Now it'€™s snowmachiners ruining property

This is in response to the damage and/or destruction of the newly hydro-seeded hills that are located dead center of two subdivisions in Serendipity Hills. Many of us banded together to get the Mat-Su Borough to do something about four-wheelers in the summer to no avail.

In the meantime, our property values — and ultimately the tax base — is being destroyed by a bunch of vandals. I know several folks are certainly going to challenge tax assessments this year just because of the noise and damage around our homes.

We issue “closed to snowmachine riding” orders in recreation and parks areas to prevent the ground from being torn up, but no one seems to care about where we live. In the summer it’s four-wheelers and dirt bikes and in the winter it’s snowmachines. They even ride on private property with a total disregard for homeowners’ rights. I have photos showing the damage of riding on 2 or 3 inches of snow. If there were 10 or 15 inches it would limit the damage, but residents still have to tolerate all the noise. Many four-wheeler riders and snowmachine riders treat these hills like they were their destination. If they rode down the road and went to the mountain trails it would be fine, but they don’t. They persist in treating these hills as their very own playground. This is not Jim Creek or Hatcher Pass folks and even those two get protection.

Type in the this link, picasaweb.google.com/themasterangler/SnowOnRyahSHills, and hit slideshow to see how much damage is being done.

At the same time, notice the homes in the background. There are homes all along the tops of these hills and homes to my back as I’m taking the pictures. Owners of the homes at the top of the hill have tried posting “No Trespassing” signs only to have them torn down. One homeowner built a fence and the riders actually went around the fence and through his yard. We have grouped together and tried to get it to stop and no one will help us.

Do we have anyone in power anywhere with the intelligence and guts to stop this? We certainly haven’t found them yet. John Duffy (borough mayor) promised a group of us last year that he would help by getting ordinances to cover this situation but nothing has happened and the destruction continues. This particular situation will require someone putting something in the area or something that blocks entering. We spent thousands of dollars to make this area pleasing to the eye and once again it’s just dollars thrown away.

The borough spent our hard-earned tax dollars to build it just to let it go to waste. I’m reaching out trying to get help. Besides the destruction being done, the noise factor is unreal more often than not when we try to sleep. We have no peace in our own home and we have no homeowner rights. My neighbor has actually gotten out of bed at 3 a.m. to go out and run them off just like he had to do with the four-wheelers in the summer. We have called the troopers numerous times and by the time anyone gets there, if they respond, the culprits are gone.

We have tried to work it out nicely, but we’re getting sick and tired of being walked all over by idiots. It seems that no one gives a damn about us and our homes. I hope someone does something before an upset homeowner does.

Paul T. Reed is a retired Air Force master sergeant who lives in the Wasilla area.