Proposed lake project may affect wetlands

WASILLA -- A proposed residential development project on the west end of Lake Lucille has the potential to create controversy among families in the area.

The project, being proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers as well as Alaska RIM Engineering, would involve placing 25,000 cubic yards of filling material in the wetlands area to accommodate three access roads, six driveways, and six house pads. Each pad would consist of a 75-foot by 75-foot construction area placed in a clearing unit of 100 square feet maximum, and would provide enough space for one family to construct a home.

According to Skip Joy of the Army Corps of Engineers, the pads are being constructed for prospective residents, not existing clients.

Since the proposed project could harm fragile wetlands and possibly affect the Lake Lucille ecosystem, the Corps is soliciting public comments on the project until Feb. 17.

Though the Corps has not yet received any input from residents, Joy predicts that comments will be forthcoming.

"We typically get most comments during the last week of the comment period," he said. However, the Corps had already conferred with the National Marine Fisheries Service concerning possible impact to the aquatic population of the lake, Joy said, and the NMFS had no objection to the project.

Joy claims that the project will result in little or no soil disturbance to the surrounding area, in large part due to a 75-foot-wide buffer zone of undisturbed land between the fill zone and the shore.

However, Joy also admitted that causing distress to the area during the construction process is unavoidable.

"It's going to have to be a matter of whether the public and private benefit outweighs the damage that's going to be caused to the area," he said.

Many Lake Lucille area residents are not yet aware of the plans for the west shore. However, several homeowners residing on property near the proposed fill zone are aware and critical of the project.

Merle Frank, who owns the home nearest to the proposed fill area, wants to see careful planning of the project before any action is taken.

"I'd like to see the wetlands stay in their natural state," Frank said. He believes that any filling operation will disrupt the untrammeled beauty inherent in the area, as well as the delicate balance of the ecosystem. "People might want to live there, but the area is pretty fragile," he said.

Some of Frank's objections also seem to have more practical grounds. The proposed project area is a prime site for both water drainage and high winds, and altering the terrain might have unforeseen effects.

"The more wetlands we fill in, the more problems we might have with the lake," Frank said.

Furthermore, Frank is skeptical of the value of the wetlands as a residential area. "Who's going to want to live on a 75-foot-by-75-foot concrete pad anyway?" he asked.

Though Frank intends to add his comments to the Corps's register in due time, he is unsure how much impact his say will have.

"We've led a successful fight in keeping the [Lake Lucille] hotel out of that area, but that's just business," Frank said. "This is a government project."

Residents seeking more information about the project should contact the Corps toll-free at (800) 478-2712. Requests for public hearings must be made in writing and sent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District, Regulatory Branch (1145b), P.O. Box 6898, Elmendorf AFB, AK 99506-6898. These requests must state with particularity the reasons for holding such a hearing.