04/02/2009 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

HB 171-AUTHORIZING TRANSFER OF RAILROAD LAND                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
9:12:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HERRON announced that the  final order of business would                                                               
be HOUSE  BILL NO. 171, "An  Act authorizing the transfer  of two                                                               
parcels  of land  from  the Alaska  Railroad  Corporation to  the                                                               
Municipality of Anchorage; and providing for an effective date."                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:12:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   NANCY  DAHLSTROM,   Alaska  State   Legislature,                                                               
speaking as sponsor  of HB 171, characterized HB 171  as a simple                                                               
bill.  The  proposed land swap would benefit the  quality of life                                                               
for residents of the Government  Hill neighborhood as well as the                                                               
Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC).                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:13:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LAURA  PIERRE,  Staff,  Representative  Nancy  Dahlstrom,  Alaska                                                               
State Legislature, speaking  on behalf of the sponsor  of HB 171,                                                               
informed the committee that AS  42.42.085 sets out the guidelines                                                               
regarding  the ARRC  swapping  any land  and  specifies that  the                                                               
legislature must approve a land swap  by ARRC.  The proposed land                                                               
swap  is between  the Municipality  of Anchorage  and ARRC.   She                                                               
noted   that  the   committee  packet   should   include  a   map                                                               
illustrating the  parcels to  be swapped.   She  highlighted that                                                               
the entrance into Government Hill  Elementary School is curvy and                                                               
unsafe  for   children,  and  thus   would  be   redeveloped  and                                                               
redesigned such  that there's a  safer entrance into  the school.                                                               
The land  ARRC will  receive from the  municipality is  land that                                                               
flanks the land already owned by ARRC.   Section 1 of HB 171 sets                                                               
out  the  two   parcels  of  land  ARRC  will   transfer  to  the                                                               
municipality.    Ms.  Pierre related  that  the  Municipality  of                                                               
Anchorage, Government Hill Community  Council, and members of the                                                               
community are in support of HB 171.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:15:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER, referring to the  map, inquired as to the                                                               
significance of the orange lines.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:15:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WENDY  LINDSKOOG, Assistant  Vice  President, Corporate  Affairs,                                                               
Alaska Railroad  Corporation, Department of  Commerce, Community,                                                               
& Economic  Development (DCCED), specified that  the orange lines                                                               
delineate  ARRC   property  lines.     In  further   response  to                                                               
Representative  Gardner,  Ms.  Lindskoog  pointed  out  that  the                                                               
school is  located with  several little roads  coming into  it as                                                               
well as the entrance to Elmendorf  Air Force Base.  The access in                                                               
the area is difficult, she said.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:17:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS  inquired as  to ARRC  use of  the property                                                               
designated in red.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LINDSKOOG  stated  that  it's   used  for  parking  and  she                                                               
predicted that ARRC  would continue to use it for  parking in the                                                               
near  future.   By ARRC  owning the  entire parcel,  it would  be                                                               
easier for those  interested in leasing the property.   She added                                                               
that once  these properties are  in the  hands of a  third party,                                                               
the property  goes on  the tax  rolls for  the municipality.   In                                                               
further response  to Representative  Harris, Ms.  Lindskoog noted                                                               
her agreement  that the parking  provides leasing income  for the                                                               
property.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:18:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS, returning to the  orange lines on the map,                                                               
inquired as to whether the residential area is ARRC property.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. LINDSKOOG  specified that  the larger  blue block  within the                                                               
orange line is the residential  development.  Therefore, the city                                                               
owns the land within the  orange lines and the municipality [owns                                                               
the land outside  the orange lines].  She  then acknowledged that                                                               
the land on the port with the tanks is ARRC property.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS then asked if the port is ARRC property.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS.  LINDSKOOG clarified  that there  is a  certain area  [by the                                                               
port] where  the port owns part  of the land and  ARRC owns other                                                               
parts of the land.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:20:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BOB   FRENCH,  Co-Vice   President,  Government   Hill  Community                                                               
Council,  informed  the  committee  that  community  councils  in                                                               
Anchorage  serve as  the  most basic  form  of local  government.                                                               
There  are  39  community  councils in  Anchorage,  ranging  from                                                               
Eklutna  to Girdwood.    While the  community  councils have  few                                                               
powers, the municipality  does seek advice and  guidance from the                                                               
community councils  on many  local issues.   Government  Hill, he                                                               
related,   is  proud   to  be   Anchorage's   first  and   oldest                                                               
neighborhood.  He pointed out  that Government Hill is surrounded                                                               
by  land  that's  owned  by  various  entities,  including  ARRC,                                                               
Elmendorf Air Force Base, and the  Port of Anchorage.  Mr. French                                                               
expressed support  for HB  171 as  it will  have a  very positive                                                               
impact on  the neighborhood.   As noted earlier,  Government Hill                                                               
is probably  one of  the only  areas in the  state where  so much                                                               
ARRC land is mixed in  with privately and municipally owned land.                                                               
The proposal by HB 171  tries to simplify the convoluted property                                                               
ownership  issues.   Mr. French  highlighted that  the Government                                                               
Hill  Elementary School  hosts a  Spanish immersion  program that                                                               
attracts folks  from all over  the Anchorage Bowl.   Furthermore,                                                               
since it's  a magnet school, it  brings in lots of  traffic every                                                               
morning and afternoon.   He then proceeded to review  the lack of                                                               
safety  at  the  Government  Hill  Elementary  School  area,  and                                                               
pointed out  that ARRC's parcel  has proven  to block a  safe and                                                               
accessible entrance  into the Government Hill  Elementary School.                                                               
In conclusion, Mr. French related his support for HB 171.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:24:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM reiterated that  this issue impacts many                                                               
people as the  Government Hill Elementary School  is attended and                                                               
accessed by  folks from all over  the Anchorage area.   She noted                                                               
that even  for those who  know where  they're going, the  area is                                                               
confusing  to travel.    Representative  Dahlstrom requested  the                                                               
committee's support for HB 171.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:24:55 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS  moved to  report HB  171 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection, it was so ordered.