3.0 Affected Environment - Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority

Knik Arm Crossing DraftFinal EIS
Affected Environment
3.1.1.4.6 Point MacKenzie Agricultural Area
The Point MacKenzie Agricultural Area contains 14,893 acres, or 23 square miles, for the
purpose of dairy farming and general agricultural use. The “Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Agricultural Land Sale Programs Summary” updated August 24, 2004, describes the history
and process for the conveyance of these lands for agricultural purposes. Land titles are
subject to a recorded Declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CCRs) to
promote agricultural use. The CCRs limit improvement sites, residential locations, and
subdivision of the original farm unit. They also restrict use of some resources, such as gravel,
to on-site development.
3.1.1.4.7 Anchorage
The majority of land suitable for development in Anchorage has been developed, and the
zoning of vacant land must be used to guide future development. Anchorage 2020 defines
areas for more intensive commercial development as Major Employment Centers (3);
Redevelopment/Mixed Use Areas (3); Town Centers (7), and Neighborhood Commercial
Centers (10). A natural Open Space has been added as a new land use category to support a
sustainable and accessible network of recreational facilities, parks, trails, and undeveloped
land for the purpose of “preserving and enhancing the scenic vistas, fish, wildlife, and plant
habitats and their ecological functions and values.”
The inset in Figure 3.6 shows that the Government Hill neighborhood is primarily zoned for
residential uses. The commercial and industrial zones are at the intersection of East Loop and
East Bluff Roads. All of these are bordered on the south by a zone designated as “Public,”
which corresponds to the location of the Government Hill Greenbelt, Harvard Park, and
Sunset Park.
Conservation of residential lands for housing is a high community priority, and the overall
goal for residential development is “a variety of housing types and densities in safe, attractive
neighborhoods that offer a choice of urban, suburban, and rural lifestyles ….” The zoning
ordinance establishes residential development near the designated Redevelopment/Mixed
Use area and the Town Centers with medium-to-high densities.
A substantial amount of commercial and industrial land in use within the Anchorage Bowl is
underdeveloped. For several decades, the Central and Southwest Areas of Anchorage have
been, and remain, the key areas of industrial development. The Central Planning Area and
Ship Creek Area contain a significant portion of the underutilized industrial property in
Anchorage. Much of the existing industrial land use, such as the tank farm, requires marine,
railroad, and road access. This area is unique in that it has access to the various
transportation modes and is zoned “marine industrial” and “heavy industrial.” There are three
Industrial Reserve Areas to ensure that strategically located land is predominantly used for
industrial purposes.
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