Palmer seeks land

Bond question headed to ballot

July 18, 2006

By JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman

PALMER - As the city of Palmer grows, public land is increasingly difficult to come by.

On July 11, Palmer City Council members unanimously agreed to ask residents whether they will allow the city to purchase more acreage that might go toward future parks, roads, public utilities or other projects.

At this point, the requested bond does not specify particular lots or monetary amounts. City Manager Tom Healy said he's waiting on the city council to direct him as to whether the bond language should be limited to certain uses and certain parcels of land.

At Tuesday's meeting, city council member Tony Pippel offered a few ideas of where the city might secure land. He argued in favor of purchasing a 20-acre plot on the Old Glenn Highway, adjacent to Academy Charter School.

Pippel said the owners want $850,000 for the land. It's prime acreage, he said, which abuts several ballfields and the Mat-Su School District's administrative offices.

&#8220I know $850,000 sounds like a gagger,” he told fellow council members. &#8220But I'd like to make the argument that this property is unique.”

The undeveloped land, which contains a combination of old-growth trees and open fields, might be used to access the ballfields, house a performing arts center, or go toward a city park, Pippel said.

&#8220I would suggest we are going to have a lot of uses for this,” he added. &#8220It could be used for any number of city needs.”

Healy said the bond's language would be critical. Highly specific wording about turning land into a park or other facility would limit the city's options if voters approved the bond, he told the council.

On the other hand, voters will want to know that land is going toward something they can support, he added. &#8220Clearly, I think the public would support it for parks and rec.”

Council members also talked about acquiring a 22-acre parcel east of the city's sewage treatment plant - land that could extend the city's southwest utilities.

Healy said he's waiting until the July 25 city council meeting in order to finalize the ballot proposition's language, including how much money to ask voters for. &#8220After next week's meeting, we'll need to have something finalized,” he said.

Palmer residents will vote on a finished version of the bond proposal during the Oct. 3 municipal

election.

Contact Joel Davidson at

352-2266 or joel.davidson@

frontiersman.com.