Borough deals with growth issues at regular meeting

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough assembly dealt with a number of growth-related issues at its regular Tuesday evening meeting.

Among them were issues related to platting parcels, approving land sales for the ongoing Parks Highway construction project, borough roads and recreation improvement projects.

The biggest part of the approximate 1.5-hour meeting, more than 30 minutes, dealt with Ordinance 17-033. The document’s purpose is “to promote the common good and welfare with regard to platting of subdivisions (by establishing) consistent minimum guidelines for the (subdivision) regulation…and platting of lands within the borough according to state statutes.”

Prior to reaching the assembly, the ordinance had a number of public hearings and was brought before numerous borough boards—including the planning commission. Earlier this spring, the assembly agreed to continue public hearing before acting on it. More than a half-dozen persons—ranging from contractors to surveyors to the general public—spoke at the meeting. While most thought the ordinance was moving in the right direction, they felt it needs further clarification.

After listening to the public and discussing it among themselves, the group agreed to refer the ordinance back to the planning commission and platting board and bring it back to the assembly on Nov. 7. The motion also set an Aug. 31 deadline for action from the commission-board and set Nov. 2 for an assembly “committee of the whole” session where additional public input could be garnered.

Although the motion passed, Assemblyman George McKee said he felt holding the committee of the whole meeting was getting the assembly too involved in the process. He stated, for the record, that the borough pays staff to make recommendations to the governing body.

“I’m not exactly thrilled with the idea of a committee to look at changes to a borough ordinance. That’s what we hire staff for,” said McKee. “They are supposed to come up with the changes, justify…Anything more than that the elected officials are jumping into the operational management of the borough.”

Approved ordinances included selling borough land along Parks Highway from milepost 48.8 to 52.3. The property is needed for the ongoing highway expansion project from Wasilla west to Big Lake Road. A number of parcel-related sakes and acquisitions also passed.

Approved consent agenda items included: reactivating the Greater Farm Loop Community Council; contracting services with North Star group for federal lobbyist services; awarding a contract to Braun Northwest Inc. to refurbish two Mat-Su ambulances; approving a change order on the Trunk Road Extension South, Phase II project; and awarding bids to Western Construction and Equipment for the South Salmon River improvement project; Ficklin Construction to construct running and ski trails at Redington schools, Jim Psenak Construction for Talkeetna Dike Repair, and Neeser Construction for Phase II of the Trunk Road extension south project.

Contact reporter Chris Ford at 352-2270 or chris.ford@frontiersman.com