Mat-Su Borough: Platting Board Meeting - August 6th, 2026

Good afternoon, everyone. I'm opening up this meeting of the Planning Board at 1 PM. Madam Secretary, the roll. Planning Member Shavetta. Present.

Planning Member Leaping. Present. Planning Member Gilson. Present. Planning Member Trexler.

Present. Planning Member Fonov. Present. Planning Member McBride. President, Madam Chair, we have a quorum.

Thank you very much. We stand for the pledge.

Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Can I get a motion to approve today's agenda? Madam Chair, I move to approve today's agenda. Can I get a second? I second. Any objections?

Being no objection, motion passes. Can I get a motion to approve— well, we have two sets of minutes, so we have— do we not? We have—. Yeah, so we have the minutes from— or you want to go ahead and tell them? Yes, we have the minutes from July 16th, as well as the July 30th special meeting minutes, which you will find in your handout packet.

Is there any objection to combining those minutes? Okay, can I get a motion to approve both sets of minutes?

Madam Chair, I move to approve the July 16th and July 30th minutes. Thank you, Carla. Can I get a second? Second. Thank you very much.

Is there any objection to approving the minutes? Seeing none, motion passes. Okay, I'm going to open up public testimony for items not scheduled for a public hearing.

Anybody present to talk about something that is not on the agenda? Anybody online? I'm closing public testimony.

Hey, today we have K&K Estates. The request is to create 2 lots from Block 2, Lot 6, Fishhook Acres, Plot Number 75-44, to be known as K&K Estates, containing 12.98 acres plus or minus. The petitioner is requesting a variance from legal access. The property is located directly south of East Pamela Drive and directly east of North Wasilla Fishhook Road within the Northeast Quarter Section 19, Township 18 North, Range 01 East, Seward Meridian, Alaska, in the North Lakes Community Council and in Assembly District Number 6. To the board, do you or any member of your immediate family have a substantial financial interest in any property affected by this decision, or will you recognize a foreseeable profit as a result of this decision?

Seeing none. Have you received or otherwise engaged in ex parte contact with the applicant, other parties interested in the application, or members of the public concerning the application or issues presented in this application, either before the application or during any period of time the matter is submitted for decision outside of the public process provided by the borough?

Seeing none, are you able to be impartial in this decision? Seeing an affirmative. Madam Secretary, the mailing report. There was 96 public notices mailed July 13th, 2026. Thank you very much.

Staff report. Thank you, Chair. Chris Kerlin, Planning Staff. The request is to create 2 lots ranging in size from 1.01 to 11.99 acres. ADOT NPF has denied access to North Wasilla Fishhook Road.

The petitioners are seeking a variance from MSB 4320-120 legal access due to the unique configuration of the parent parcel and the hardship imposed by ADOT NPF. The petitioner has submitted a variance application pursuant with code supporting— with the supporting criteria A through C answered. The request is from 432120, legal access, and is found at Exhibit C. A geotechnical report was submitted pursuant to MSB 432281 by Charles Leet, professional engineer, concludes that Lot 1 will have at least 10,000 square feet of contiguous usable building area and at least 10,000 square feet of contiguous usable septic area as required by MSB 4320-281-Area. Tract A is over 400,000 square feet. A topographic narrative was submitted by the surveyor pursuant to MSB 4320-281-A1-II.

Comments received: ADOT and PF has no objection to the revised lot lines or requested variance. No access to Wasilla Fishhook for all lots. Required to add plat note, no direct access to Wasilla Fishhook Road for all lots, or similar. And mentions the section line easement is on the OSHIP as a future road. MSB, PD&E, and Permit Center had no comments.

Utilities, Instar has no comments or recommendations. GCI has no comments or objections. MTA has no comment. MEA did not respond. Public comments— Brandon Justice objects.

Uh, public comments received after the report was written are found in the handouts if they were received before the 12:00 PM cutoff yesterday. There were no objections received from borough departments, outside agencies at this time. Late comments received before the 12:00 PM deadline are in the handouts. The plat of K&K Estates is consistent with state statute and borough code. A variance application was submitted for legal access.

