After more than 40 people testified before the Anchorage Assembly, the body voted to postpone making a decision on the Chugach State Park Access Plan.
Most of the people spoke overwhelmingly in support of the Access Plan saying that the park enhances the quality of life in the city. Resident Gary Snyder said it’s a public resource that people have the right to easily access, just like other parts of the city.
“I own a home in midtown. It’s also near some public resources, such as libraries, sports arenas, the university, as well as hospitals and publicly zoned business areas,” he told the Assembly. “While I don’t appreciate traffic, parking noise, and garbage from visitors to my part of town from outlying areas, I understand that people have a right to access these areas that I choose to live near.”
Most of the dissenting voices came from property owners and community councils that could be required to provide access in the future. They said the access points could reduce property values and increase crime in the area, like vandalism and fires.
Chugach superintendent Tom Harrison said the plan gives recommendations for access points but that not all of them would necessarily be developed.
“All that’s really being asked is that the public lands be afforded the same access that would be afforded to any other private developer that would be adjacent. And that’s kind of the guts of it.”
Assembly member Bill Starr asked to delay the decision because he wants more time to research. He plans to request to remove some of the suggested access points. Assembly members agreed that they needed more time to review the 40 possible amendments to the ordinance.
The plan has already been adopted by the state. If the municipality incorporates it into their comprehensive plan, then the suggested access points would have to be considered when developing new subdivisions or diving up certain plots.
Anne Hillman is the healthy communities editor at Alaska Public Media and a host of Hometown, Alaska. Reach her at ahillman@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Anne here.
