Council approves impervious‑surface variance for private pool over neighbor objections

The Anchorage City Council voted 4–1 on Nov. 10 to approve an impervious‑surface variance requested by homeowners Paula Grover and Cary Willis for a proposed pool and decking at 11903 Spring Garden Lane.

Engineer Nick West of Prism Engineering told the council the lot currently has about 30% impervious surface and that the proposed pool and decking would raise that to about 37% before mitigation. West said that once the designed stormwater detention basin is installed the lot’s effective impervious surface would be reduced to about 20% or less.

City Administrative Officer Reneé Major told the council that neighborhood outreach produced one neighbor approval, two disapprovals and one resident who did not respond to multiple calls. Council Member Karin Tyrer moved to approve the variance on the condition the detention basin is installed as designed; Hunter Wilson seconded the motion.

The motion passed with Council Members Matt Delehanty, Bill Wetherton, Karin Tyrer and Hunter Wilson voting to approve and Council Member Patrick McMahon voting against it. McMahon said he opposed the variance because he believed it infringed on neighbors’ rights of enjoyment.

Mayor Neil Ramsey noted that the approval is contingent on the detention basin being constructed as presented; the applicants will proceed with Anchorage zoning approval and provide the name of the detention‑basin contractor once finalized. No timeline for construction was stated.

The council’s decision allows the Grover–Willis project to advance to zoning approval subject to the detention‑basin condition.