for 1911 Dora Way. This would give the city a clear path to extend Benson Drive to connect with Dora Way and Phoenix Rd. The deal would benefit Mr. Pruitt with a gain of 0.07 acres of land located directly next to land he already owns. The deal would also benefit the city with more connected roads to higher grounds and the schools. 74 If there is to be multi family housing built on the sight there should be a green space 11/10/2020 1:46 PM component to the design. This enhances the value of the multi family housing and the neighborhood. 75 This site should be held up high in the site of of Seward in pride. It has helped to put Seward 11/10/2020 1:29 PM on the maps. We have Too much housing in that area. Let's make it beautiful. 76 1 like Jackie's concept 11/10/2020 1:20 PM 77 Don't just make it into more housing 11/10/2020 1:16 PM 78 There is already a memorial on site. 11/10/2020 1:10 PM 79 It would be great to have another outdoor(yet covered) gathering space -like a large pavilion - 11/10/2020 12:58 PM in that part of town. Having an indoor or covered outdoor playground would be fantastic too- allows kids to play outside more in inclement weather. 80 Can't believe greed has entered the equation. 11/10/2020 12:51 PM 81 It would be great to develop more gardens or a fenced in dog park 11/10/2020 12:17 PM 82 Outdoor music venue is needed in Seward City Limits 11/10/2020 12:08 PM 83 1 think a park and memorial on this site is a very nice idea. I live close by and having another 11/10/2020 11:51 AM public spot that is easy to take my kids to would be wonderful. While Seward still needs more multi family housing, there is other land that can be developed for that. 84 We need a public park for the Denali Cooks to play! 11/10/2020 11:28 AM 85 1 think housing would be a great idea for that area with a little walking path to a memorial on 11/10/2020 11:28 AM the center. 86 1 would love to see a covered area where photos of Jesse Lee and history could be displayed. 11/10/2020 11:23 AM This history is important. Maybe a structure with a roof top similar to Jesse Lee. I found the bunks that were five bunks tall and very narrow to be interesting and insightful into how the kids live there. I would like it if we did not lose that information. 87 You should have a place in the park for plays and live music. And amphitheater 11/10/2020 11:23 AM 88 1 would like to see an outdoor venue for the Denali cooks 11/10/2020 11:18 AM 89 1 would like a big green space for the Denali Cooks to play. 11/10/2020 11:10 AM 90 Whatever happens make sure the friends of Jesse Lee home aren't involved 11/10/2020 10:59 AM 7/ 12 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK 91 We don't need more subdivisions to cover up history that will no longer be spoken of if 11/10/2020 10:40 AM 92 Thanks for your hard work on this! 11/10/2020 10:29 AM 93 Thanks for considering something different for this area! 11/10/2020 10:26 AM 94 1 like short surveys as a way to get the pulse of the community. Saving time at the city council 11/10/2020 10:25 AM meetings. 95 Erect a historic marker near the Jesse Lee cemetery and spruce that place up a bit. It can be 11/10/2020 10:23 AM featured as part of a walking tour as it is close to the chamber of commerce and more easily accessible by interested people in that location 96 A strong community isn't built with subsidized housing& rental property. If the community 11/10/2020 10:06 AM would like affordable housing options, it needs to begin by creating barriers/restrictions to the use of existing housing as non owner-occupied rentals, vacation rentals, Air B&Bs, etc. A healthy local economy needs to be built on more than tourism alone. 97 Seward needs more single family homes in the 200-250k price range, sell the land to 11/10/2020 10:03 AM developers for homes! There's a park literally right up Dora Way, there's no need for another one. Seward needs single family housing. 98 Yes there is a memorial to Benny benson, but not having something at the site would overlook 11/10/2020 9:57 AM the entire orphanage. There needs to be a balance between our history (which needs to be honored) and our future development needs. A memorial needs to be a place where a community can gather. 99 The city already has a diverse park offering and if you include the neighboring public lands, 11/10/2020 9:54 AM more than we need. What Seward continues to need is a diversity in housing or community buildings. Perhaps a large community center could be here or more single family housing. 