Platting board continues Mountaintop Acres hearing after residents oppose proposed Sun Valley connection

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Platting Board continued action on Mountaintop Acres Edition 1 after extensive public opposition focused on a planned southern stub that would connect the new subdivision to Sun Valley Drive.

Staff presented the preliminary plat for 35 lots on roughly 39.9 acres and recommended approval with conditions after reviewing a soils report, drainage plan and average daily traffic (ADT) estimates. Public Works advised that East Hatchers Landing Avenue would need upgrading to a residential subcollector standard for portions identified by the ADT analysis.

Tim Cararman, the survey manager representing the developer, said the proposed looped-road design intentionally discourages through traffic and estimated the development would generate about 350 ADT split between two East Hatchers Landing entrances. Cararman said a southern connection to the existing Sun Valley/public-use easement could push traffic above 400 ADT and require a redesign to subcollector standards; he asked the board to consider removing the southern-connection condition or continuing the item so the developer, Public Works and neighbors could seek alternatives.

Multiple residents opposed any southern connection. Elizabeth Powers said, “I stand with my fellow residents ... we strongly oppose this connection into the Sun Valley neighborhood,” citing safety risks from higher-speed traffic, off-road vehicles and noise. Joyce Cypro and others described substandard curves and narrow right-of-way on Sun Valley Drive and warned that added traffic would exacerbate safety hazards. Jim Culver cited code and local road standards and urged the board to require further study or redesign.

Planning officer Fred (Bren) Wagner told the board that borough code generally requires interconnectivity and that the connection can provide safer alternatives to routing traffic through a substandard curve in Sun Valley. Because the board and petitioner agreed further work was needed, a board member moved and the board voted to continue the Mountaintop Acres matter to the May 7 platting board meeting and to leave the public hearing open for additional comment and updates.

Next steps: the petitioner and Public Works will review connection alternatives and possible redesigns and post updates ahead of the May 7 continued hearing so the community can review changes and submit comments.