Council approves land reclamation

PALMER -- The Palmer City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to rezone 40 acres of Alaska State Fair land from residential to industrial use. It was a giant step for those supporting the plan, which will allow reclamation of a gravel pit long considered a potential hazard.

The rezone affects 40 acres at the fair site. In giving its blessing to the request from state fair manager Joe Lawton, the council tightly restricted what can occur on the parcel after members carefully considered the possibility that reclamation might pollute groundwater.

"You're approving industrial but limiting it to specific uses," said attorney Gordon Tans, who advised the council during Tuesday's meeting.

Now, Lawton needs only a conditional use permit from the city's Planning and Zoning Commission to proceed with reclamation. Action by that body could come as soon as its March 4 meeting.

The fair sought a zone change so it can make a deal with Alaska Demolition of Anchorage. Under the plan, Alaska Demolition would buy the 40-acre Hamilton Farms across the street from the gravel pit and leave the farm in its current state.

Then Alaska Demolition would trade the Hamilton land to the fair in exchange for the fair's rezoned 40 acres containing the pit. The demolition firm would use the pit as a site to deposit drywall, concrete and other materials from buildings that are torn down. It also would sell some of the gravel from the site -- although the ordinance passed Tuesday allows less extraction than company officials originally sought.

When the pit is entirely filled -- probably in seven years, according to Alaska Demolition spokesmen -- it will be suitable for recreational or other uses. That's when the company would give the fair first chance to buy back the 40 acres, giving the fair space for expansion that's anticipated in the future.

The ordinance approved Tuesday stipulates that the new industrial property be returned "to a more restrictive zoning classification" in no more than 10 years, or sooner if reclamation concludes earlier.

Council members are leaving it to the Planning and Zoning Commission to incorporate details of a memorandum of understanding regarding pit restoration into a special use permit. Those stipulations include:

Commercial traffic shall enter the property via the Glenn Highway, pass over and across Alaska State Fair lands, and access the property by using Rebarchek Road. The primary driveways into the parcel will be from Rebarchek Road.

Watering equipment will be kept on site to minimize windblown dust.

Reclamation activity can occur only from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Outside of those hours, trucks may enter the property only to unload and no powered equipment may be used.

The area where gravel is extracted shall be brought back to original grade using fill and placement or ordinary mineral soils, exempt fill and land-clearing debris.

Twenty-five-foot natural landscape buffers will be maintained on the north, west and east boundaries with a 50-foot buffer on the south side.

Access will be controlled by gates and fencing at entries.

City Manager Tom Healy said many items in the ordinance, including restrictions on gravel extraction, are in the public interest. Council members concluded that reclamation won't hurt the groundwater.

Council Member John Combs said he was confident that the contractor and the Alaska State Fair will conclude the reclamation project in a timely manner.

The council passed a motion by Council Member Brad Hanson to "strongly encourage" Planning and Zoning to take note of the memorandum of agreement.

"This is a well-designed product that will serve us well," Council Member Tony Pippel said of the ordinance passed Tuesday. "This is a good solution. I don't believe a big hole in the ground serves anyone."