May 10, 2007

France Road 156 Asset Management PlanWorkshop SummaryThe France Road 156 work session on May 10 was well-attended by a cross-section of recreation users and neighborhood residents. The meeting began with an overview of the site characteristics and the existing policies that create the framework for the forthcoming France Road 156 Asset Management Plan.

Main Background Points:

• The site is characterized by steep ridge and pit terrain, with semi-open birch and spruce forest.

• Valley Pathways High School is the only developed use on the property. Currently portable classrooms the school is in the process of obtaining funding for a permanent school to serve 250 students.

• France Road is the only developed access, although there are other platted and potential access points.

• Adjoining uses and plans that affect this parcel include:

- Crevasse Moraine trail displacement: The Borough’s Central Landfill Plan proposes that the landfill’s eastward expansion will close most of the adjoining Crevasse Moraine trails in the coming decades. The Central Landfill Plan is in draft form: public review of the draft plan has not been scheduled.

- Residential neighborhoods: Residents in the bordering subdivisions have a high stake in how future use of this parcel may affect groundwater, traffic, road maintenance, security/trespass, and aesthetics.

- Regional land ownership pattern: Most of the land in the fast-growing Core area between Palmer and Wasilla is private land. The University of Alaska has over 1,000 acres of largely undeveloped land south of this parcel. This University land is managed for specific benefits to or purposes of the University, rather than the general public.

- Existing plans: Several Borough plans identify a deficit of public open space acreage in the Core Area, and a need for centrally-located trails and recreation areas. These plans identify the high public value in obtaining a continuum of open space and recreational trails in the Core, specifically the connection from Crevasse Moraine trail system to Kepler-Bradley Lake State Recreation Area.

May 10, 2007

France Road 156 Asset Management PlanDiscussion of alternatives The following pages contain the three preliminary, concept-level alternatives discussed on May 10. All three alternatives proposed to commit roughly 10-20 acres for a permanent high school site for up to 250 students. There would also be approximately 2-5 acres set aside for a Borough Parks Department Maintenance Facility that would consist of a 5,000 square foot shop, covered vehicle and storage area as well as a greenhouse. A trailhead for a trail corridor to eventually connect south to Kepler Bradley Lakes State Recreation Area is also included that would have a capacity for 60-120 parking spaces with some parking at the school, toilets, a picnic shelter, a sledding hill, equipment storage shed, minimum of 3-5 km of trails connecting into the remaining Crevasse-Moraine trails system and, if this is a large trail system, an open field for staging events and recreation building. Alternative 1 emphasizes recreation, Alternative 2 blended large-lot residential and recreation and Alternative 3 proposed gravel extraction with recreation or landfill as subsequent uses.

The meeting participants gave a strong, unified recommendation that:

• The management plan for the France Road parcel should emphasize open space and trail-based recreation; and

• The MSB should consider the France Road parcel not as a replacement for Crevasse Moraine trails but as step toward designating a larger public open space and recreation area that is sorely needed at the heart of the fast-developing Core Area; and

• The MSB should use this plan to launch a broader planning effort for Core Area open space and recreation lands, and

• This parcel should be retained in public ownership and should not be developed for gravel extraction, landfill, or residential use.

• Don’t consider this parcel as a discrete planning area. The plan should consider how this parcel fits with the Core Area land pattern and recommend broad actions regarding Core Area open space.

May 10, 2007

France Road 156 Asset Management PlanMain Issues Raised These issues, as well as other issues raised by the public through written or phone comments, will be considered during development of the Draft Plan. This is by no means a complete list of issues, and the planning staff will attempt to identify opposite perspectives before drafting the plan.

• Some members of the public oppose the Borough Landfill Plan to expand into Crevasse Moraine trail system, and want a chance to be involved in reviewing and changing that plan.

• France Road needs to be upgraded to safely handle student and recreation traffic, preferably with a pathway separated from the roadway, and preferably when the road is paved (this summer).

• Future trails in this area should have some specific goals and design criteria:

- Serve a variety of uses, and provide different challenge levels, from strenuous training for athletes, to universal access for the mobility impaired

- Provide both loop trails, and trails with a sense of destination

- Design trails to be sustainable/low maintenance

- Design trails to reduce conflicts among users, with possible separate trails for equestrians.

• Security at trailheads, and trespass onto adjoining private lands, is a concern.

• Collaborate in designing the high school site, the trailhead, and the Parks Department maintenance site. This can help provide security, and allow for shared use of parking and possibly other facilities. Locating a school near recreation trails would benefit the school through outdoor recreation and education.

• Initiate collaboration between the various University campuses, MSB School District, and the Borough to manage the Core Area undeveloped lands for both resource education and recreation benefits.

• Don’t put play fields on the France Road parcel. Playfields that require clearing and grading should be put on already-impacted land, not virgin land. The Operators Training Center might be a good site for playfields.

• This area isn’t appropriate for motorized recreation use: it’s the only non-motorized public trail system in the area, and motorized uses have dominated areas like Knik River.

• Preserving open space for public use is a one-time opportunity, and in the Core Area it will only get harder to do as time goes on.

• Funding for recreation development is never easy to come by, but the important first step is to get public land designated for recreation and open space. Money to develop facilities can come later.

• Don’t consider this parcel as a discrete planning area. The plan should consider how this parcel fits with the Core Area land pattern and recommend broad actions regarding Core Area open space.