Physical access exists. As-built survey and topographic information were submitted. A soils report and topographic narrative were submitted. There were no objections received from borough departments. Outside agencies utilities at the time of the staff report.

Staff recommends approval of K&K Estates and the variance from legal access. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kerlin. Would the petitioner's representative like to speak?

Oh, I forgot to ask if there was any questions for staff.

No. Okay, sorry. Go ahead, Tim. Hello, Planning Board. Tim Carmen with Bull Moose Land Surveying, representing my licensed surveyor, Bob Hoffman, and our client.

Um, uh, we going over everything that the staff went over. They, they're backing our variance. If any road is to be constructed, there's the 50-foot plus our 40 if any future development happens on the larger tract. Um, and it is part of the future, uh, uh, Matsuboro Road plans already to develop that.

And yeah, that's any, any questions I'm available for. Any questions?

Thank you, Tim. I'm going to open up for public hearing.

Anybody present? Anybody online? Closing public hearing.

You don't need to speak again. It's back on you again. Okay, we're good. Can I get a motion from the board? May I ask a staff question prior to that?

Um, I have a question about the, um, I guess the one point of the variance, which is, you know, that there's some unique physical thing preventing it. But it seems like in this case, the lot that was purchased, which is the 13 acres or whatever, had perfectly legal access, and it's only through their own desire to subdivide it that they've created this problem. And I'm just curious, from a code standpoint, um, you know, when you take action to create the problem, does, does that really fit the criteria, um, for the variance?

Through the chair, Tyler Young, planning officer. We believe that this does meet the criteria of the variance.

The physical restrictions on the property are the buildings existing. We cannot move the property line closer in without telling them to relocate or destroy one of their buildings that exist on the property. The hardship created is imposed by DOT. The lot being subdivided has substantial frontage on, Uh, wasilla Fishhook Road, and that is what they had anticipated being able to use until ADOT restricted any access from the property.

Does anybody else have any questions? Can I get a motion?

Madam Chair.

Um, I move to approve the variance request and plat, um, 4320- or .120 legal access and the plat of K&K Estates contingent upon recommendations from staff 1 through 7. Thank you, Mr. Liebing. Can I get a second? Second. Thank you, Mr. Civetta.

Discussion from the board?

The letter from the Simonettis lays out some of, some of their concerns, and as I understand it, their concerns regarding the wetland would necess— would have to go go through a process with DNR, Corps of Engineers for any future development. Is that correct? Through the chair, Tyler Young, Planning Officer, they would need to go through the Army Corps of Engineers to get any sort of wetlands permits. And furthermore, the septic feasibility would all have to be done through the standard borough process for any development on the larger lot, correct? The borough does not oversee septic systems.

That would be DNR. DNR has all the authority over septic system design, and that is on at least one area in the plat note. Okay, usually, usually multiple areas of the plat saying that DNR has the authority and no septic system can be built until it is approved by DNR. And that would also then potentially cover their concern regarding their water rights? Correct.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Is there any objection to approving?

Seeing none, motion passes.

All righty, we have nothing else on the agenda. Staff comments?

Tyler Young, Planning Officer.

Due to an unforeseen lull in submittals to the Planning Board that has occurred over the last 6 weeks, we are able to say after this case has been approved and there has not been a continuance that the following 2 Planning Board scheduled meetings, uh, can be canceled. So the Planning Board meeting that was scheduled on August— Thursday, August 20th at 1 PM can be canceled, and the Planning Board meeting scheduled on Thursday, September 3rd at 1:00 PM can be canceled, and we will reconvene— I gotta scroll forward— Thursday, September 17th, where we have 3 cases to be heard at this time.

All righty. And we will send out reminder emails since this is a longer than usual lull. We will send out reminder emails at least 1 week ahead of time to the entire Board reminding them that the next scheduled meeting is September 17th, Thursday at 1 PM.

Enjoy your time off.

All righty, board comments?

Seeing none, this meeting is adjourned at 1:13 PM.