Chalet Drive project raises questions

June 21, 2005

DAWN DE BUSK/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - In a neighborhood of six houses, along a quarter-mile dirt road known as Chalet Drive, survey stakes have popped up like weeds on what property owners thought were their lawns, but are actually Mat-Su Borough right of way.

After finding out about the borough's plans to spend $19,000 on widening and upgrading the sleepy stretch of road north of Hemmer Drive's intersection with Arctic Avenue, some residents are expressing concern that there might be a hidden agenda for land development in their enclave that requires a wider road.

"(The borough) has given us so many different answers that it doesn't sound right. One of the reasons is so that two fire trucks can go down side by side. It's not even a quarter of a mile long. It's really fishy. It's a waste of money and no one wants it," Chalet Drive homeowner Glenn Goforth said.

Residents may have reason to feel wary. Chalet Drive-area property falls just outside Palmer city limits: There are fewer building restrictions, but also nearby water and power hookups. State transportation officials have previously discussed the possibility of linking Dogwood Avenue in Palmer with Bogard Road in the future, possibly via Scott Road, and the link could travel through an area quite close to Chalet Drive.

Highlander Investments LLC, a company led by Jay Sutherland, an Anchorage restaurant owner, owns 2 acres on the south side of Chalet Drive, a piece of land that also falls on the northeast corner of the Arctic-Hemmer intersection. And an Alaskan co-owner of Eagle River's 60-room Microtel Inn & Suites, Ernest J. Emmi, owns 6 acres just north of the properties lining Chalet Drive's north side.

Sutherland is traveling outside of Anchorage until June 25, according to his wife; but Emmi said Sunday that he bought his parcel between Arctic Avenue and Scott Road four years ago because it was a good deal. He said he has no plans for the property.

"It's a struggle to build within the city of Palmer. They don't want any more houses or apartments or hotels or restaurants," Emmi said.

Brad Sworts, Mat-Su area planner with Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, on Monday said the Bogard extension is still a topic of discussion.

"One of the potentials being talked about for the Bogard extension is for it to hook up with Arctic Avenue, and the other potential is hooking up with Scott Road. If it came in up at Scott Road, that's outside the city limits. If Bogard came into Arctic, there would be more restrictions on what people could build," Sworts said. A design of the extension won't be done until environmental studies are complete, Sworts said.

Borough officials say the Chalet Drive project, which is listed on the borough's capital improvement plans, includes widening the road and creating two shallow ditches to assist with snow removal. Because the winds blow the snow to the south of Chalet Drive, the snow ends up on private property. Chalet Drive was built off-center to its right of way, so the places where residents have planted their lawns and trees are actually in the borough's right of way, according to Kaylea Edick, administrative secretary of operations and maintenance for the borough.

Most of the developed land lies on the north side of Chalet Drive, except for what used to be a bus barn at the corner of Hemmer Road and Chalet Drive. Sutherland holds the deed to that parcel.

"This is absolutely not politically motivated," said Leif Kopperud, Mat-Su Borough road maintenance supervisor and inspector, who held an informal outdoor meeting June 4 with the neighborhood's residents. He said any roads project has to be approved by public works, and by the assembly, and then travels back to public works and back to the assembly before it's put up for contract. Alaska Rim was awarded the contract for the Chalet Drive widening project.

Kopperud explained that the borough assembly nixed work on Penny Lane this year so Chalet Drive could be improved.

The road will also receive a gravel overlay, but most of the work will occur where Chalet Drive meets Hemmer Road, he said.

Public safety is another rationale behind widening the road; there has to be room for emergency vehicles to get in and out. In the event of a fire, a tanker truck would have to maneuver past another fire truck, which requires about 20 feet, Kopperud said.

"The cul-de-sac needs to be designed so a grader can turn around safely and efficiently," Kopperud said.

Residents still seemed skeptical, however.

"This road's been here for 30 years and there's never been a problem with piling up snow in the cul-de-sac. It's an excuse to spend borough money," Frank Kish said. An ornamental tree growing in a rock garden and guarded by an angel statue makes up the landscaping in Kish's yard, where the new cul-de-sac would be designed.

"If the road's built in the wrong place, it's not our fault. Someone did that 30 years ago, and now they're going through our yards. We were furious," Glenda Kish said.

Jackie Goforth, another resident, said it was her understanding that the road construction wouldn't start until after mid-June. Already, her husband has transplanted some of their fruit-bearing trees.

"That gives us time to move all the trees," she said. She'll have to look for the holes in the lawn to judge which trees are in jeopardy, since her black Labrador removed the stakes, mistaking them for toys.

Dawn De Busk may be reached at 352-2252 or dawn.debusk@frontiersman.com.