Residents share their thoughts about the future of their community

PALMER — Residents packed the Palmer Train Depot Thursday to engage and interact with city planning efforts by Stantec. Katrina Nygaard and Wendy Van Duyne from Stantec engaged with more than 50 residents and business owners and a large majority of the city staff on issues regarding land use, transportation, wayfinding and open space.

“Some of the challenges that Palmer faces are similar to smaller communities across the states, whether you’re in Alaska or the Lower 48,” Nygaard said. “How do you create jobs in your town, especially as things like agriculture and industry might be phasing out a little bit. That’s a common challenge. I think what makes Palmer unique and different is that there is already so much stuff happening without folks like myself in the government trying to help.”

The Mat-Su Borough partnered with Stantec in 2016 to apply for a large grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. The $400,000 is to look at potential contamination from hazardous substances on sites called brownfields. Nygaard and Van Duyne are moving through the three phases of their plan development to discover what about Palmer works and how to help the downtown area be revitalized by changing or not changing the infrastructure or codes around it.

“We’re not starting new. We’re not throwing all the old good work that was done. We’re really validating it, because it’s still today what the community wants in downtown colony Alaska,” said Palmer City Manager Nathan Wallace. “Times have changed.”

Wallace mentioned that Nygaard and Van Duyne have been consulting a full bookshelf of prior planning work. The city’s comprehensive plan wasn’t updated between the 1950’s and 1990’s, but also saw an urban revitalization plan in 1999 and another comprehensive plan document in 2006.

“We’re trying to validate all the good stuff that’s been done make sure that that’s what the community wants and it’ll get wrapped up into this plan with hopefully some actionable items,” Wallace said. “When this plan is done, it’s not a contract that we’re going to do. This is a plan that we’re going to try to do some of these things with.”

Stantec’s process is to first learn the area, which they’ve been present to do on two separate occasions. Nygaard and Van Duyne spent three days talking with property owners and business owners in identifying areas that the downtown Palmer area could be revitalized, specifically on the Matanuska Maid block.

“What we’re looking for through these types of activities is hearing firsthand what those quality of life elements are and ways in which they can continue to be improved on so that we get people staying here, we get more people looking to call Palmer home,” Van Duyne said. “A number of common themes that have risen to the top of all the feedback that we’ve heard. The first is a sense of pride that folks have in the community of Palmer... The other thing that we’ve heard is that Palmer is a great place to raise a family because of the sense of community that you have. Everyone knows one another, so I think more than anything we want to listen and we want to hear your first hand thoughts about what you personally enjoy about the community of Palmer and different ways in which the built environment and the downtown space can reinforce that sense of community.”

During Nygaard and Van Duyune’s presentation, 66 members of the community stayed to listen and engage. More than a dozen city officials were there, including Mayor Edna DeVries, city councilman Steve Carrington and city councilwoman Linda Combs.

“People are proud of Palmer. They want to keep Palmer unique. They want to keep it’s essence. They want to keep the spirit of Palmer alive,” Van Duyune said.

“Do you think we have enough public right of way?” asked Helga Larson.

Van Duyune did not comment on right of way specifically, but included that part of their plan was to look at amenities and respite stations around the downtown area that could support alternative modes of travel.

“I mostly just wanted to see what it was about because I have my own concerns coming from upstate New York and I’ve seen my small town have that kind of development and it wasn’t really planned properly,” said Elizabeth Maxson.

Maxson owns a business and sends her eight children to school in Palmer, and wants to make sure that development keeps the younger generations in mind. Pat Durand of the Engine 557 Restoration Company that hopes to put a train running from the depot voiced his concerns.

“How do you incorporate the private and nonprofit investments that have already been made in this plan?” asked Durand.

Durand has a vision of a steam locomotive traveling from the depot to Matanuska on weekends, and over seven years and a million dollars of private funding behind the project. Durand and Engine 557 have an agreement with the fairgrounds.

“We can gain an understanding of what those private efforts are that are currently underway so that we can find and identify different solutions to help incorporate all the efforts in the different areas that the community would like the focus on,” said Van Duyune.

Billy Jardel, who was the first certified arborist in Alaska and proctored arborist tests, voiced his concerns over improper pruning of Palmer trees. His concerns were quickly met with dialogue with Community Development director Brad Hanson.

“I’m looking around and recognize you’ve got an incredible variety from all over the community that have been drawn here. What would be the best thing for us to give you so you go away saying yes they have what we need?” asked Mike Chmielewski.

Nygaard is originally from Minnesota and Van Duyune is from North Dakota, and both see similar values in Palmer as they grew up with in the midwest.

“What can we do to make new development or new businesses or protecting historic resources like the downtown that much easier so that folks with great ideas can make it happen?” said Nygaard. “People love Palmer and there’s something very special about this community that whether you agree or disagree about the details, there’s clearly an energy around keeping Palmer special, enhancing the things that are great about it, helping small business owners, neighbors really make the most of this place and be able to sort of live, play, hang out all in the same greater Palmer area. So that’s a common theme.”

Nygaard and Van Duyune spent another two hours at the depot on Wednesday morning listening to concerns and ideas from locals. They will return for Colony Days in June and plan to have their study completed by September.

“This isn’t six months of work that we’re going to carry on for 15 years. Hopefully the product will allow us to move forward,” Wallace said. “We want input from all groups, all stakeholders, so that we have a community plan and not just a Nate and Brad, or the council. It’s got to be everybody that lives, works, and plays here has some input and that’s what what we’re really looking for tonight is what do you have in your mind that Palmer’s going to look like tomorrow, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, because some of these things take that long to make it happen.”

Contact Frontiersman reporter Tim Rockey at tim.rockey@frontiersman.com.