Wasilla City Council tables memorandum on building small structures

WASILLA — Wasilla City Council members agree that property owners inside the city limits should be allowed to construct small structures such as a shed or similar storage building on their land without bearing the costs of a site plan. However, action to increase the current 120 square foot maximum to 500 square feet was tabled at Monday evening's regular council meeting.

Introduced by Councilman James Harvey, action memorandum (AM) 17-11 would have amended existing code allowing the city planner to permit structure construction under certain conditions. The existing amendment is in place to reduce property owner burden relating to a professional, and costly site plan. Harvey's proposal would include provisions for new structures up to 500 square feet and increased the minimum side lot setback from 10 to 25 feet for such structures.

While the council felt the idea worth pursuing, the proposed wording removed the city public works director and city planner from the loop and stipulated the changes provided "...only for the construction of a new residential structure not more than 500 square feet...and in lieu of a site plan, an affidavit signed by the applicant stipulating all easements, property lines and setback requirements were discovered and followed."

Following a discussion, the council voted unanimously to table action on it until further review. Harvey said it wasn't his intent to allow for new residential construction using the proposed changes but saw how it could be interpreted that way. The proposal changes will be reviewed, revamped, and brought back at a future council meeting.

The council tackled a light agenda passing four ordinances related to city business and the Wasilla Museum. Ordinance 17-02 and an attached AM, allows Mayor Bert Cottle to execute a memorandum of agreement between the state and city relating to the relocation of Mat-Su dispatch and also to purchase six new dispatch consoles. Ordinance 17-04 provided funding for the Wasilla Parks Department temporary employees. Ordinance 17-05 appropriated dollars for funding the fifth and final year of a city roads department contractual services agreement. The last ordinance, 16-06, amended the 2017 museum budget by accepting and appropriating a $15,000 Rasmuson Foundation grant.

Two individuals —Mark Stiger and Dave Kennedy, each had three minutes to discuss upgrading the Wasilla Airport runway length from its current 3,700 feet to 5,000 feet. Both own property adjacent to the airport and informed the council that there seems to be business interest in locating at the facility if the current length could be increased. Everyone on the council agreed the idea is a good one. Funding remains all that is holding it back.

Wasilla Public Works Director Archie Giddings said the involved costs come in at approximately $15. Of that, he said about $10 million will be required to fill in low-lying areas. He said there are currently plans to construct two runway aprons at the facility. To do that, land would have to be cleared and could be put toward the necessary fill which in turn, would lower the extension price.

Cottle said the airport is on a federal funding list for infrastructure improvements. He noted Palmer airport is getting several million dollars for runway improvements. The mayor said he meets with as many people as possible looking for funding sources to make such a project a reality.