Low turn out for HLB open house

By Soren Wuerth

TN Editor

A low-publicized Heritage Land Bank open house to solicit input on its 2024 work plan drew only a half dozen residents to the community center Monday afternoon.

Though its first meeting with Girdwood had little public notice, the meeting is only the first of three, said Nicole Jones-Vogel, a former HLB land manager whose company, Rise Up Coaching Solutions, was contracted to help with planning.

Of about 10,000 acres HLB controls in the Municipality of Anchorage, a little less than half of those lands are in Girdwood. 

A low-publicized Heritage Land Bank open house to solicit input on its 2024 work plan drew only a half dozen residents to the community center Monday afternoon. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

Given the amount of HLB around Girdwood, Girdwood Board of Supervisor Jen Wingard suggested, during a GBOS meeting later Monday, more Girdwood residents should be on HLB's five-member advisory board than just one and GBOS should be able to make recommendations on who should represent Girdwood on that board. 

"It's only an ask," Wingard said. 

HLB's 2023 plan was approved in mid-August and Jones-Vogel said she expects this 2024 plan will require nearly a year before final approval by the Anchorage Assembly. 

HLB's plan fell under scrutiny during controversy over the department's Holtan Hill proposal, a land-disposal housing plan that was ultimately rejected by the Anchorage Assembly. Though the Assembly indefinitely postponed Holtan Hills, the agreement still stands. The mayor's office recently issued a request for proposals for a study of developing Holtan Hills, to judge whether such a development would be "a good public investment."