Wasilla looks to upgrade landscape ordinance

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - The sight of burning trees and smoldering stumps mounded into huge piles along the sides of Valley roads has become a familiar one in the Mat-Su.

Developers often scrape clean every tree and bush from the land, leaving a clear gravel bed before erecting buildings and paving parking lots. In place of the large discarded birch, spruce and cottonwood trees, businesses often plant a few small trees and shrubbery.

City of Wasilla planning director Sandra Garley is currently looking into some suggestions on how to improve the city's landscape ordinance, to encourage developers to leave large trees on various properties which they develop.

"I think there's more interest from the planning commission to see what we can offer businesses as a carrot to preserve native vegetation instead of seeing everyone completely clear their sites," Garley said. "That seems to be a common practice and we'd like to see an incentive that would encourage people to do something different."

Garley is looking at landscape ordinances in other communities of similar sizes in Alaska to get ideas for Wasilla.

The current Wasilla code requires businesses to plant six one-inch-diamater trees per acre, along with 12 shrubs, which must be a minimum of 18 inches high.

In a report to the planning commission in October, Parks and Recreation technician Jana Griffin said there were various businesses in the city that did not comply even with the present landscape ordinance.

Some businesses, she said, did a poor job of maintaining trees and shrubs once they were planted.

"Jana's report was an indication that there is an issue that needs addressing," Garley said. "As things start greening up, our code compliance officer will be able to get a look at what companies have in terms of landscaping."

Garley said updating the landscape ordinance is particularly important, now, because of how fast Wasilla is developing.

"Changes are being made and they are pretty dramatic," she said.

The current ordinance was adopted in 2001 and revised in 2002.

In late March, Garley will bring her research to the planning commission.

From there, the commission will review the recommendations and possibly call together a focus group before making a final recommendation to the Wasilla City Council.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.