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Frame from "Houston: Regular Scheduled City Council Meeting 11.12.2026" · Photo source
Houston's data center moratorium can't reach land the state gave AIDEA, officials say
Houston's two-year pause on data centers can't reach the 6,800 acres of state land north of town that the state is giving the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, Deputy Mayor Jeff Brasel told residents at Thursday's City Council meeting.
The council passed the pause in October, but it covers only land inside city limits. The closest edge of the state land is about half a mile outside them, Brasel said. "And that half a mile makes all the difference as far as what we can do," he said.
The Department of Natural Resources approved the transfer Tuesday, a third of the nearly 20,000 acres first proposed. AIDEA, a state corporation that finances development projects, won't pay for the land. Its application listed data centers, manufacturing, gravel extraction, utility corridors and workforce housing among possible uses.
In a July letter to Mat-Su legislators, AIDEA said it had no committed data center tenant, site plan, power source or construction schedule. It said it was prepared to work with the city, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and residents "before committing land to specific projects."
City leaders differed on how much to trust AIDEA. One, who said they helped write the pause with Brasel, said AIDEA had "pretty much agreed" that nothing would happen on the land without first talking to the city. "I'm not concerned that they're going to do anything without us knowing about it," that official said.
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Stories on what’s next
Alaska Railroad Corporation Board of Directors Meeting
AIDEA ends private Port MacKenzie rail deal as railroad weighs building it itself
AIDEA is ending a private deal to finish the Port MacKenzie rail line. The railroad may build it with a $249M federal grant and ask for land two others want.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly Special Meeting: Election Certification
Mat-Su's 2027 asks include school debt money, Talkeetna flood help and a stalled railroad
Mat-Su's 2027 wish list: school debt payments from the state, $20 million to protect Talkeetna from the Susitna and $300 million for a stalled railroad.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly Special Meeting: Election Certification
Mat-Su School Board race and term-length vote too close to call before certification
A Mat-Su School Board seat is 83 votes apart and longer School Board terms lead by 245, with up to 5,973 ballots left to count before Nov. 17 certification.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly Regular Meeting
Mat-Su picks Front Street site for Talkeetna water tank as some residents object
Mat-Su picked a wooded Front Street lot for Talkeetna's new water tank. Some neighbors want it at the old plant; the borough would rather own its land.
Over-the-Counter Land Sales Begin - Auction #498 and #499 Unsold Parcels
Alaska Is Selling Off Pieces of Itself — to Alaskans First
Alaska is auctioning 152 pieces of itself — residents only, no warranties, sometimes no road, and the state reserves the right to give your remote dream lot some neighbors.
Latest
Week of Nov 9
Freezing rain advisory expands to Lower Matanuska and Southern Susitna valleys
Freezing rain advisory now covers Lower Mat-Su and Southern Susitna valleys until 5am Thursday, hitting the morning commute. • Anchorage, Eagle River and western Kenai advisories warn of possible power outages too. • Comes days after Tuesday icing caused 22 Anchorage crashes and a jackknifed semi on the Glenn Highway.
by Walter AlaskaNews17h ago2 min read
Mat-Su residents and officials honor veterans at Wasilla memorial wall on Veterans Day
Mat-Su residents and officials gathered at the Wasilla Veterans Wall Memorial at 11:11 am Wednesday for Veterans Day. Gov. Mike Dunleavy proclaimed the day Veterans and Remembrance Day in Alaska.
by Walter AlaskaNews19h ago2 min read
Wasilla parks commission again takes up memo backing new Bumpus softball fields
Wasilla's Parks and Recreation Commission revisits a memo backing new Bumpus softball fields on Nov. 18, after already voting in September to support it.
by Walter AlaskaNews23h ago2 min read
Speeding stop in Wasilla leads to felony DUI and gun charges, troopers say
A Knik-Goose Bay Road speeding stop turned into felony DUI and gun charges, troopers say: revoked license, no proof of insurance, two prior DUIs, three guns.
by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago1 min read
Nov. 11 results trim Peltola's Senate lead to 3,975 as Mat-Su ballots come in
New Alaska results posted Wednesday, Nov. 11, were mostly Mat-Su absentee ballots, so Sullivan gained a little. Peltola still leads the Senate race by 3,975.
by Alaska News1d ago2 min read
MEA board lets ENSTAR negotiate its gas supply for after Hilcorp contract ends in 2029
MEA's board will let ENSTAR find and negotiate the gas MEA needs after its Hilcorp deal ends in 2029. No word yet on what ENSTAR gets paid or who's selling.