100 One thing this town lacks is a place for dogs to gather and run and play. The airport doesn't 11/10/2020 9:44 AM allow it. The fenced football fields don't allow dogs. The parks are for children. Put something dog friendly up so I can take my whole family out! 101 It would be appropriate to make a token memorial like a bench and an Alaskan state flag 11/10/2020 9:32 AM pole.with history posted on a plaque. But because it's residential I think lots should be sold via lottery. 102 1 live at the bottom of Dora way. Please god do not add another apartment building on Phoenix 11/10/2020 9:31 AM or Jesse Lee. There are 4 low income apt buildings a subtype square mile with 5 or 6 apt buildings if you count the non section 8 ones. Stop building section 8 housing. Build a park. 103 that part of town desperately needs accessible family friendly green space for everything from 11/10/2020 9:24 AM birthday picnics to public events. In this age of pandemic having outdoor meeting and recreation space (in proximity to the working class population) is more important than ever! 104 1 think this neighborhood is pretty dense with apartments already, so more multi family housing 11/10/2020 9:21 AM should be carefully considered. I'd also like to see some data about our area in regards to housing. I know that b and rentals have some serious drawbacks and haven't seen much discussion about limiting their impacts. I think that a park in this area might serve the needs of a lot of families-the small park on Dora way seems heavily used already. I also think a well thought out park might be a nice way to recognize the history of these plots. 105 Seward needs the TAX income. Sell it to a taxable property. 11/10/2020 8:57 AM 106 The city already tore down the best memorial, the beautiful historic structure. We have more 11/10/2020 8:45 AM public lands than most other cities in the world. We don't need more. Multi family housing lots are the best use of the land going forward after the loss of the historic structure. "Low income" subsidized housing is not good for the town. 107 1 would ask the Dora Way residents what they want to see in their neighborhood. For instance, 11/10/2020 8:40 AM some may not want a park that attract tourists into a private residential neighborhood. Some may want a park they can walk too. Some may see a park as a easy location for illegal activity. I would not want the entire City population making decisions on what goes up next to my house or where my children run/play 108 N/A 11/10/2020 8:34 AM 8/ 12 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK 109 1 also believe along with a park, we should build a Community Center which this town badly 11/10/2020 8:32 AM needs. Inside the Center it could be decorated with Jesse Lee photos and objects, making the entire building a memorial to it. People would utilize the site often, and a pavilion would allow more people to utilize it and see the awesome view from that site. Keep it for the public. Don't sell it for some Anchorage or out of Stater to buy and use for nightly rentals only. 110 1 look forward to discussion of what sorts of activities might be available to park users at this 11/10/2020 8:28 AM site. I would like to see a playground (suitable for both toddlers and older chikdren), open space for activities like sledding, a covered area for gatherings and a community garden (many in this neighborhood lack space to garden at home). I also think that there should be nicely landscaped garden spaces like we have at parks along the waterfront, maintaining clear sight- lines throughout the park is important to minimize misuse of the site. I feel strongly that no camping should be offered at this park. 111 I feel that this property should be developed as to increase sewards tax base. 11/10/2020 8:09 AM 112 Seward has enough multi family housing. I used to manage Gateway Apartments. I am friends 11/10/2020 8:08 AM with many of the current apartment managers. Turnover is high and there are rarely completely full complexes for long. In the last two years at least four multi family units have been constructed in the Seward area. One of those is directly beside the parcels at the Jesse Lee. 3 more older complexes are within a stone's throw from it. What we need now is green space for all those families to recreate. Apartment dwellers rarely have a place to grow veggies, play in the dirt and see life springing forth. We could have a border of raised garden plots surround the perimeter of the park. . Wouldn't it be an amazing legacy for the site set aside to nurture and care for people to continue to do so?A pavilion with