Planning board approves ASLS 2019‑69 plat and vacates 60‑foot easement after staff conditions; Native association urges broader dedication

The Matanuska‑Susitna Borough Planning Board on July 2 approved the plat ASLS 2019‑69 and voted to vacate a 60‑foot public use easement affecting a 238.39‑acre parcel east of South Talkeetna Spur and west of South Mount Hunter Drive, contingent on staff recommendations requiring engineer certification or additional easements to ensure future collector‑road constructability.

Board staff told members 60 public notices were mailed April 28, 2026, and summarized the application: the proposal would create two lots (Track B proposed as a utility lot), vacate two existing public‑use easements and dedicate right‑of‑way overlaying the alignment of East Hillside Drive. Staff cited Mat‑Su Public Works concerns that the number of lots accessing Hillside Drive is close to collector thresholds and added recommended condition number 3 requiring a civil engineer’s plan and profile certifying constructability of an MSB collector‑standard street within the existing or proposed rights‑of‑way or, if insufficient, granting additional public‑use easement or dedicating Track B as right‑of‑way.

Rick Wentworth, the petitioner’s land surveyor and representative, told the board the current road design had been approved previously and said the petitioner is a private lessee. Wentworth said a pending Department of Natural Resources (DNR) preference‑right purchase process could affect whether the state dedicates Track B; he described dedicating Track B as “the cleanest” way to resolve outstanding issues and said the lessee supports that option but that engineering constraints (cuts and fills) could complicate fitting a collector road strictly inside a 100‑foot section‑line easement.

Gary LaRusso, speaking for the Montana Creek Native Association, opposed vacating the easement unless constructability is proven or the entire tract is dedicated. LaRusso said current traffic counts already exceed residential collector thresholds and warned that successive easement vacations could leave thousands of acres effectively landlocked; he asked the board to add Track B dedication as an alternative in the conditions and suggested adding five feet beyond slopes in the engineer’s plan requirement.

Board members pressed staff and the petitioner on ownership and timing. Staff clarified the property is state‑owned land subject to DNR processes and said dedicating Track B would typically become borough right‑of‑way if accepted. Staff advised against limiting condition 3 to require only Track B dedication because the petitioner (the state) might need time to decide before the assembly reviews the vacation; staff emphasized that final vacation does not take effect until the final plat is recorded and all conditions are met.

Planning member Chavetta moved to approve the plat ASLS 2019‑69 contingent on staff recommendations 1–8; the motion was seconded and adopted by voice vote with no recorded objections. The board then moved to approve the vacation of the described 60‑foot public‑use easement contingent on staff recommendations 1–3; after brief discussion and a five‑minute recess to consult, the board approved that motion by voice vote with no recorded objections.

The planning officer announced the board will hold a special planning‑board training with the legal team at 5 p.m. July 30 in assembly chambers and noted the next regular meeting on July 16 will include eight cases. The board adjourned at 1:59 p.m.