Friends of College Gate

Credit Union sues builder over delinquent loans. Claims Fraud.

2008-04-17T22:42:00.007-08:00

Fraud also? Didn't pay his bills? Lied to people? How can they say that ?
-Blog editor

The Associated Press
(from Anchorage Daily News)
April 17, 2008

The state's third largest credit union is suing a prominent home builder over millions of dollars in delinquent loans.

Denali Alaskan Federal Credit Union filed its lawsuit in March. It says Lee Baker Jr. and his business associates are responsible for $16 million in delinquent loans for building projects in Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

The credit union also accuses Baker and his wife, Pat Baker, who is a real estate agent, with fraud. The lawsuit says the total debt owed is $16.9 million, plus interest and fees. The lawsuit also seeks punitive damages.

Full Story:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ap_alaska/story/378726.html

Discovery Construction - Hard Times

2008-02-13T07:38:00.003-09:00

Shed some crocodile tears with me on this one.
The Daily News details the financial troubles of Discover Construction and Lee Baker.

Housing hard times
Soft market strains builder who specialized in lower-cost houses
By WESLEY LOY
wloy@adn.com | wloy@adn.com
Anchorage Daily News
Published: February 13th, 2008

see the full story at:
http://www.adn.com/money/story/313459.html

MOA Response to Bryn Mawr Traffic Impact Analysis

2007-09-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

Municipality of Anchorage Traffic Engineer, Bob Kniefel responds to Discovery Construction's Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA).
Read the entire letter.

Correction

2007-09-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

Note:
The link for viewing the Traffic Impact Analysis (see June posting) was not working for a time. It is now fixed. Gordon Jones, Editor.

Discussion with Lee Baker, MOA, Residents

2007-08-26T11:28:00.000-08:00

This is from the University Area Community Council Newsletter.
August 2007

Bryn Mawr Update – Condos not Apartments.

"Members of the College Alps and Castles of Bryn
Mawr boards, and 3 members of the UACC met with Denis LeBlanc, Lance Wilbur and Lee Baker to address our concerns regarding the Bryn Mawr project. Mr. Baker stated that the market has changed since he first planned this building and now the structure will be built as condos with wood floors and granite counters. He will also have a number of completed condos and will finish the rest as they sell. The Municipality is requiring Discovery to upgrade the intersection of NLB and Wesleyan with two left turn lanes from both the north and south sections of Wesleyan and one ingress lane and one right or straight-across lane. We all went over many of the issues we have stated in previous meetings and comments regarding the various TIAs. At the end of the meeting it was agreed we would reconvene after the MOA Traffic Engineer and Lance Wilbur thoroughly looked at the TIA. They agreed to look at a traffic study after school started and also at the intersection of Bryn Mawr and Wesleyan."

Traffic Impact Analysis

2007-06-23T22:56:00.000-08:00

A Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) for the proposed Bryn Mawr Apartments was produced by Tryck Nyman Hayes dated June 15, 2007. University Area Community Council president Susan Klein received a copy of the TIA on June 21.

This is a 360 page document. As a PDF file it is now 5.6 megs in size; rather large. If you select this link, please be prepared for the download to take a bit of time dependent on your connection speed and PC configuration.

If anyone desperately wants to read the document but cannot access it via the link below, please contact me, Gordon, at College.Gate@gmail.com.

Here's the link: Traffic Impact Analysis, June 15, 2007

UACC Meeting - June 6

2007-05-30T23:15:00.000-08:00

University Area Community Council meets Wednesday, June 6 night at 7pm.

Where: College Gate Elementary School Library, 3101 Sunflower.

Also the Muni has granted Discovery Construction a Structural Permit for Footing/Foundation dated May 8. I will post more as I get more information on this.

Public Hearing - May 10

2007-05-09T07:13:00.001-08:00

No hearing May 10 !

As of May 9, "this hearing has been postponed indefinately by the appellant".

Muni Zoning Case number 2007-035 is no longer active since the case was dropped by Discovery Construction.

Concerned About the Proposed Bryn Mawr Apartments

2007-03-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

The mission of this website/blog is to inform the community about the proposed Bryn Mawr Apartments. This site is intended to provide background on neighborhood concerns about the project as well as action steps for those who choose to oppose the scope of the project.

Project Background
Read Summary of Bryn Mawr Apartments below.

Action: What can you do?
Write emails, make calls, send a letter.
Suggested action steps are listed below.

Your Neighborhood Website

2007-03-27T22:33:00.001-08:00

If you are working on this issue on behalf of the College Gate neighborhood, this is YOUR website. I welcome comments and suggestions so this site becomes an aid to those who have labored on this issue longer than I. In addition, this website should be a resource for those new to the issue to learn about the proposed Bryn Mawr Apartments efficiently.

City has little regard for residents when it comes to development

2007-03-19T21:59:00.001-08:00

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

Action: What Can You Do?

2007-03-08T23:38:00.000-09:00

Meetings
The University Area Community Council meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month, 7 PM, at the College Gate Elementary School library. The next regular meeting is April 4, 2007.

The hearing before the Zoning Board of Examiners and Appeals has been postponed to May 10th at 6:30 PM in the Assembly Chambers at Loussac Library
Updates will be published as we get closer to that date.

Here's who to contact with your concerns:

Anchorage Assembly Members
Contact them at:
http://www.muni.org/iceimages/Assembly2/AssemblyContactListPublic.pdf

Assembly member Sheila Selkregg has expressed strong concern about the project.
Contact her at selkregg@yahoo.com or 338-3636.