by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read
Mat-Su Borough finishes upgrading two Butte roads off Bodenburg Loop
Two Butte roads off Bodenburg Loop, Knik View Drive and Knik View Circle, are upgraded and paved, the borough says. The estimate for moving gas lines grew.
by Alaska News1d ago1 min read
Wasilla police shoot and wound man who pointed gun at officers, investigators say
Wasilla police shot and wounded a man Tuesday after he fled and pointed a gun at officers. He faces charges once cleared, and the state will review the shooting.
by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read
More from Mat-Su Valley
Wasilla planners move to ask the council to repeal its ban on housing in commercial zones
Wasilla's planning commission moved to ask the City Council to undo its ban on housing in commercial zones, and some members vented about being ignored.
by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read
Neighbor appeals Mat-Su approval of a 300-person event venue at the Knik Bar
The Knik Bar got Mat-Su's OK for a 300-person lakeside event hall after planners dropped a 10 pm limit on outdoor events. A neighbor is appealing Friday.
by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read
State approves giving AIDEA 6,800 acres near Houston, a third of what it first proposed
The state approved giving AIDEA 6,800 acres near Houston free, a third of what it first proposed, and added a clause returning undeveloped land to the state.
by Alaska News2d ago3 min read
Wasilla approves $6 million wastewater loan, but city says project is $4.6 million short
Wasilla took a $6 million state loan for its sewage plant upgrade Monday. It's still $4.6 million short, and the price keeps climbing, staff say.
by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read
Troopers seek tips after moose found near Palmer with only its antlers taken
Someone took only the antlers from a moose near the Matanuska River in Palmer and covered the rest with brush. Wildlife Troopers want to know who.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2d ago1 min read
Nova Minerals says its Port MacKenzie plant could support far more than its funded first phase
Nova Minerals says its secondhand Port MacKenzie plant can grind 216,000 metric tons of ore a year and models up to 20,000 tons of antimony with more gear.
by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read
Mat-Su staff back two cabins 50 feet from Rainbow Lake, inside the 75-foot setback
Mat-Su planners back letting a builder put two cabins 50 feet from Rainbow Lake, inside the 75-foot setback, though the lot has a spot that meets the rule.
by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min readFrom 
Mat-Su Borough would spend $850,000 in fire reserves on Big Lake station water supply
Big Lake's fire station refills fire trucks too slowly, so the Mat-Su Borough wants to spend $850,000 upgrading the station's water supply system.
by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago1 min read
Coming up
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly Regular Meeting
Assembly Chambers, 350 East Dahlia Avenue, Palmer, AK 99645; testimony by phone at 1-855-225-2326
Meeting
19th Annual Mat-Su Salmon Science and Conservation Symposium
Conference
Marijuana Control Board Meeting
Meeting
Alaska Supreme Court oral argument: Leif S. Backlin v. Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Hearing
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly and School Board Joint Meeting
Meeting
About Mat-Su Valley
The Mat-Su Valley is a region of Southcentral Alaska that takes in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Its communities include Wasilla, Palmer, Big Lake, Houston, Willow, Talkeetna and Trapper Creek, and it is known for agriculture, Hatcher Pass and the Iditarod.
The Mat-Su Borough Assembly, its Platting Board and Planning Commission decide on land use, subdivisions, grants and library policy, while the Wasilla and Palmer city councils run their own towns. Port MacKenzie and its rail line draw industrial proposals such as a mineral refinery, and the Wasilla airport plans to lengthen its runway.
The Parks and Glenn highways carry traffic through the borough, and crashes along them recur. The region shares Southcentral Alaska with Anchorage, Cook Inlet and the Susitna River.
More from Mat-Su Valley
Wasilla council will let Seat F applicants interview by video, with phone as backup
Wasilla council voted 4-1 to let Seat F applicants interview by video or phone instead of in person. The change follows one applicant saying he'd be out of state for the Nov. 30 interview meeting.
by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min readMEA warns of power outages with freezing rain and wind forecast for the Mat Valley
MEA warns of outages with freezing rain and gusts to 50 mph forecast for parts of the Mat Valley overnight. Eagle River's hillsides could see 1 to 5 inches.
by Walter AlaskaNews4d ago2 min read
Week of Nov 2
Troopers arrest Chugiak 16-year-old after 122 mph pursuit in Wasilla
Troopers say a 16-year-old Chugiak driver raced another car on Knik Goose Bay Road, then fled at up to 122 mph before being stopped. No injuries were reported.
