"Karla Hart"

The proposed initiative sought to impose a five-ship daily limit, cap the annual and daily number of cruise ship visitors and shorten the season.

The new petition comes less than a year after Juneau voters shot down a ballot initiative to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays.

Assembly members are expected to vote April 7 on an ordinance that will ultimately decide whether or not to approve leasing city-owned tidelands.

The city has developed the seawalk in sections over the years, and this new section will extend a quarter mile south towards Thane.

Final election results showed just over 60% of registered voters were against the idea. But plans for a new cruise ship dock on Douglas Island are complicating things.

Along with the port, the companies hope to develop employee housing, floatplane and whale watching docks, helicopter pads and recreate a Lingít village for passengers to visit, among other business opportunities. 

Advocates for the proposition say the reins need to be pulled on the growth of tourism, but opponents say the financial and legal implications could hurt the local economy.

The forum on Wednesday follows another forum last week where representatives of a group opposed to the proposition shared why they think it’s bad for Juneau.

The Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce hosted a forum where members of the group Protect Juneau’s Future shared why they believe the proposition is bad for the local economy.

Before it appears on the ballot, the Juneau Assembly has until Aug. 15 to decide whether to take its own action on the issue.