Wasilla council denies commercial rezone request along KGB

WASILLA — Within the next five years, Knik-Goose Bay Road will be a divided four-lane highway chock full of new businesses catering to more and more residents moving to that area.

Such was the argument made by Paul Gardner of Olympic Investments LLC to Wasilla City Council Monday in the hopes he’d could get 18.7 acres at about Mile 3.5 of KGB rezoned from rural residential to commercial in the company’s third attempt for a rezone in the past five years.

“Knik-Goose Bay Road is the road leading to the fastest-growing area of the Mat-Su Borough and the state,” Gardner said during public testimony at Wasilla City Hall Monday night. “As new residents move in, it creates demand and the business sector and residents alike like to be able to access shopping close to home.”

It seems to make perfect sense — until you talk to some of the more than 100 residents adjacent to the proposed commercial development in the North Country Estates subdivision off South Lakewood Drive.

After a dozen of those residents — many who have lived on Harvest Loop for more than 20 years — spoke to council against the rezoning, the council unanimously denied Gardner’s request as council chambers erupted in cheers and applause.

A few council members said that while they believe it’s inevitable that the property will eventually become commercial, they were going with the city planning staff’s recommendation against it, instead of the planning commission’s unanimous approval in May.

“I’m here to support the neighborhoods, but I’m telling you that even if we don’t approve it now, it’s going to be approved eventually,” Councilman Steve Menard told the crowd. “I mean, it’s part of the reality of the growth of KGB. It is coming. The train has left the station. The money’s there. I’m just conflicted because if that’s not commercial land, what is?”

Councilwoman Dianne Woodruff, who is running for Mayor Verne Rupright’s seat in October against Rupright and Councilwoman Taffina Katkus, said it was unfortunate a residential area was built in the middle of a commercial area — even if it was 30 years ago.

“No matter which side I vote on tonight, I’ll be in trouble with somebody,” Woodruff said.

Reached Thursday while clam digging, Gardner said he was quite surprised and discouraged the rezone request wasn’t approved after the Planning Commission had unanimously voted in favor of it.

He said he suspects politics was the main motivator Monday night.

“Three people on the council are running for mayor and (Councilwoman) Colleen Sullivan-Leonard even lives in the subdivision fighting against it,” Gardner said. “I have a big problem with Sullivan-Leonard not recusing herself from the vote like Doug Holler.”

Mayor Rupright asked Councilman Holler to step down from the rezone discussion and vote because Holler’s brother, Jeff Holler, was one of the applicants asking for the rezone.

Jeff Holler and Gardner were the only Wasilla residents who spoke in favor of the parcels being sold for large commercial use.

Jeff Holler said he owns a few acres within the scope of the Olympic Investments’ property and also would benefit from a rezone. But he argued that by allowing a commercial entity larger than 10,000 square feet to be built just this side of South Mack Drive, traffic will actually be improved for the neighbors there because it’s likely the new development would create a way to slow down traffic there and make it easier for residents to exit out of their subdivision onto KGB.

“I have to believe it’s going to be done wisely,” Holler said. “We need that traffic to stop and be slowed down coming into Wasilla because there’s just way too much right now.”

Those living in North Country Estates, however, aren’t buying those arguments.

They urged council members to vote against the rezone because of concerns over more noise, lights, traffic, drainage issues and possibly an increase in the kinds of people they don’t want near their homes.

“To me, it just sounds like he’s trying to make a profit off his property,” Harvest Loop resident Charley Johnson testified. “This just seems like a bad thing for our neighborhood. I’ve got a granddaughter that loves to play in the front and the idea of a little strip mall down at the corner scares me to death.”

Not knowing what would actually be built there was a main sticking point for council members and neighbors.

As the area is now as rural residential, someone could put in buildings that totaled less than 10,000 square feet. These could include uses such as auto sales lots, day cares, heavy equipment, duplexes, convenience stores, assisted living facilities, coal methane extraction, animal kennels, zoos and campgrounds, among other things.

Residents fear that if those types of businesses are permitted now, it would be even worse if it is zoned commercial.

And many of those testifying against the rezone argued that their subdivision is actually zoned R1, which is the most restrictive zoning.

“Our subdivision butts right up against this property being rezoned,” John Vinette, a former Wasilla planning commissioner, said. “I think this whole system is flawed because the planning commission didn’t have the information in front of them that they should have when they were making their decision. To make this commercial would allow certain things to occur in here that could never be taken back, I don’t care what the current property owners say they want to do with the property. Once this is rezoned, it will allow greater commercial equipment, hotels, motels, multi-family establishments and commercial buildings greater than 10,000 square feet. This is not something that is appropriate next door to an R1 subdivision.”

Most residents testifying against the rezone expressed anger over the fact that they never received a notice about the proposal in the mail from the city because their property didn’t fall within the 1,200-foot radius legally required for notification.

“They should have notified the whole subdivision,” said Jeff Keuler. “By not doing that, that shows something about the people who want to develop this. Who knows what else they’ll try to pull. I think it’s kind of sleazy, if you ask me.”

Contact K.T. McKee at kate.mckee@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.