Story by Jon Scudder, TNews Publisher

Photos by Soren Wuerth, TNews Editor

On the first Friday of each month, the streets of Olympic Mountain Loop transformed the March 1 evening into a vibrant community of artistic expression, as local artists, musicians, and businesses unite to celebrate creativity in the heart of Turnagain Arm.

Since ‘In The Loop’ debuted last year, the event has quickly become a cornerstone of Girdwood’s cultural scene, drawing customers, locals and visitors, to explore the diverse array of businesses in this monthly celebration.

Participating Friday, 5 to 7 pm, were businesses such as Alpenglow Coffee House; Girdwood Center for Visual Art; Jack Sprat Restaurant; La Bodega; Mother Hubbards Cupboard; and Powder Hound Ski and Bike Shop.

Read the entire story:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwoods-in-the-loop-first-friday-unveils-a-mountain-community-of-artistic-ex

By Brooks Chandler

TNews Contributor

Many people equate “health clinic” with seeing a medical provider.

The Girdwood Health Clinic takes a broader view of its role as an advocate for community health.

There are “social determinants” that impact health, says Patient Assistance Program Coordinator Linda Mankoff.

These include housing. An insecure housing situation, or just how living in the cold, can make someone sick and cause mental stress.

Not having enough food to eat is also a health concern that has the attention of the clinic.

A lack of transportation reduces access to specialty medical services not available at the clinic, says Mankoff.

Mankoff's Patient Assistance Program is designed to improve these social determinants of health.

The clinic educates community members about available public assistance programs.

For example, Mankoff says folks may be directed to Cook Inlet Housing by the clinic if they need housing and are willing to live in Anchorage.

They can also learn about possible help through Catholic Social Services.

And domestic violence victims can be referred to agencies providing temporary safe places to live.

Meanwhile, Girdwood senior citizens get help accessing the Senior Citizens Food Program.

Education may simply be letting people know that on-site mental health services are regularly available at the clinic.

When a community member wants to apply for a program such as food stamps or Medicaid, Mankoff says the clinic helps them fill out the inevitable mounds of paperwork. Before the clinic existed this type of help required a trip to town.

As a certified community health worker and application counselor Mankoff says the clinic can provide help on site. These efforts are part of creating and maintaining a “full circle of health” for Girdwood, she says.

All of these services are provided for free and regardless of whether the community member being assisted is a medical patient and confidentiality protocol prevents the clinic from identifying specific health benefits from these efforts, according to Mankoff.

Each day, a stack of food boxes for seniors awaits delivery free those who need it, a manifestation of the social service Girdwood's clinic provides.

(Photo courtesy of Girdwood Health Clinic)

By Soren Wuerth, TNews Editor

Photography by Anneliese Kupfrian

Proposals to reconstruct the Seward Highway between Girdwood and Anchorage and a project to build an overpass into Girdwood are in peril due to a lack of funding and after a Statewide plan was rejected by federal regulators.

The so-called "Safer Seward Highway" project, which would cost as much as $1 billion, has been put on hold after federal transportation officials declined to fund a broader $5.6 billion statewide plan. The State must come up with a revision to its three-year Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP)before reapplying for funding. 

The main problem is that the Alaska Department of Transportation failed to involve local governments as required by regulations. 

In the case of the Seward Highway project, a plan for reconstruction and realignment from milepost 98 to 115, the DOT did not get approval from an Anchorage planning group.

Under federal regulations, projects under a STIP need to be consistent with the transportation goals of a nearby city. For the Seward Highway, that organization is the Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions, or AMATS. 

"There was no coordination with AMATS prior to the draft document being released for the 45-day public comment period," AMATS director Aaron Jongenelen wrote in an August letter. 

Jongenelen said the Seward Highway reconstruction "should be removed" from DOT's 2024-2027 STIP since it wasn't included in AMATS's plan.

He added that there is "missing information" and, so far as the Seward Highway plan is concerned, DOT got the region wrong.

"Seward Highway 98.5 to 110 should be all in the Municipality of Anchorage not Kenai. Also this project is missing from the interactive map," stated Jongenelen.

Federal investigators largely agreed, saying projects need to go through a local planning process and be included in a "Metropolitan Planning Organization's" plan before being listed on a STIP.

