Holtan Hills Returns From Dead

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Without any public notice and after a reading that took just under one minute, the Anchorage Assembly resurrected a plan to sell 60 acres of public land it calls "Holtan Hills" to a private developer for $2.1 million.

The deal to sell Heritage Land Bank land to private developer Connie Yoshimura was "indefinitely postponed" in February after the plan drew heated and overwhelming opposition from residents of Girdwood.

Tuesday's sudden, unannounced action brings Holtan Hills back to life with a hearing scheduled for Jan. 9.

"That was an interesting surprise," said Mike Edgington, who was at the Assembly meeting for adoption of a municipal housing strategy.

"This is one person that wants to bring this back because they want to finish this work off," Edgington said, referring to Assembly Vice-Chair Meg Zaletel. He added that the latest version is nearly identical to the measure rejected in February.

Assembly member Meg Zaletel puts Holtan Hills back on the agenda. Photo is a screenshot of video the moment item was brought forward during Tuesday’s Assembly meeting.

He said Holtan Hills could only have been revived because the make up of the Assembly changed with the election of new members in April.

"I don't know why there is such an emergency [to bring Holtan Hills back up]. This is not time critical. Either there's a secret reason or no reason at all, in which case they don't want a public hearing," Edgington said.

As far as getting advance notice, Edgington said he heard "zero, nothing at all" about it and that neither of two assembly members representing Girdwood--Zac Johnson and Randy Sulte--had mention there would be action on Holtan Hills.

In an email, Johnson said he "had no advance notice that HH would be laid on the table this evening."

He said any member can move to "lay on the table" an item for consideration and it only takes two others for placement on the Assembly's running agenda.

"However, I do not understand either why this ordinance couldn’t go through the process to add it to the regular agenda," Johnson wrote. "For what it’s worth, I believe we should take the time necessary to allow the public time to consider and speak on the item. This is obviously a topic of great public interest/concern, and I am all for taking our time with it."

The idea to sell off virgin rainforest behind Girdwood School and between Glacier Creek and Crow Creek Road in Girdwood to build a subdivision of mostly expensive single-family drew acrimony from the community of Girdwood.

Residents braved record snowfall a year ago to drive to Anchorage to testify. So many people turned out to oppose the measure, the Assembly was forced to grant a second public hearing. In all, more than 100 people spoke on the matter.

Lower Iditarod Trail leading to area targeted for clearing, excavation and filling for subdivision development should “Holtan Hills” be approved by the Anchorage Assembly.

Nearly everyone who spoke denounced the proposed sale, saying it would not solve Girdwood's shortage of affordable homes, Girdwood lacked the infrastructure for such a massive undertaking, and the project was based on outdated land use plans.

The cheapest home, according to Yoshimura, would likely be priced at $500,000.

Last spring, a committee was appointed by the Girdwood Board of Supervisor to assess housing needs and find solutions.

Meanwhile, a local organization, Imagine! Girdwood, received funding from the Municipality to update the Girdwood Area Plan, an effort that is in its last stages.

In the past year, about 25 housing units have been built and all will be second homes or short term rentals, Edgington said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.