Planning board approves Centennial Shores easement vacation conditioned on dock improvements before recording

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Planning Board on Sept. 11 approved a petition to vacate a 33-foot section-line easement affecting Block 2, Lot 1 and Block 1, Lot 8 of the Centennial Shores subdivision, contingent on the petitioner constructing agreed improvements to the Finger–Cottonwood Lake portage and obtaining concurrence from borough land management prior to recordation of the vacation.

The petition, presented by planning staff, requested vacating a portion of a platted easement that was created when the Centennial Shores plat was recorded. Planning technician Matthew Goddard told the board the petitioner had coordinated with the borough’s Department of Land Management and proposed improvements to the canoe portage between Finger Lake and Cottonwood Lake in lieu of providing alternate access. Goddard said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would require a fill permit only if work occurred in waters of the United States, which staff did not expect for the proposed work, and that the vacation would not remove legal or physical access to the lots at issue.

Why it matters: The easement vacation affects public access and existing site conditions at a popular canoe portage between Finger and Cottonwood lakes. Neighbors and landowners raised safety, liability and placement concerns for a replacement dock; the board added a requirement that construction be completed before the vacation is recorded to ensure the public access improvement is in place.

During public testimony, property owner Steve Novakovich said he owns the parcel encompassing the 33-foot easement on Cottonwood Lake and described prior borough removal of a deteriorated dock from the easement that left the shoreline “a horrible mess” and created temporary, user-built planking. “When I got this notice, I thought this is a great opportunity for me to come and talk to you about what's going to happen there,” Novakovich said, noting heavy summer and winter use of the portage and urging involvement in placement of a new dock to avoid conflicts with snowmobile and ATV trails. He also asked that a borough-installed canoe-trail sign and life-jacket rack be relocated into the easement.

Petitioners’ representative Gary LaRusso said the platted easement was a mistake created by an older plat dedication and that the petitioners were willing to provide improvements at the portage in exchange for the vacation. Russell Joyce, representing adjacent landowners, said prior examples of similar trades had worked well and that coordination with the adjacent landowner and land management should limit winter damage to improvements.

Board discussion focused on ensuring the neighbor’s concerns were addressed and that the proposed portage improvements would be finalized and coordinated with land management. Planning officer Fred Wagner suggested adding a finding or condition referencing the public testimony and requiring land-management concurrence. The board amended staff condition No. 4 to read explicitly that the petitioner must construct the agreed-upon improvements prior to recordation of the vacation.

Board member Leaving moved to approve the vacation contingent on staff recommendations; board member Gilson seconded. The board approved the motion with no objections. The board also approved the amendment requiring construction prior to recordation.

The staff report, submitted exhibits and public comments are included in the meeting handouts; staff noted one concern and three non-objection letters were received after the original report and that assembly approval of the vacation would be required within about 30 days of the board’s decision.

Looking ahead: Because the board attached the explicit requirement that improvements be built before the vacation is recorded, land-management concurrence and a final construction plan will be needed before the borough records the easement vacation.