Meanwhile, an idea for a half-cloverleaf overpass heading in Girdwood, called a "trumpet" by highway planners, is bogged down for lack of funding, a DOT director said during a November meeting.

Though the Girdwood Board of Supervisors urged DOT to include an interchange in a 2018 resolution, the size of the department's proposalcaused acrimony. 

"It's out-of-scale with Girdwood but also overly environmentally impactful to a pretty treasured area," GBOS co-Chair Jennifer Wingard said during a meeting last November.

The recommendation for a trumpet-style project is unlikely to gain funding, Sean Holland, DOT's regional director, said during the November meeting.

"We have a lot of projects right now that are really sucking up a lot of funding and to be able to fund the project in the $70 million range is going to be really challenging to do in the next few years," Holland said.

Holland said the he's told his agency's planners to come up with a smaller, less expensive "bite-sized" project for the interchange that might reduce crashes."We have way more needs than we do funding," he said.

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By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

A representative for Alyeska Resort said Wednesday his company hopes to develop a 28-acre swath of forest in Girdwood's upper valley for housing as part of a sweeping master plan that could cost as much as $350 million.

The development would be a "Phase Three" pursuit, said Development Manager Willam Laurie, of Pomeroy, the Canadian hotelier that owns Alyeska Resort.

The proposed housing, near Glacier Creek, would cap other developments on or near the Resort's hotel. In other phases, Pomeroy would lease its land for construction of a new ice rink, recreation center, and childcare center. The resort would also build a new convention hall, a 9,000 square foot ski school, condos, community housing, and what it calls "workforce housing".

But a plan for an "Alyeska Village", near the hotel, and workforce housing is "to some extent" contingent on whether Pomeroy gets approval from the Assembly to develop what Pomeroy is now calling the "Glacier Creek Community", Laurie said.

Laurie told a packed community hall that Pomeroy "won the rights" to the land in 2021 in a bid on a request for proposal by the Municipality of Anchorage's Heritage Land Bank.

"We don't own it yet. It's owned by the HLB but we are in the process of acquiring that land. We are completely separate from the other project that was proposed, Holtan Hills," Laurie said.

In 2022, Connie Yoshimura, of CY Investments, and Pomeroy agreed to split HLB land they called "The Girdwood Project" on either side of Glacier Creek. The parties agreed to keep the undisclosed transaction confidential.

CY Investments would get the "Holtan Hills Subdivision" while Pomeroy would control land for, what it called in the agreement, an "Alyeska Village".

Robin Wilcox, of Skylab, a Portland-based architectural firm, said housing near Glacier Creek would be "more of a single-family housing development with mixed housing and styles."

"The idea there is that housing could be sized and planned to be nestled into the landscape," Wilcox said.

Laurie said his company chose 27 acres of 70 available to it within constraints of existing trails, wetlands, waterways and topography and ended up with a strip the shape of a fishing hook.

A slide of the area shows 23 single family homes spread out in large lots and about 55 "cluster" homes.

"Imagine someone who's lived for 10 years and hasn't had a chance to buy something in Girdwood because they get bid up or the properties are just too expensive, we plan to build quite a few units that have efficient lot sizes that would be more attainable for purchase," Laurie said, adding that the Glacier Creek subdivision would be built after the Alyeska Village and Moose Meadows developments.

He said Pomeroy would work with the Girdwood Board of Supervisors and Land Use Committee to give longer term residents priority for home purchases.

He said planners wanted the Glacier Creek community to be a "trails-oriented" community due to its proximity to trails. They also envision a parking lot and "warming hut" for skiers.

"Having a nordic ski trail in your backyard is something really cool," Laurie said.

Additionally, the subdivision would connect to the Alyeska Village with a "horizontal gondola".

Laurie's and Wilcox's presentation echoed one given five months ago in a "town hall" held at the Sitzmark Bar. The plan amends a 15-year old master plan for the Resort and is outside of the Girdwood Area Plan which is months away from completion. Pomeroy has not been involved in the larger comprehensive plan, according to a member of the planning team.

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Despite overwhelming and steadfast opposition from Girdwood residents, the Anchorage Assembly approved a proposal Wednesday for a sprawling, 60-acre subdivision dubbed "Holtan Hills".

