Mid Hillside Community Council

Minutes 21 April 2005

John Weddleton, President of MHCC, convened the meeting at 7:05 pm. Attendees included 8 MHCC, 3 HECC, and 2 others.

Board Members Present: MHCC: Lance Powell, Mark Miner, Brian Johnson, Kim Ross, Tom O’Grady, John Weddleton; HECC: Bjarne Holm.

Planning and Zoning

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints would like to expand their operations in our area with a new church, meeting house, cultural center, classrooms and offices. These would be built on 4 acres at the south-west corner of O'Malley and Baronik. Katie Nolan, Huffman-O’Malley CC, made a brief presentation. The neighborhood would like to get a public hearing, to present their position that the proposal should be relocated or downsized.

Resolution: With regards to the proposed church on Baronik:

Mid-Hillside Community Council and Hillside East Community Council support a public hearing on site plan 2005-032.

Passed by Hillside East with 3 for and 0 against. Passed by Mid-Hillside with 5 for, 0 against, and 1 abstain.

Legislative Report

Senator Con Bunde called, along with Rep. Kevin Meyer, Dirk Moffit representing Bob Lynn and Rep. Bob Lynn:

Bunde: “Crunch Time” Budget Conference Committee working on SB 155 for school funding, currently at $350 million. Drawing this money from the Permanent Fund would reduce dividends by $3/year. Debate on municipal revenue sharing, with discussion of SB 112, which would require rural school districts, which are relying completely on State funding, to pay part of the cost through a “head tax.”
Lynn: Workers Comp bill in committee; revised retirement plan out of committee. Teachers assault bill sent to the Senate.
Meyer: Capital Budget has lots of road projects, including Dowling from Lake Otis to Abbott, Bragaw at the Glenn Hwy., Bragaw and Tudor, and Pintail and Huffman.
Questions: What is the total budget and how has it increased since last year? Bunde: The operating budget has increased by $260 million, to $2.6 billion. $200 million of that were contract obligations, the other $60 million represents half of the $120 million increase requested by the governor.

Meyer: The fixed items, such as Medicare, are up 8.5%; discretionary is up 3.9%.

Assembly Report – No Assembly members present

New Business

One member reported that it has been very difficult to communicate with newly-elected Assemblyman Chris Birch. Repeated phone messages and emails have gone completely unanswered.

Assisted Living Ordinance: The latest draft still includes the requirement that all such facilities be on streets built to “urban standards,” which means curbs and gutters, effectively eliminating most of Hillside.

Large Animal Ordinance (mainly horses, but also llamas, goats, etc.) Waiting on an opinion from the municipal attorney on the extent of ‘grandfather rights.’ It is very difficult to reconcile the needs and requirements for the Hillside with those of Eagle River – Chugiak. It is also hard to keep track as there are substantive changes to the draft every two or three weeks. The advisory group has been told that they will not be permitted to present a separate proposal. Some feel that the ordinance is unnecessary, and that the problems which do exist could be handled with Titles 15 and 17. Kim Ross will prepare a proposed resolution outlining that position.

An area Composting Facility has been proposed for Section 16 (Ruth Arcand Park), which would facilitate disposal of animal waste. This would be much more convenient than the facility at Point Woronzof.

Replat of two lots at the SE corner of Birch and Beverly

A party wishes to replat Lots 1 & 2, Block 9, Mountain Park Estates, two 1/2 acre lots, into one lot, in order to better site a house. The plans include regrading of the lot, which concerns some of the neighbors because of the effects on drainage. The neighbors returned with a copy of the Site and Drainage Plan, prepared by Anderson Engineering. There was extensive discussion of the merits of the plan.

Resolution: With regards to the Mountain Parks Estate replat, Case S11335-2:

Mid-Hillside Community Council and Hillside East Community Council request that the drainage plan be formally recorded on the plat, and that the plat include a restriction that no fill be placed east of the 785 ft. elevation contour to the east of the house.

Passed by Hillside east with 2 for and 0 against. Passed by Mid-Hillside with 6 for, 0 against, and 1 abstain.

Minutes were approved for the March 17 meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 P.M.