City has little regard for residents when it comes to development

This is a Letter to the Editor published in the Anchorage Daily News on March 8, 2007

Why does development have to come at the expense of an existing neighborhood? An 86-unit apartment complex is being planned on three acres adjacent to College Gate subdivision and three condo complexes. The proposed development is a very high-density apartment complex for the land footprint, and presents access, traffic and safety issues.

Access to the proposed apartment development is limited at best. All options include access by one lane in and one lane out. This will create traffic jams.

Traffic will back up at the Wesleyan and Northern Lights intersection, especially with the additional development on the adjacent corner. Traffic signals are insufficient. Turn lanes are insufficient. There is a school bus stop on the east side of Wesleyan Drive at Bryn Mawr Court. There are no sidewalks for children, bikers and walkers who walk to school, the school bus stop or to the bike path.

The developer has refused to talk with residents about its plans, ways to mitigate problems or solve problems. While municipal officials have attended resident and community council meetings and have appeared to listen to the community, in reality the municipality has taken action with disregard to residents' concerns. All the problems associated with this development could be remedied by reducing the density of the proposed apartment development.

---- Betty Adkison