Members debated just over an hour before voting 9-3 in favor of a three-phase plan for single-family homes, duplexes and condominiums that would be carved out of a rainforest between Crow Creek Road and the Girdwood School.

Supporters of Holtan Hills said market forces, the development's profit-sharing arrangement with the municipality and "price points" of smaller lots in the $2.1 million sale made the housing venture desirable. Further delays, they said, would only harm the developers ``business model".

Other members gave variations of a familiar talking point used by proponents of the land disposal: any housing is better than no housing.

"I think every time we are looking at bringing in more housing density we are going to be asked and pressed for more time and all the while the housing crisis looms in the background and goes unaddressed. I think the time is now," said member Dan Volland.

The Holtan Hills plan has been widely criticized for its failure to address Girdwood's need for affordable and, especially, workforce housing, as well as its lack of public process, its reliance on out-dated plans, and its disregard for Girdwood's limited local services.

Residents testified that homes in the subdivision would end up as short term rentals or so-called "dark homes'. Currently 70 percent of Girdwood's homes are unoccupied, according to data compiled by Girdwood's Board of Supervisors.

But some assembly members argued anyone can buy Holtan Hills lots, including Girdwood residents.

"Every lot is for a Girdwood resident," said Assembly member Kevin Cross.

Based on current real estate prices, the cheapest residence would cost more than $800,000, said Jennifer Wingard, co-chair of Girdwood's Board of Supervisors.

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

A heliport and munitions depots filled with up to 20 tons of explosives are planned for construction at the foot of Orca Mountain, 0.8-mile from Old Girdwood, to improve avalanche control along Turnagain Arm.

In a presentation before Girdwood's Land Use Committee, Timothy Glassett, manager of DOT's avalanche program, said the Howitzer cannons the department currently uses are no longer viable. 

Technicians from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson no longer maintain the cannons, so DOT has to fly specialists up from Colorado. Meanwhile, the artillery program is getting more expensive, with the cost of ammunition going up "five fold", Glassett said.

Seward Highway has one of the highest avalanche risks affecting traffic in the state. Avalanche experts use a complicated mathematical formula called an "Avalanche Hazard Index" to assess the amount of mitigation required for control. The Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm has an index one-and-a-half times greater than that of Thompson Pass, near Valdez.

Before a section of Seward highway near Girdwood was moved to tidewater, it was the most dangerous highway in North America, Glassett said.

Glassett showed a video of a massive avalanche racing down the Peterson runout just south of Girdwood and across Turnagain Arm. There were audible gasps from the audience.

DOT's avalanche control division is trying to get funding for a newer method of control, Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS), which detonates explosives over a snowpack.

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Alyeska Resort announced it will build a 40-room, dorm-style housing complex near its hotel in the upper valley in coming years, a project that is part of a three-phase housing plan that would add 200 to 300 beds to the valley's rental market.

A Resort spokesperson made the disclosure Wednesday during a meeting of Girdwood's Housing and Economic Committee. Postcards from the Resort advertising a Feb. 7 community meeting began appearing in Girdwood post office boxes this week.

"We wanted to be a part of your conversation in workforce housing and let you know how many units we're planning in the years to come. and, ahead of the community meeting, it makes sense to keep an open dialogue with the [Housing and Economic Committee]," Willam Laurie, a planner for Alyeska's owner Pomeroy, told the group.

The dorm building would be followed by a cluster of six-plex and eight-plex apartments and, eventually, townhomes near the Resort's hotel. All the units would be open to residents of Girdwood and others, Laurie said.

Apartments in the dorm building would each have a bedroom and bathroom. The "co-housing" concept has tenants sharing a kitchen, laundry and communal space. The lower part of the dorm building would be lined with storefront and retail space would be "available to all Girdwood businesses and not just the Resort," Laurie said.

Laurie said the concept follows a survey of Alyeska staff in which the company received "400-500 responses". 

"The upshot was they wanted private space. So private space with affordable housing," Laurie said.

While Laurie was vague on details, his news offers promise to a sorely-needed affordable housing crises, a demand cited by proponents of a massive subdivision of mostly single-family homes they call "Holtan Hills", which would be behind Girdwood's school. The Anchorage Assembly will hear testimony on the Holtan Hills plan Tuesday night.

