Settlers Bay Coastal Park could soon grow by 187 acres

The Borough-managed Settlers Bay Coastal Park could soon grow by 187 acres thanks to a new land transfer expected early this year, Borough officials announced through a public notice in later December.

The park, which sits against the Knik Arm off Knik-Goose Bay Road and near Settlers Bay Golf Course, currently includes about 295 acres. The area features about 10 miles of developed trails, including single track designed for mountain biking and a wheelchair accessible trail on the bluff overlooking the wetlands. The Borough also manages a vault toilet and parking area for the park and packs and grooms the trails for skiing in the winter.

The land included in the current park was originally transferred to the Borough in 2015 from the nonprofit land conservation organization Great Land Trust. Now that same organization is looking to transfer two more parcels, totaling 187 acres.

“That area is the highest growth area of the Borough. I think it's pretty cool that we can have a public asset like that out there with all the growing subdivisions and other development. It’s a unique opportunity,” said Eric Phillips, the community development director for the MatSu Borough. “This would effectively be a large increase to the land base for the Settlers Bay Coastal Park.”

Officials with Great Land Trust were unavailable for comment by deadline due to their holiday office closure.

The adjacent proposed parcels are northeast of the current park, with Settlers Bay subdivisions to the west and the Tidewater Landings subdivision directly to the south. They are connected to the current Settlers Bay Coastal Park through a small section of their southwest corner.

Typically, an area management plan is created for any proposed park before land is accepted for transfer or management by the Borough, Phillips said. But due to a short timeline at Great Land Trust thanks to a funding deadline, he said, and because it’s adjacent to a currently managed area and would already be under a conservation easement when accepted, the project is being fast-tracked.

Phillips said when that management plan is made he expects it to simply expand on what currently exists for Settlers Bay Coastal Park, including more trails and additional parking and bathroom facilities to account for increased use.

“Normally, we would come up with a plan before we get the acreage, but the plan will have to come after we get the land,” he said. “And we'll figure out how to best develop both parcels.”

The Borough is seeking public comment on the proposed transference, a step required by law. The comment period opened Dec. 27 and runs through Jan. 27. More information is available on the Borough website.