memorial walls, dedicated to photos, history, writings and stories of the residents would pay respectable homage to the past. That pavilion, surrounded by grass and gardens would give all those living in the current multi family units a place to gather, barbecue, have a birthday celebration with friends, maybe kick a soccer ball or play volleyball. Wouldn't it be wonderful to let those nearby have the ability to give back to the community by tending to, beautifying little garden plots while helping to feed their families. I live nearby. I have a yard and a garden of my own. I see the benefit to my own family. I'd love to see this gift to our community bless more families. I'd be willing to volunteer, help in some way to organize these things. Thank you for your time. Sandra Deland 907-362- 1976 113 1 believe a one acre park would be sufficient. Nice residential area for a park-Seward needs 11/10/2020 8:07 AM single family smaller first time home buyer places-not more subsidized housing 114 Residential properties have greatly expanded in the area of Jesse Lee with very little 11/10/2020 7:58 AM expansion of park land. 115 Memorial park, yes. However, perhaps the remainder of the property could be sold to develop 11/10/2020 7:56 AM more year-round visitation. Not necessarily a hotel, but an adventure park, tram/lift, who knows. If not that, then middle income single-family housing, or multi-family housing such as a duplex/triplex, but not apartments. 116 Would support the site being developed as a park, as the council intended. 11/10/2020 7:54 AM 117 Thank you for finally getting this done! 11/10/2020 7:35 AM 118 A memorial gazebo. A much improved playground and dog park. This neighborhood is kinda 11/10/2020 7:22 AM lacking in those amenities. For all to use 119 A park that all residents and visitors to enjoy would make Seward an even better place to live. 11/10/2020 7:15 AM 120 It would be nice to have interpretive panels around the park with old photos describing live at 11/10/2020 7:04 AM the Jesse Lee Home, why it was built and who lived there. The good and the bad for those that lived there. 121 Do NOT let this property be used for more housing, it absolutely needs to be a beautiful grass 11/10/2020 6:40 AM park with a pavilion and a memorial, picnic tables etc. 122 maintaining open space among the denser housing developments is critical, as is 11/10/2020 6:29 AM memorializing this historic property 123 Most beautiful view in the whole city best use of space memorial park/pavillion to remember 11/10/2020 6:26 AM history and move forward with beautiful space! Long family history in Seward my grandmother worked there as nurse would honor her and others and the children through a memorial park! 9/ 12 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK 124 1 live on Dora way in the neighborhood of the Jesse Lee home. There is a lot of new 11/10/2020 6:23 AM construction going up in this area. soon it will be somewhat congested I would hate to add to that with this property. instead, let's create a park similar to the one on the waterfront but with more beautiful trees and shrubs around the playground. 125 Thank you for considering citizen comments 11/10/2020 6:11 AM 126 This is prime real estate, and after a dismal sales tax year, the sale of the property and 11/10/2020 5:56 AM subsequent property tax is necessary. The Benny Benson Memorial area can add something additional for Jesse Lee Home. 127 Seward is a special place. The Jesse Lee Home was a special place. I agree it could not be 11/10/2020 5:43 AM salvaged but believe it's history/site/memorial could be used for public education and as a draw to the community as an event location, walking tour, or another opportunity. Please ask Qutekcak to help decide it's fate/tell the story of the place. Many tribal members lived there... many have passed on but their descendants could share its meanings and provide input on its next chapter. 128 No 11/10/2020 5:41 AM 129 Seward seems to not have enough affordable seasonal housing but that seems to be 11/10/2020 4:37 AM changing. I think Seward could use a dog park and it could use a community center and either or both of those could be in that space along with a memorial park. It's an important historical site and I think y should be preserved for the community not just sold for development. Seward would have enough housing if the vrbo and nightly rentals were taxed and brought under control 130 Live in the area, have a small family, wife has lived in Seward her whole life. Very hopeful this 11/10/2020 4:28 AM area will be of use to local citizens and not a space for more micro-apartments and vacation homes. Seward and the memory of the Jesse lee home deserve better. 