Holtan Hills Hearing likely to begin late Tuesday night, Postponement possible

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Girdwoodians thinking of giving testimony on Holtan Hills Tuesday night may need to grab an extra strong cup of coffee on their way into Anchorage.

Public testimony won't likely open on the ordinance until 10:30 p.m., an Assembly member said Monday.

"You'll probably have to stick around pretty late. We probably won't get to it until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. I'm sorry, but that's the way the stars are aligned," Assembly Member Zac Johnson said during a meeting of Girdwood's Board of Supervisors.

"My best guess is there's no way this would come up before 10:30, if it happens at all on Tuesday," Johnson said.

The Assembly has to work through a packed agenda that includes action on bonds in advance of an April 2 Municipal election.

Photo in of Max’s Mountain in Girdwood Valley. (Photo by Miranda Beach)

Both Johnson and Assembly Member Anna Brawley said, though the ordinance will be heard, it is unlikely the Assembly will vote on the measure.

"Folks should still plan on being able to testify, I appreciate that it's a long drive," Brawley wrote in an email to a local resident.

"Only after the public hearing is closed would we begin debate, which is when the Assembly takes a vote. So what I mean is, this item will not be voted on at tomorrow's meeting, because that's the last step in consideration of an ordinance. I do however expect that the public hearing will begin tomorrow evening, and then get continued," she wrote.

Holtan Hills resurfaced as a "laid-n-the-table" item in early December, a move that required only two Assembly members. The language in the draft ordinance is nearly identical to the one killed in February in a seven to five vote.

Johnson said Assembly members may offer amendments to the resolution.

GBOS voted late Monday night to have member Mike Edgington speak and answer questions from the Assembly should the matter come up.

A Holtan Hills sign placed at the entrance sign to Girdwood. The controversial subject has been ongoing and a frequent topic of discussion. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

Edgington said he has conducted an analysis of the degree to which Holtan Hills would conform to goals of a housing plan the Assembly passed in December. He said Holtan Hills fully meets only one of the five goals, the goal to make the municipality a better partner in the development process.

Meanwhile, a source close to Mayor Dave Bronson, told Turnagain News that Bronson was "shocked" to learn that the Municipality would be indemnified on Holtan Hills.

"To his knowledge, he did not realize that Anchorage taxpayers would be on the hook if anything happened to the project," the source said.

"[Bronson} said that he's 'let [Assembly Member] Meg [Zaletel] run with this one,'" according to the source, who wished to remain anonymous.

Phone calls and emails sent to eight of the 12 Assembly members were not returned by Monday. Only one member, Brawley, responded, saying she did not have time for an interview.

Girdwood representatives on the Assembly, Johnson and Randy Sulte, have regularly responded to interview requests.