Planning commission backs FY2027 Capital Improvement Program; public pushes Church Road path, praises Hatcher Alpine work

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Planning Commission on Oct. 20 voted to adopt Resolution 25-19, recommending the borough assembly consider the fiscal year 2027 Capital Improvement Program.

Natasha Heindel, planner in the borough planning department, told commissioners the CIP overhaul started in 2022 to make the program more practicable and to limit it to projects the borough has authority to carry out. "One of the major changes of this update was the condition that nominated projects must now have a lifespan of at least 5 years and cannot be considered routine maintenance," Heindel said.

The nut of the staff report: project nominations are accepted annually (this year's deadline was extended to Aug. 15), then screened for eligibility and scored by a multi-department committee. Eligibility criteria cited by Heindel include: projects must fall within borough powers, not be routine maintenance, carry an estimated cost of at least $20,000 and not exceed $1,000,000, have a minimum lifespan of five years, and align with an adopted Mat-Su Borough plan goal or objective. Heindel said 27 projects were nominated this year and 23 qualified; the scoring committee highlighted the top nine as priority projects because the program was historically operated on a six-year funding list that assumed about $500,000 per year from the assembly.

Heindel also reviewed recent results: "The number 1 top ranked project in fiscal year 2025, which was chosen for funding, the improvements to the Austin Homer's Pioneer Peak Trailhead have just been completed with final grading scheduled for the spring," she said. She said FY26 included funding for two top-ranked projects, one partially funded project and two honorable mentions; she named Jordan Lake Park improvements, Wigmy Road restroom, and Government Peak Recreation Area acoustic improvements as projects recently completed, nearly complete, or advertised for construction.

Public comment focused on two priority projects. Patricia Fisher, a borough resident, spoke in support of the Church Road separated path, identified in the CIP packet as the commission's No. 3 priority. Fisher described the proposal as "construction of a 1 mile separated path along Church Road between Spruce Street and Seldon Road" that would connect existing separated trails and provide a continuous route to Meadowlakes Elementary School, Settlers Bay and Palmer. She said the Seldon Road phase 2 project is scheduled to begin construction in 2026 and would extend a separated path to Meadowlakes Elementary School from Spruce.

Rob Wells, a board member of Hatcher Alpine Experience, thanked the borough for its partnership and noted the ski area is listed at No. 2 on the CIP list. Wells said summer work included installing a beginner surface lift, upgrading rental equipment and building an access road that is "very bus friendly" for the school district. He also said the ski area installed snowmaking equipment with grants from "Mat-Su Health Foundation and Ras Vasud Foundation," which he said will stabilize operations when temperatures fall.

Commissioner McCabe moved to adopt Resolution 25-19 and Commissioner Collins seconded. The motion carried without objections; the record shows the resolution was adopted by unanimous consent.

The commission's recommendation now goes to the borough assembly, which Heindel said will receive the CIP in November and December and may allocate funds during FY27 budget deliberations. Heindel said the revised CIP is intended to give the assembly a prioritized list of attainable projects and a clearer process for community nominations.

A final note from staff: the revised process prioritizes projects that demonstrate community support and alignment with borough planning documents and aims to reduce the program's prior status as an "unwieldy wish list," Heindel said.