Planning Commission Supports New Waterbody Setback Task Force

After more than a year of work, the Mat-Su Borough Waterbody Setback Advisory Board presented recommendations to the Planning Commission prior to presenting to the Assembly at a special meeting. Recommendations include suggested setbacks for structures, fuel storage, animal enclosures, and protection for riparian buffers. 

But the Planning Commission unanimously failed the resolution to send those recommendations to the Assembly for approval at their meeting earlier this month.

Instead, the Commission introduced a resolution to form a new task force to review the Advisory Committee’s work. The Commission approved that resolution with some amendments this week.

Commission members discussed the lack of some representation from lakefront property owners on the Advisory Board. Commission member Linn McCabe says in the meeting that she wants a majority of the new task force to be lakefront property owners. Others pushed for more scientists. In the end, the Commission settled on 30 percent of the membership being lakefront property owners. 

The group also requests water quality data be collected to determine the source of pollutants so the group will know if the regulations target the right landowners.

The group also suggested the task force have six months to review the Advisory Committee’s work and make recommendations for changes. Amendments and the final resolution passed unanimously. 

The resolution will be forwarded to the Assembly for consideration at a public meeting.

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