Platting board approves preliminary plat for Houston Rail Northwest subdivision

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Platting Board approved the preliminary plat for the Houston Rail Northwest subdivision, a proposed five-lot division of roughly 119.9 acres north of the Little Citna River and fronting West Parks Highway.

Platting staff presented the case, summarizing state and federal agency input and noting the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) requested specific access alignments and a reference to document 2021-00007028-0. Staff said lots will access West Parks Highway, West Zero Lake Road and Heath Drive as appropriate and that driveway locations will be finalized during DOT driveway permitting. The staff recommendation concluded the preliminary plat is consistent with state statutes and borough code and proposed approval with six findings of fact and seven conditions of approval.

Lisa Gray, land management manager and the petitioner’s representative, said the land-management division seeks to divide the railroad-owned parcels to allow separate management of the remainder lots and that the petitioner had no objection to the staff conditions.

No public comments were offered during the hearing. Following a motion to approve the preliminary plat contingent on staff recommendations 1–7 and a second, the board raised no objections and adopted the motion.

The board’s action is a preliminary-plat approval; final platting and any required state permits (including driveway permits from DOT&PF) must be completed before recording and development. The staff report flagged potential fish-habitat permitting needs for work affecting anadromous waters and reminded applicants that the borough will verify any Alaska Railroad use or crossing outside the platting process.

Next steps: applicants must comply with the enumerated conditions of approval and complete any agency-required permitting prior to final plat recording.