PLATTING BOARD MEETING - Municipality of Anchorage

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PLATTING BOARD MEETING Page 18 May 4, 2005 JOE BURNHAM spoke in favor of this subdivision. He stated he owns property further up the mountain from the proposed subdivision and he would be using the access being proposed for this subdivision. He stated with respect to condition 5 on the proposed plat to resolve the location of a 20-foot trails easement with the Municipal Trails Coordinator, that the landowners in this area formed a homeowners association to address this issue. The homeowners association has been working with the trails people and Municipal Trails Coordinator who agreed to allow the location of trails to be resolved and for section line easements to be used wherever possible. He stated this is a dangerous ravine; there is better access along the section lines. In a meeting last week there was agreement to using section lines whenever possible. Landowners in the area have no objection to people using trails, but do object to a requirement for a trail in a certain area when platted easements can be used. He understood when he bought his property that all of the properties were subject to the joint use easement agreed to by the previous owners and that existing owners are subject to that easement, which runs with the land. CHUCK LEKITES, owner of the property to the west of Cloud Nine Subdivision, stated he favors the subdivision. He clarified that trails will be located along section line easements. BOARD MEMBER KREGER asked the location of Mr. Lekites' property. MR. LEKITES stated his property is to the west of Cloud Nine, Lot A2 of Marguerite Hills. ROBERT JACOBS, owner of Lot 2 Marguerite Hills, a 40-acre parcel adjoining Cloud Nine Subdivision on the southwest, stated he spoke previously about the trails issue. He has a meeting with Land Design North to discuss the use of section line easements and to come to an agreement among the property owners in this area. He bought his 40 acres about 15 years ago and has watched as people have wandered the hillside. He also lived on Switzerland Drive in 1977 and used to run up to the top of Mt. Baldy. He stated he has worked as a certified mountain guide for 26 years so he is not against hiking/use of the land. He thought the idea behind the trail issue was to define the exact location of the trail. He thought that people had the idea that these trails would lead to Chugach State Park, but the park is far away from this location; the trails go to private land only. He stated he has read the 1997 plan that speaks to connectivity between subdivisions and there is an uncertain understanding of what that means. The 20-foot easement being discussed in relation to this subdivision goes directly to his property and ends at his property line. DAVE MATTISON, owner of Lot 1A-1 Marguerite Hills bordering the subdivision’s west boundary on the north side, voiced concern with the 20-foot trail easement being proposed. He commented that the initial request was for connectivity between neighborhoods and he felt that section lines provide both north/south and east/west connections. Everyone who lives in the area is concerned with trails because the trails as proposed would lead from one private parcel to another parcel. He noted that the nearest State Park is 5.5 miles away and access would be better served with section lines.
PLATTING BOARD MEETING Page 19 May 4, 2005 DEBORAH MOLE, resident of Alta Court at the bottom of Bear Valley, stated that she and her family moved to their home in 2000, drawn by the variety of trails and easy access to wilderness. She has been advocating for the trail easement and would like the established trails to be retained; they have been the foundation of this area. She was glad to see the requirement for a 20-foot easement being recommended in the conditions. She also had concerns with transportation and septic systems, but she thought those were being addressed in the conditions of approval on the plat. DIANNE HOLMES, representing the Rabbit Creek Community Council, stated the Council has submitted a revised letter to the Board regarding this case. One of the Council's main concern is drainage. There are many bad drainage situations because of the past winter. Conditions 7.a and 7.b that were placed on the plat were very forward thinking about drainage in their insistence that all drainage be controlled on site and that any drainage concerns that arise during the development of the property be controlled. She stressed the importance of these conditions on this and any other plat on steeply sloped property. She indicated there is high bedrock on the petition site and the Council is concerned that the engineer’s report speaks to the need for recontouring for septic, which makes it very difficult to control drainage on-site. The Council has asked that there be careful consideration of the high tech septic systems that could be recommended, some of which are not expensive to maintain; perhaps a biofiltration system would require less contouring and involve less acreage. Vegetation retention is important, but it will not guarantee drainage control. The Council also asked that the Board ensure there is safe walking along roads for pedestrians. The Saddle Trail was destroyed recently as a result of soils testing; that trail leads to Mt. Baldy. The Council is unsure how the issue of that trail will be addressed. She stated that a 20-foot easement straight up the mountain would not be adequate and would erode. She hoped this could be addressed through other means. The Saddle Trail is shown as an arrow on the Areawide Trails Plan that caused concern and discussion with other plats over the past several years. It is important to maintain that because the other alternative along the section line easement would not reach Baldy, although it would probably not erode. She did not know how the Trails Plan could be implemented in this area if that arrow is not addressed. She hoped the Board recognized there are moves afoot to connect Bear Valley and Potter Valley with trails, coalescing at the ridge that then goes to the east to Chugach State Park. She noted that Anchorage 2020 policies calls for connectivity of trails through plats and replats. BOARD MEMBER WALSH understood that Mt. Baldy is privately owned. MS. HOLMES believed this was correct. BOARD MEMBER WALSH understood the intent is to have public trails through the property, but they would not lead to public property. MS. HOLMES replied they would go to the Park once they intersect with the trail from Bear Valley to Potter Valley. BOARD MEMBER WALSH asked if the Council was asking that trails be dedicated throughout this area to public areas, but is not expecting private areas to be connected for public use. MS. HOLMES replied that the Council wants adherence to the Trails Plan, although it is rather imprecise in this area. BOARD
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PLATTING BOARD MEETING - Municipality of Anchorage

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