131 Seward has enough parks. During hard financial times it is not a good idea to add more 11/10/2020 2:39 AM expense. Small public space and sell lots. 132 1 personally feel a Pavillion build with wood salvaged from the demo would be a great attribute 11/10/2020 12:28 AM to the property. A dog park, and even a botanical space would be beneficial. Another idea is an area for a farmer's market during the summer months. 133 N/a 11/9/2020 11:40 PM 134 A small park would be nice. Three bedroom zero lot lines for families would be preferred 11/9/2020 11:22 PM zoning. 135 Children have been playing on the gounds of the Jesse Lee home for 95 years and the legacy 11/9/2020 11:14 PM must continue. Perhaps a pavilion similar to the Branson Pavilion would provide year round use from the elements. A sand box, swings and perhaps an outdoor exercise park would benefit all of the residents of the area. If the lilac bushes that were planted the summer of 2018 survive the demolation, I think that it would be appropriate to have them on the grounds. 136 I've always wanted to have a labyrinth in Seward and it's possibly a great fit for the location 11/9/2020 11:07 PM when you look up the definition. We need another covered pavilion area too that could be built with some of the salvaged wood. Make it picturesque with various signage about the history. Look up Punchbowl in Honolulu and how they've preserved history. 137 1 believe the neighborhood needs a decent park space. Could the existing playground be 11/9/2020 11:04 PM dismantled and the land sold and then a new playground be built in part of the new park space? 138 Yeah 11/9/2020 10:55 PM 139 Seward needs a dog park 11/9/2020 10:48 PM 140 1 was born in Seward and it's a real shame that the city council would ever consider this 11/9/2020 10:45 PM historic place for public housing 141 Its an eyesore thats for sure. Glad its being taken down. More family homes please. 11/9/2020 10:39 PM 142 1 strongly support doing something that honors the history of this site that was important not 11/9/2020 10:36 PM only to Seward but to Alaska. 143 keep tourists out of the neighborhood and provide year round residents with a pleasant public 11/9/2020 10:34 PM space 10112 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK 144 Na 11/9/2020 10:33 PM 145 With all the new single and multi family construction being done by Phoenix, there is not a 11/9/2020 10:32 PM need for multi family housing. The additional families that will be taking up residence in the new construction will need an open park to enjoy which the current park on Dora cannot handle. 146 Shame on Seward. 11/9/2020 10:32 PM 147 The current location between single residential, multi family and the schools is an ideal place 11/9/2020 10:32 PM for a community use building and open park space. A place where all ages can gather on a daily basis. A place with large windows overlooking the bay and a place to enjoy the warmth of the southern exposure. Seward has more than enough multi family properties. With several large properties recently built and more being built North of Dora Way. This property should be for the people of Seward, where children and elders can gather together and learn from each other. 148 The property should be subdivided into residential single family home lots or no more than 4- 11/9/2020 10:31 PM plex lots and sold as soon as possible.All lots should be sold with a clause that they must have a dwelling on them within 2 years or a substantial fine will be imposed which will be levied and increase every year the property has no home built on it. 149 we need housing desperately 11/9/2020 10:23 PM 150 Could add a portion of the property to be a dog park. For dog social time.- must be with owner, 11/9/2020 10:23 PM shots and friendly. 151 Seward needs much more housing for young families and working professionals. 