By Brielle Rice

TNews Contributor

Turnagain News’ first ever Dog of the Month, Raven, is the lucky pup-in-training at Alyeska’s avalanche rescue team. Her owner is Ryan Hutchins-Cabibi, who is Alyeska’s assistant patrol director.

The energetic and playful British black lab was born at the Southern Oaks Kennel, Great Lakes. This bundle of energy has come really far; her training started with puppy classes in Anchorage, but now she is learning about how to locate survivors, and communicate with ski patrollers. 

“[Avalanche training] full time since August,” says Hutchins-Cabibi, in an interview with him (and Raven) last Wednesday. “What we are trying to do with Raven, and both of the avalanche dogs, is train them to find human scent buried under snow. It is really important here because Alyeska is considered a Class A resort in the avalanche world, and that means that most of our terrain is either avalanche terrain, it’s possible to avalanche, or is threatened from above.” 

By Jon Scudder and Anneliese Kupfrien

TNews Contributors

Alyeska Resort recently hosted a mesmerizing Torchlight Parade and Fireworks display New Year’s eve, creating an enchanting spectacle that captivated both locals and visitors alike. The event, held under the crisp winter night sky, showcased the resort's commitment to providing unforgettable experiences for winter enthusiasts.

One of those snowboarders, was photographer Anneliese Kufrian, who captured the event and thoroughly enjoyed the evening, “It was sure a good time,” she said.

Read the story and see more photos at:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/spectacular-torchlight-and-fireworks-illuminate-alyeska-resort

By Jennifer Wingard

It’s back. Certain Assembly members recently revived a substantial disposal of the Girdwood Valley’s most developable lands, the Holtan Hills parcels. The debate the disposal caused last year has been characterized by a vociferous few as local “NIMBYs” blocking affordable housing. It’s time to put that fable to rest. The project’s supporters claimed that its lowest-price condos in the first 60-acre phase would start at $500,000, an estimate that was either poorly researched or deliberately misleading. Actual comparisons for similar condos in the area were at least a quarter of a million dollars higher then, and now exceed $800,000.

Read more of the Opinion at:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/opinion-its-past-time-to-reimagine-anchorages-heritage-land-bank

By Brooke Lavender

In the quest for suitable spaces to address the pressing need for workforce housing, the Girdwood Housing and Economic Group found itself contemplating an unexpected location-the soccer field near Moose Meadows. Nestled in an area endowed with utility access, a flat terrain, and proximity to public transportation, this site emerged as a candidate for affordable housing development.

Recognizing the scarcity of viable locations and the importance of community input, the group explored the possibility, acknowledging that this was merely a discussion. The intention was never to deprive local children of their soccer field, but rather to propose a land swap that would relocate the field near the park and softball area. The idea was discussed several times at the GHEC meeting which is a public meeting that occurs monthly. All community members are encouraged and invited to come and collaborate.

Despite the group's altruistic efforts, some community members directed harsh criticism towards the volunteer committee, which I will add that I am a part of, that dedicate a lot of their time (for free!) to enhance the community. This underscores the challenges faced by those striving to address housing issues, and the need for constructive dialogue and participation in shaping a better future for all.

Read the entire Opinion at:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/opinion-navigating-workforce-housing-challenges

By David Nyman

On Dec. 19, Meg Zaletel, co-chair of the Anchorage Assembly, “laid on the table” a new ordinance which brings back to life a widely panned land transaction known as “Holtan Hills”.

The motion allows an item "laid on the table" to be taken as a motion to amend the current agenda. This procedure does not require advance public notice unless you know enough to call the city clerk. Typically, the motion is not in the public record until the meeting packet is published on the day of the Assembly meeting or just prior.

An important aspect of the ordinance is that it is entirely new. All the testimony by the public, the Girdwood Land Use Committee (LUC) and Girdwood Board of Supervisors (GBOS)--in the eyes of the Assembly and, especially, new Assembly members--is not part of the record of this new, but very similar ordinance.

Given this, the written testimony and public testimony from hundreds of folks, many of whom showed up at Assembly chambers prior to 2022 and 2023 public testimony, will not be part of the public record for the hearing scheduled for Jan. 9. This appears to be an attempt to sideline the hard work, correspondence and opinions of Girdwood.

More of the opinion is at:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/editorial-holton-hills-real-estate-deal-brings-in-the-new-year