by Walter AlaskaNews5d ago2 min read
Fish and Game's wildlife storytelling night returns to Palmer Nov. 13
Fish and Game's wildlife storytelling night returns to Palmer Nov. 13. Last year's had a bear hunt, a harrowing outhouse trip and real moose in the parking lot.
by Maggie AlaskaNews6d ago2 min read
Houston parks commission asks city to find and protect public access to lakes
Houston's parks commission wants the city to find and mark public paths to its lakes before they turn into driveways. It met for the first time since April.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Palmer will bring in outside counsel on ethics complaint naming the mayor and city manager
Palmer is bringing in outside counsel on an ethics complaint naming its mayor and manager. Also: a remark about the manager's child, and no library kitchen.
by Walter AlaskaNews6d ago2 min readFrom 
Mat-Su board approves Willow-area land split without requiring a mile-plus road
Mat-Su's Platting Board OK'd splitting 40 acres near Willow into two lots without building the 6,800-foot road borough rules would normally require.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read
Wasilla council weighs $73,865 more to finish its first new growth plan since 2011
Wasilla's growth plan dates to 2011. The council Monday considers paying DOWL $73,865 more to finish the new one, which goes to the public in January.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Free one-on-one computer help offered twice a week at the Mat-Su Job Center
Stuck on an online job application, a sketchy email or Excel? Free tutors at the Mat-Su Job Center in Wasilla will sit down with you twice a week.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read
Mat-Su finishes Fern Street rebuild with new Cottonwood Creek fish culvert
Mat-Su finished part of its Fern Street rebuild, swapping culverts that blocked salmon from most of Cottonwood Creek. Walkers got a path; fish got a door.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read
ConocoPhillips' Alaska earnings more than triple to $423 million on higher oil prices
ConocoPhillips made $423 million in Alaska last quarter, more than triple a year ago, mostly because oil got pricier, not because it pumped much more.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Wasilla council takes up $6 million state loan to expand its wastewater plant
Wasilla's wastewater plant treats septage in one digester from about 1989, and staff say the city has outgrown it. The council weighs a $6 million loan Monday.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Wasilla's first new growth plan since 2011 heads to public comment in January
Wasilla is rewriting the plan for how the city grows, its first since 2011. Residents get to weigh in on a draft in January. Density is still undecided.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Mat-Su voters reject sales tax, lean against alcohol tax and road powers
Mat-Su voters rejected a 1% sales tax about 2 to 1 and were voting down an alcohol tax and road powers. Longer school board terms are too close to call.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readFrom 
Mat-Su's liquor license cap could block a Big Lake store's license move to Wasilla
A Mat-Su liquor store company wants to move its Big Lake license to Wasilla. The law allows that only if the borough is over its cap. It's right at it.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Palmer could lease Apron D for hangars without waiting on master plan, manager says
Palmer's airport chief says the city doesn't have to wait for its master plan to turn Apron D's open aircraft parking into a lease lot, possibly for hangars.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Palmer airport plans to ask FAA to approve golf course rent of at least $114,000
Palmer's airport chief wants FAA approval to raise the city golf course's rent on airport land from about $15,000 to at least $114,000 a year.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Palmer planners pick four downtown goals from a parking study instead of adopting it
Palmer planners passed on adopting a consultant's parking study and picked four goals instead, from safer walking to a 15 to 20 mph downtown speed limit.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Troopers arrest Palmer man on DUI charge after pickup hits moose in Wasilla
Troopers arrested a Palmer man for DUI after his pickup hit a moose on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway bridge Monday.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read
Palmer planners deny downtown BBQ parking variance on two 3-3 ties
Palmer's planning commission split 3-3 and sank the parking variance Bear Naked BBQ needs downtown. The owner has until Wednesday to appeal.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readFrom 
Week of Oct 26
Troopers arrest man, 24, accused of attempted sexual assault, gunfire at Wasilla party
Troopers arrested a 24 year old man accused of trying to sexually assault a juvenile at a Wasilla Halloween party, then firing a gun inside the home.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read
Windstorm gusts hit 70 mph south of Eagle River, cutting power to over 13,500 MEA members
Gusts up to 70 mph knocked out power to more than 13,500 MEA members from Eagle River to Willow early Friday. About 4,800 were still out at noon.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Mat-Su won't shelve two children's books its library board flagged before purchase
Mat-Su's library director won't shelve "The Gender Wheel" or "Families, Families, Families!" after board members flagged them. Most others in the same memo got through.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read
Troopers investigate report that man pepper-sprayed a woman off Knik Goose Bay Road
Initial reports say a Wasilla man pepper-sprayed a woman off Knik Goose Bay Road on Friday and fled, troopers say. He also has a warrant from another case.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read