11/9/2020 10:21 PM 152 Not sure why my length of time lives here matters. If I can vote here I should have a say. After 11/9/2020 9:58 PM all we had to listen to Doreen Lorenze forever and she doesn't even live here anymore 153 Keep it as a memorial for the home so people can visit. The view alone is a wonderful spot to 11/9/2020 9:52 PM watch for tsunami 154 Please consider a dog park. Lots of other towns on the peninsula and surrounding south- 11/9/2020 9:51 PM central communities have one, and Seward does not. 155 1 would have preferred that a rectangular section of the remaining building be preserved. Use it 11/9/2020 9:47 PM refabbricate windows, frames, sills, roof line, alcove entrance and steps facing south. Get an easement from the owner of the property on which the current plaque is located to reconstruct the main drive on to the property from the south boundary. Sell the eastern half and use the proceeds for reconstruction of a two story replica. Use this facility for a conference center. Place picnic tables on cement pads for ease of mowing around the grounds. Rest rooms and water will be necessary. Alternatively this site could be aivi g history museum, complete with cow, vegetable garden and building simulating the activities of the home. This would be a tourist draw to Seward. At any rate period pictures in the replica building are a must. 156 Please be thoughtful about this. We have enough housing development going on. Will there be 11/9/2020 9:43 PM the jobs to support and sustain families to buy potential homes?What do you envision for Seward 20 years from now? 157 1 could agree to half the property being sold to generate funds to build and maintain a 11/9/2020 9:26 PM memorial. 158 1 was born in Seward, grew up there, moved away at college age, got married and moved back 11/9/2020 9:23 PM to run a business there in the 1980's. Moved away again in 1991 and came back again in 2002. It will always be my home whether I'm there full time or not...I'm always an Alaskan. Jesse Lee Home is a part of Seward's history and our state flag came from it's student. A memorial and visitor center would be ideal on the site of the original. Why not house the Chamber of Commerce visitor facility there. it would draw many interested tourists and with an adjoining park and the fabulous view it would be a major attraction. It is a high spot and could double as a tsunami safe spot0 159 1 have always thought that would be a nice place for a large park or family rec area rather than 11/9/2020 9:08 PM the eye-sore of the decrepit building. I think placing the memorial there is appropriate as well. 160 Part park/ memorial, part 2-3 bedroom homes or apts. 11/9/2020 9:05 PM 161 1 am in support of multi family or single family homes in this area but NOT low income 11/9/2020 9:03 PM 11112 Envisioning the use of the Jessie Lee Property at 101 & 105 Benson, Seward AK housing. I also would support a covered or indoor recreational facility for our community to be able to be active in the 9+ months out of the year that the weather is poor. 162 Stop wasting city funds on useless crap. People can't afford food& rent after the disastrous 11/9/2020 9:03 PM summer. Give the money to those people. 163 The Jesse Lee Home has valuable historical interest to our state and city. Even though I was a 11/9/2020 9:01 PM supporter of demolishing the buildings, I do believe memorializing the history of the area through a park and community use area/museum is very important. As far as development for housing, there are other places (obvious from the construction diagonal from the Jesse Lee Home)for building homes. 164 A memorial along with a park for the community to use that is not surrounded by the camping 11/9/2020 9:01 PM tourists, along with a fenced dog park would be beneficial to all and greatly appreciated by the residents of Seward. There are so many housing projects in the works we don't need to add more right now. We need to give the residents a usable park and/or dog park which will help make Seward more appealing to current and future residents. Putting housing there would defeat the original intent of demolishing the dilapidated/hazardous buildings which was to create a memorial park space! 165 The nuisance attraction is gone, now preserve the land and dedicate this space as a park. 11/9/2020 8:58 PM 166 Would like to see the right of way extended all the way through the property. 11/9/2020 8:51 PM 167 One segment of population that is rarely addressed is the in betweeners. Those folks between 11/9/2020 8:49 PM 18-21 have no place to recreate. Too old for the teen center and too young for the bars. They are not allowed to use school property facilities anymore (other than the pool). At least a portion of the 2.66 acres should be developed with this population in mind. 168 Build condos. Three stories high. The city budget has paid hundreds of thousands on this 11/9/2020 8:39 PM mess. Get it in the tax rolls 169 Please give us a memorial park at this location to include a Jesse Lee Home memorial, 11/9/2020 8:25 PM community gardens and a dog park. The possibilities are endless. 12112