Planning board approves South Shore Waterfront modification to keep northern access road private

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Planning Board on an uncontested vote approved a modification to the South Shore Waterfront Master Plan that designates the proposed northern access road as a private road and requires a permanent cul-de-sac dedication at its public approach.

The modification affects the South Shore Waterfront Master Plan subdivision in Section 35, Township 17 North, Range 4 West, Seward Meridian (Big Lake Community Council, Assembly District 5). The board approved the change after staff recommended 7 findings of fact and 11 conditions of approval, with a late amendment clarifying that “interim approval” from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is acceptable for the community water system before recordation of phases 1 and 2.

Wyatt Anderson, borough planning staff, told the board the revised plan would create 38 lots ranging from about 0.51 acres to 2.78 acres and that lots 1 through 23 will be served by a community water system. Anderson noted that access and usable building/septic area requirements had been met and that the proposal included a dedicated turnaround at the end of the public portion of South Corky Boulevard. Anderson cited the staff packet and code references when summarizing access, soils and utility comments.

Craig Hansen, representing the petitioner, described the request as a narrow, corrective filing and said the private road was already built to borough standards. “Pretty simple request. We actually had thought all along that we had got it in order for this to be a private road, but there was a mistake made,” Hansen said.

ADEC approval language was amended after a board member raised a concern that final ADEC approvals can take years. After discussion, the board approved an amendment to the staff recommendation adding the word “interim” so that the condition reads, in part, that prior to recordation of phases 1 and 2 the petitioner must provide interim approval from ADEC for the community water system. The amendment was moved and approved before the main approval motion.

One member of the public, Robbie Muir, spoke in opposition, saying a newly installed well house encroached near his property and expressing concern about increased traffic and unresolved platting around the well house. “There’s a well house that’s been put in there without the 25 foot easement. It’s encroaching on my end,” Muir said.

Staff also noted a comment from MTA about possible route or depth changes to utilities that, if required, would obligate the developer to pay for those adjustments. Hansen said utility easements and cul-de-sac easement language would be revised on the plat per staff and agency comments.

Member Cohen moved to approve the preliminary plat as recommended and amended; the motion received a second and was approved by the board. There was no roll-call vote recorded in the transcript; the board approved the amended conditions and the preliminary plat by unanimous consent.

The board’s written findings and the revised plat must reflect the permanent dedication of the cul-de-sac, the recorded easement and the added interim-ADEC language prior to recordation of the first phases. Staff said any remaining utility easement recording will need to be shown on the final plat and recorded separately where the road becomes private.

Planning staff recommended the item return to staff-level checks for final plat compliance and to document the utility-recording references requested during the hearing.