Wasilla travels a dangerous road

There’s a reason they’re called growing pains.

Now that the Mat-Su Valley — particularly Wasilla and Palmer — have swelled to the point of supporting and attracting big box and other large retailers we must be careful to not abandon those who have been the backbone of our communities from the beginning.

The unique, small, independent businesses of the Valley do more than add character to our economic landscape, they are a testament to the true pioneer spirit of Alaska and the spirit of making your own way. Our many fine family owned restaurants and stores provide variety and make living and working here a neighborly experience. Chances are you are more than simply a customer at your favorite boutique or café, you’re a regular, a friend.

That’s why we are concerned when a local government works to further larger business development at the expense of independent, family businesses instead of to complement them. Such seems to be the case with Wasilla, where access to a proposed retail center has the potential to destroy two independent longtime businesses.

Developer Jack Barrett wants to build a retail center along the Parks Highway and has submitted plans to the city that include a new road that would run through the property of Six Robblees Inc. and the Windbreak Café. Although the Wasilla City Council hasn’t made a decision on the development proposal, Mayor Dianne M. Keller has already sent a letter telling businesses that could be affected by the road that the city is willing to take a “more aggressive approach” to securing their land.

As proposed, Barrett’s road would run through a warehouse on Six Robblees property and bisect the corner of the Windbreak’s. Owners of both businesses this week protested the plan, saying it would mean their downfall.

The road “would essentially destroy our business,” Sean Benahan, Six Robblees manager, told the Wasilla City Council.

Even some on the council seemed shocked that the city would take such an aggressive stance against established businesses. Council Member Steve Menard declared that, “While I’m still on [the] council there’s no way big development is going to come in and push out small businesses.”

Menard was supported by fellow Council Member Mark Ewing and Deputy Mayor Ron Cox.

We are not anti-growth nor are we against Barrett building his retail center. In fact, it’s a positive sign for Wasilla that it is attracting interest for more and larger businesses, like Target and Sportsman’s Warehouse. Growth at the expense of the little guy, however, is not acceptable and will result in our economic landscape being dominated by large, impersonal retailers that send most of the money locals spend out of Alaska. Surely there is a way the city can work with Barrett to find alternatives to taking property from others.

That the Wasilla mayor seems willing to take an “aggressive approach” to favor larger development regardless of how it affects its neighbors is troubling. Just because a developer proposes a road doesn’t mean the city has to approve it. Approving this road sets a dangerous precedent. What happens the next time a large retail development wants to build and decides it needs a road or parking lot that’s already home to another business? It’s one thing to fairly ask the little guy to find a way to succeed with larger competition. It’s the nature of a free market economy. It’s quite another to pull a reverse Robin Hood and take from the poor because the rich want it.

We hope this will be a wake-up call for the city’s staff and council that now is the time to undertake meaningful and comprehensive growth management planning. Wasilla needs to develop a growth management master plan that it and future councils can use to help guide us to grow in a way that’s healthy for all types of businesses, large and small.