Machines tear path through old-growth forest in unannounced road into ‘Holtan Hills’

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Sitting outside Girdwood's school with his dog, Jack, Sean Kelliher took measure of what he'd just seen, a swath cut into a forest for a road to a planned subdivision some call "Holtan Hills."

He said Jack picks the route for their walks and this Saturday morning chose the middle Iditarod Trail.

"It took me by surprise," he said. "It's sad to see the nature back there wiped out." said Kelliher, an 11-year local resident. 

A new road being created where former old-growth rainforest once stood.  (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

He said unanimous opposition to the project from residents and local government just makes the clearcut swath more distressing.

"It seems like a project that the entire community was against and vocalized our collective concern about and yet it's going forth anyway. It's disappointing."

Two Hydro-Ax mulchers and an excavator were unloaded at a gate near Girdwood's school Thursday afternoon. A worker said the equipment would be used to clear a right of way for a municipal water utility and, when asked whether required permits were secured, only said "she'll have it."

It turned out the heavy equipment was actually being staged to plow a new road into the rainforest and a right of way permit issued Thursday, the day before, was posted on the entrance gate Friday. 

Following years of local opposition and vote to postpone by the Anchorage Assembly, the Assembly suddenly reversed and approved the so-called "Holtan Hills" project last winter. Since then, a municipal land manager said she didn't expect development would occur this year.

Mike Edgington, a member of the Girdwood Board of Supervisors, said he found out something was up when a permit for clearing was mentioned during a Heritage Land Bank meeting Thursday. On Saturday he walked through the slashed, muddy gap in the forest Saturday with Ralph, a dog he's watching.

A map posted Friday shows extent of clearcutting so far. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

"HLB can administratively clearcut significant parts of the valley without a public process and that's always bothered me," he said. "That's why most of the land should be managed by local government."

He stopped to look at a stump, the only one among wood chips and mud and rock. "I thought there would be more stumps," he said. A hydro-ax shreds trees by chopping through a trunk, then ripping up the remains like a giant lawnmower. 

A permit issued for three acres allows "mulching" but not "root disturbance." Though the state requires a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for projects disturbing land over one acre, no notice of a SWPPP was posted at the site.

Edgington said housing is being developed in Girdwood at 10 times the per capita rate of Anchorage and Wasilla, but no one lives in new homes as they are either rented or bought as second or "dark" homes.

Girdwood Board of Supervisors member Mike Edgington views the site of the 'Holtan Hills' project area. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

And, he said, the "Holtan Hills" project "guarantees zero housing" because the municipality and developer, Connie Yoshimura, have not negotiated an affordable housing plan.

The Assembly solicited for a consultant to act as a liaison between Girdwood and Anchorage but no one applied. During a second offering, one person submitted a bid, but was found to be unqualified, Edgington said.

A message left for a Heritage Land Bank spokesperson was not returned in time for publication.

Just beyond the slashed cut a slope drops off precipitously.  (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

While modifications to a housing plan can still be made, there is little recourse left to stop the "Holtan Hills" project, Edgington said, other than a lawsuit or "unless the developer chooses not to do it," he said. "And that's not likely."

This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. (Updated Aug. 25)