France Road 156Alaska State Plane, Zone 4, NAD 1927 ± 0 0.1 0.2

MilesMay 2, 2007

All data courtesy of MSB.

DevelopmentBoundary

School, maintenancefacility and trailhead

Existing Crevasse-Morainetrailhead parking area(To be closed eventually.)

Central Landfill

FutureLeachateTreatmentArea

Neighborhood trailhead andfuture playfield access fromN. Loma Prieta Dr.

Trailhead and staging area,some parking

PicnicArea

FranceRoad

SleddingHill

ProposedTrails

Existing Trails

ProposedRecreationDesignation

PotentialAccess Routes

- Recreation

May 10, 2007

France Road 156 Asset Management Plan

Alternative I: Recreation - Emphasize trails and regional open space.

Land use pattern• Designate most of the acreage (140-150 acres) for public recreation and

open space.• Recommend designating additional MSB land (80 -110 acres) to the south

and west of France Road for recreation.• Recommend future restoration of closed portions of the landfi ll for

playfi elds, with trailhead at N. Loma Prieta. • Main trailhead for trail use & events near school site. Secondary

trailheads give neighborhood access and future playfi eld access.

Specifi c features• Multi-use unpaved loop trails with range of challenge levels (5-7 km total

length). • Scenic viewpoints and destination points.

• Separated or designated equestrian trail – fl atter gradient, durable surface.

• Possible paved, low-gradient, universal access trail on the landfi ll perimeter road for use after it’s closed (3-4 km).

• Staging area to include timing/offi ciating building and areas for spectators.

• Identify options for indoor space (gathering, warm-up, gear changing).

France Road 156Alaska State Plane, Zone 4, NAD 1927 ± 0 0.1 0.2

MilesMay 2, 2007

All data courtesy of MSB.

DevelopmentBoundary

School, maintenancefacility and trailhead

Existing Crevasse-Morainetrailhead parking area(To be closed eventually.)

Central Landfill

FutureLeachateTreatmentArea

Potential futureresidential areas

Potentialaccess road

Potentialaccess road

Potentialaccessroad

FranceRoad

Trails

ProposedTrails

Existing Trails

ProposedRecreationDesignation

PotentialAccess Routes

Neighborhood trailhead andfuture playfield access fromN. Loma Prieta Dr.

- Residential

May 10, 2007

France Road 156 Asset Management Plan

Alternative II: Residential - Develop up to half of parcel (50 to 75 acres) as large-lot residential neighborhoods; remaining acreage for community-scale trails and open space.

Land use pattern• Sell 50 to 75 acres with conditions for large-lot residential subdivision. • Retain 75-100 acres in public ownership and designate for public

recreation and open space.• Recommend designating additional MSB land (80-110 acres) to the south

and west of France Road for recreation.

Specifi c featuresHousing

• House lots of 1-5 acres would be created on high terrain with views.• Housing would be located to minimize road costs and retain public

recreation values.

Recreation

• A trailhead near school site would have a mid-sized parking area, toilets and trails to connect to the existing Crevasse Moraine trails.

• The overall length and variety of trails at France Road is less than in Alternative 1. There would be 3-4 km of continuous trail. Trails near housing areas would be designed more for neighborhood recreation.

• Large recreation events such as high school ski meets would not be easy to accommodate.

May 10, 2007

France Road 156 Asset Management PlanAlternative III: Extraction - Sell most of the parcel for gravel extraction, private or public landfi ll, future mixed-density residential neighborhoods.

Land use pattern• Sell 75 – 100 acres in west and south parts of parcel, with conditions for gravel extraction and potential land fi ll or housing.• Access road for resource extraction would be across MSB land to the western side of the parcel.• An open space corridor would be retained to connect neighborhoods to the Well Monitor Road/trail.

Specifi c featuresResource (gravel) extraction

• MSB could require a master plan for gravel extraction to minimize impacts on surrounding uses. Master plan could specify post-extraction uses: either landfi ll, housing, or recreation.

Following gravel extraction: landfi ll• The protection of the aquifer would have to be ensured. • Landfi ll would restore some of the original elevation of the parcel.

Reclamation of the landfi ll as public playfi elds is a possible end-use.

Following gravel extraction: mixed-density housing • Finish grades and elevations in the gravel pits will have to be confi gured to

allow road connectivity to the surrounding, mostly-high terrain. • Small lots and or clustered housing on future reclamation areas would meet

affordable housing needs and would retain open space for public use.

Recreation• Smaller trailhead than other alternatives; no events staging area.• Trails would be located to skirt the areas of extraction, within greenbelt

corridors to maintain some natural feel. • Trails would connect neighborhoods and through-travelers to the Well

Monitor Road/trail, rather than be a community or regional trail network.France Road 156Alaska State Plane, Zone 4, NAD 1927 ± 0 0.1 0.2

MilesMay 2, 2007

All data courtesy of MSB.

Existing Crevasse-Morainetrailhead parking area(To be closed eventually.)

Central Landfill

FutureLeachateTreatmentArea

Mainaccessroad

School, maintenancefacility and trailhead

Area open forgravel extraction.Post-extractionuses either housingor recreation fields.

FranceRoad

Potentialaccessroad

ProposedTrails

Existing Trails

ProposedRecreationDesignation

PotentialAccess Routes

Neighborhood trailhead and futureplayfield access from N. Loma Prieta Dr.

DevelopmentBoundary

- Gravel extraction