Locals Slam ‘Holtan Hills’ During First Assembly Hearing

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

The Anchorage Assembly held its first public hearing on a controversial "Holtan Hills" land deal last night.

Six Girdwoodians spoke in opposition to a motion that would dispose 60 acres of municipal land between Girdwood School and Crow Creek Road to a private developer for $2.1 million. The motion revived a similar resolution to one rejected by the Assembly last February following outcry from hundreds of valley residents.

A prevalent theme in the testimony was that the new "laid on the table" motion came as a surprise to many, including two Assembly members representing Girdwood.

Nearly everyone also said the new "laid on the table" measure is nearly identical to February's failed resolution, and that, in the past year, the community has worked hard to come up with more practical ideas to solve Girdwood's housing shortage.

"No communication, town hall, public meeting, brainstorming session, or work session has occurred between MOA or HLB and the community of Girdwood during the 11 months that this motion has been tabled," Girdwood resident Betsy Connell told the Assembly.

"Over that time, Girdwood's volunteers have been busy working on housing issues and the necessary infrastructure for increased housing," she said.

Since February, Girdwood's Board of Supervisors has created a housing advisory committee which has investigated land for workforce housing, determining how much housing is required and ways to turn short term rentals into long term rentals, Connell said. She said plans have been laid for an RV campground.

Meanwhile, the number of people using the local food pantry have increased, Connell said. Zac Johnson, who represents Girdwood on the Assembly, said today he hasn't heard from fellow members a rationale for bringing Holtan Hills back up and the Assembly hasn't had a work session or much discussion on the issue.

Girdwood resident, Lynne’ Doran is interviewed by Multi Media Journalist La’ Shawn Donelson from Anchorage FOX/ABC Affiliate Station KTBY//KYUR outside the Municipality of Anchorage Assembly Chambers Tuesday evening while testifying on AO-2023-137. The story should air on Wednesday evening on FOX 4 at 9 pm and ABC 13 at 10 p.m. Additional hearing time is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 23. (Photo by David Nyman)

"I have the same questions going through my mind," he said. "I don't know what the impetus is.

" Johnson said the proposed subdivision wouldn't satisfy housing demands, a chief argument of the project's proponents.

"I'm unconvinced Holtan Hills, as stands, would achieve those results," he said.

Local resident and small business owner Lynne’ Doran said Girdwood representatives have asked the Assembly for help with affordable, "denser" housing, like multi-family homes and condos, and they asked for deed restrictions "so our community can grow and not just become the land of the second home owners and vacation rentals."

Connie Yoshimura, whose company, CY Investments, would be awarded the land, told an audience a year ago that the cheapest home in the planned subdivisions would cost at least $500,000.

Doran also decried the unannounced motion to revive Holtan Hills. "Having the Holtan Hills project be laid on the table before you with no outreach to our community is upsetting," she said. "For the past year, neither the [Bronson] Administration nor the Assembly has reached out to work with the Girdwood community to re-envision the project to address our needs."

"Please, please, please listen to us and use this opportunity to solve Girdwood's housing problem so that our community can grow and prosper as a quaint ski town like other communities in the Lower 48," Doran said.

Assembly Chair Chris Constant said it has been two weeks since Holtan Hills was laid on the table, "so clearly there's notice enough that people heard."

"The item is not going to be deliberated until at least two meetings after it was laid on the table, so I just want to dispel that."

Assembly member Karen Bronga suggested that, since next hearing on Jan. 23 will be "packed", the item could be moved to a February meeting.

Meg Zaletel, the assembly member responsible for the putting Holtan Hills back on the agenda, said she will be gone in early February and said, "I would very much like to see this [process] get going."

Member Dan Volland, said two weeks is ample time. "Coloring it as some sort of conspiracy, I don't think is fair," he said. "I think it was in line with our normal process."

Constant then suggested that if there is an "overwhelming presence" of people giving testimony the body could delay the motion further and have a special meeting to decide the matter.

The Assembly then voted unanimously to extend the public hearing to Jan. 23.