Work has begun on a 1,400-acre development surrounding Baldy Lake in the Talkeetna area. It is platted for nearly 150 parcels.
The development is considered a Condo Plat, or Common Interest Community, under Alaska statute. It allows developments to skirt subdivision process requirements and does not allow for public input. Baldy Lake Air Park, LLC, owned by Art Mathias of Anchorage, is the developer listed on the plat.
Mathias confirmed that he installed a silt fence on one side of Answer Creek, as part of the development’s stormwater plan. Two flatbed railroad cars are now parked on the shoulder of Gries Strasse Street, to be used as a creek crossing once permits are in-hand.
Local, state, and federal permits may still be required, depending on the location and situation. Mathias states, “We have a couple things to finish yet, but we are close to being done with the permitting.”
Unless a neighbor allows access, developments could require a Department of Natural Resources easement authorization if using section lines for access. To date, no request for easement authorization has been made.
According to Mat-Su Borough Planning Director, Alex Strawn, the Borough informed the developer in June that the project would be subject to a multi-family development permit if more than six parcels are built. That permit is authorized at the administrative level and does not include public input.
Mathias states that he will only build the roads and the 2,000-foot air strip in the development. Individual landowners will be responsible for clearing, building structures, and installing water and septic. Mathias also notes that he will not be installing electrical service to the development. He says that developers take all the risks when it comes to development costs.
“When you buy a piece of property to develop, you not only have the purchase price, but the cost to develop. Development costs are never fixed and the developer takes all the risks.”
The Borough will require that the roads be built to subdivision standards and maintained by the community. Roads that are public rights-of-way will be built to different standards and maintained by the Borough.
According to Director Strawn, any structures around the lake will also be subject to the waterbody buffer setback, currently 75 feet. The repeal of that legislation will be discussed at the July 18th Borough Assembly meeting.
Sarah Myers of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, or ADF&G, confirmed that the agency issued a permit last week for the developer to cross Answer Creek to build access to the property.
Baldy Lake and the surrounding area also may be subject to Army Corps of Engineers permitting requirements. To date, the developer has not applied for or requested information about a permit for the project. Because Mathias will not be developing the parcels, individual landowners would be responsible for permits on their own properties. It is unclear if the project requires a federal permit to cross Answer Creek or to build infrastructure around the lake. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for administering permits for waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act.
Mathias says that the timeline for building “depends on the bureaucrats.”
