Borough changes rules for subdivision waivers

MAT-SU — The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly has voted to bring some order to Valley subdivisions.

A change to the borough ordinance limits the number of waivers a parcel can get to one. This will close a loophole in the platting process that allowed some subdivisions to circumvent platting board approval, said borough planning chief Eileen Probasco.

The intent of the original ordinance was for the plat map of each property planned for subdivision to go in front of the platting board, Probasco said. The board would review the plat map and determine if the lots met the specific codes and were planned out in a reasonable way.

However, a waiver process was designed for more rural parcels or parcels divided for private use, she said. The waiver allowed a property to be divided without platting board approval.

“What would happen is someone would come in and do a waiver on a parcel. Then they would take another waiver on the divided property,” Probasco said. “What was resulting was a de facto subdivision that was getting no platting review.”

This meant subdivisions were being created with no regard to local traffic patterns, drainage flow, snow storage and emergency response access. All of this, Probasco said, was costing the taxpayers money.

“The cumulative impact of serial waivers was becoming apparent. The waiver process was not intended as a means to circumvent the platting board,” she said.

With the amendment codified Sept. 1, a parcel is only allowed one waiver dividing the property into no more than four lots. Any additional division must have platting board approval.

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.