Officials look at core area's future

PALMER -- Denser development, good road systems, an abundance of trails, growth of a central town center and preservation of the area's natural beauty and assets are just a few things elected and appointed Mat-Su Borough officials would like to see in the Valley's core area.

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly, Planning Commission and Platting Board took part in a visioning session Tuesday in the Assembly chambers as part of the Core Area Comprehensive Plan update process. The group was led through the process by Peter J. Smith and Mary Kopasky, both of Peter J. Smith & Company Inc., a New York-based consultant company. All members present were asked a series of questions about the core area, and their answers were collected to be used in the final document.

Board and commission members were asked what they envisioned for the future of the core area -- the area between Palmer and Wasilla, extending to the Matanuska River, encompassing a portion of the Palmer Hay flats and extending north above Farm Loop Road near Palmer and Schrock Road near Wasilla.

The answers were varied. Denser-developed communities, with schools centrally located so people could walk or bike among them was a common thread. Maintaining the character of a community was another recurring theme. Some wanted to see orderly development, with planned areas for parks and trails and facilities with architecture and design reflecting the area's history. Others emphasized the need for public transportation in conjunction with dense development. Good local jobs, an abundance of multiple-use trails, a focus on schools that have a nationwide attraction, clean water and sanitation and making an environmentally sound infrastructure were all points the board members wanted to see. A few ventured into philosophical territory, envisioning paths to reach those goals.

"A place where property could be maintained or developed with minimal surprise (to other landowners)," Assemblyman Talis Colberg said.

Platting Board vice-chair William Bruu suggested a tighter rein on land use development.

"Without comprehensive land use control, the core area is going to continue to develop as it has for the last 30 years," Bruu said. "We've got to establish some type of control with teeth."

Everyone had a vision for the core area, but those around the table Tuesday were able to point out just as many challenges facing the core as growth continues. The heads of each of the three groups present cited public participation, or lack thereof, as one of the primary challenges facing the area.

"The unwillingness of residents to participate, except for considering planned development for our community (is a challenge)," Platting chairwoman Janet Kincaid said.

Planning Commission chairwoman Helga Larson agreed.

"This is not us against them, we're all in this together and (people) need to be better educated from an early age on; not 'I've got mine, I don't care where you get yours,'" Larson said. "We need to make people understand the advantage of choosing to participate."

Mat-Su Borough Mayor Tim Anderson also agreed.

"There's no room for compromise -- it's a rules versus last frontier attitude," Anderson said.

Others cited land use conflicts, the undaunted speed of growth that makes it difficult to catch up by building schools and roads, threats to public safety and the loss of clean water as several of the challenges. Some mentioned the problems that arise when most of those living in the core area live in Mat-Su and work in Anchorage. The result is an increasing number of students in school that is not offset by added tax base from business infrastructure. Property taxes paid by one family, several said, simply aren't enough to offset the educational costs of that family's offspring, the family's use of roads and other public facilities and other infrastructural costs incurred.

"The actual debt load the borough carries is largely unknown," Bruu said.

But the core has good points along with the challenges. Those present had no trouble coming up with a long list of the core area's greatest assets. Physical beauty topped the list, along with its easily accessible location, proximity to a wide range of jobs and the inexpensive land and established communities that make the area a good place on which to build -- and a good place to raise a family.

The last question asked by Smith reminded participants that there was a serious task at hand. Board members were asked how the core area comprehensive plan could help address the issues at hand in the core area -- retaining assets or overcoming challenges.

"We are here today because we got into zoning and we weren't having a discussion, we were having warfare," Colberg said. During public testimony over the proposed zoning measures, Colberg said, one thing was mentioned time and again -- that an update of the core area comprehensive plan was needed before land use regulations should be considered. Colberg said maybe the concerted planning effort behind the Core Area Comprehensive Plan update would lead to consensus on some land use measures.

Bruu agreed land use issues should be addressed, and suggested making the plan update the vehicle for getting more strict land use regulations off the ground.

"The comprehensive plan needs to advocate land use controls," Bruu said. It should also, he said, advocate greater participation in the process, a commitment to learn from what's been done before, and it should be reviewed and supported by elected officials and used by them to shore up their courage in moving forward on land use issues.

Assembly member Kelly Lankford Ladere said she believed the core area was simply being impatient about reshaping its rules governing land uses. She cited the effort Talkeetna residents recently wrapped up to adopt a comprehensive plan for their community.

"It took years. It looks like the core area is impatient," Ladere said. "You can only go as fast as you can go."