Assembly members Ken Stout and Paul Bauer have focused on the Bryn Mawr Apartment issue.

You can check out the current status of the permits and needed fixes at http://pas.ci.anchorage.ak.us/pas/permitreports.cfm

The address of the proposed apartment complex is 4800 Bryn Mawr.
Refer to building permit number 06 5817

Issues to talk about are: safety, incompatibility with surrounding community, fire access, snow storage, drainage of snow, apartment visitor parking, air quality, quality of life, school bus stop, economic impact on your property, or the neighborhood.

Stand up, be bold, speak your mind !

Summary of the Bryn Mawr apartments and UACC involvement

2007-03-08T21:52:00.000-09:00

Written by Susan Klein

President, University Area Community Council

Feb 7, 2007

(This article was written as public testimony. -Editor)

Description of Issue

An 86-unit apartment complex is planned for the west end of Bryn Mawr Court (formerly Dr. Hines property). This tract is adjacent to Northern Lights Blvd. and just west of Wesleyan Drive. This section of Northern Lights Blvd. (from Lake Otis Parkway to Muldoon) is owned by the Municipality.

Due to the high impact to the surrounding neighbors, the UACC has been addressing issues concerning the increase in traffic and impact to the condos to the east and south of this proposed high-density development.

The plat for College Gate 1B-2C is 78-167 and has a restrictive plat note on it which states ""No access permitted onto Northern Lights Blvd. from Tract 1B-2C." This plat note was attached to this property in the 1970s due to the traffic on Northern Lights Blvd. (at that time about 15,000 cars a day).

Timeline of UACC involvement

January 4, 2006 – UACC monthly meeting - Harvey Prickett of Dean Architects gave a presentation on the proposed 85-unit apartment complex for the property at the west end of Bryn Mawr. Many concerns were raised with this development and people expressed a desire to continue discussion at another meeting prior to the next scheduled meeting in February.

January 12, 2006 - A special UACC meeting was held and was attended by over 50 people. A number of people volunteered to contact different offices within the Municipality and report back to one coordinator. A webpage was added to the UACC website to keep track of events in regards to the development.

January 2006 - Discovery Construction requested removal of a restrictive plat note on the property. This request went to the Platting Board, and community council members contributed many comments online and in hard copy.

February 1, 2006 – UACC monthly meeting - discussion continued at this meeting within the UACC membership and information on making comments to the Platting Board was posted on the UACC website. UACC requested a TIA of Bob Kniefel and after Ken Stout intervened one was required and members of the community council met over a number of weeks to draft responses to it.

Somewhere in the Spring of 2006 - Harvey Prickett and Lee Baker III met with Castles of Bryn Mawr members to show their new plans. Discovery wanted to buy property from Castles condo assoc for the access road. Neither Harvey Prickett nor Lee Baker knew that condos to the south of Bryn Mawr Court were also part of Castles.

Harvey Prickett and Lee Baker were also supposed to meet with College Alps condo association somewhere in this time period, but did not.

May 3, 2006 - Platting Board Hearing - Somewhere between 20-30 people testified against access to Northern Lights Boulevard from College Gate Tract 1B-2C at the May 3rd Platting Board hearing. The Platting Board voted unanimously to deny removal of restrictive plat note 1 on plat 78-167 (see below for detail on this plat). The petitioner (Discovery Construction) had 15 days to file for an appeal if they wish.

June 7, 2006 - Finding of Fact presented to Platting Board - Discovery Construction requested a "Finding of Fact" on the Platting Board May 3rd decision on Case #11457-1. This is the first step in appealing the Platting Board decision. A Finding of Fact means the MOA Planning Department prepares a document regarding what occurred at the May 3rd meeting - all the testimony and the discussions and questions by Platting Board members. The Platting Board at a non-public meeting on June 7th discussed this. They and the head of Planning signed the document and the UACC Board received a copy.

August 9, 2006 - Discovery Construction applied for a site and plot plan permit. The UACC Board became aware of this close to the end of August and followed up. In addition, the Castles of Bryn Mawr and College Alps condo associations are keeping close tabs on this project.

August 25, 2006 - a revised Traffic Impact Analysis was delivered to Bob Kniefel, Traffic Engineer. A copy was made available to the UACC and it was reviewed and comments returned to MOA Traffic. Changes included a proposed new access from Tract 1B-2C across College Alps parking area just to the east of the power line trail. Discovery had a deed and document search done on the Tract 1B-2C and came across a "reservation easement" to Dr. Hines from Tract 1B-2C to the tracts that include College Alps condos.

August 29, 2006 - Members of both condo associations and Susan Klein as UACC President met with MOA staff on to go over some of the issues. We were told by Jerry Weaver, Planning Dept. Manager that the additional information regarding the easement would probably have to be sent to the MOA legal department for a ruling before Traffic staff could address the traffic issues. He thought this would take about two weeks. In addition, Marc Guzik from the Planning Dept. noted that there are many items that need to be addressed in their site and plot plan in order for it to be approved. The site and plot plan application is available by going to the Municipal permit web site: http://pas.ci.anchorage.ak.us/pas/permitreports.cfm and entering the permit number 06 5817. This will give you the permit application and all the comments.

Mid-September 2006 – Bob Owens, MOA Attorney, gave a legal opinion to MOA Traffic regarding the easement over College Alps property. This legal opinion is confidential and was not shared with the UACC per email from Bob Kniefel to Susan Klein. But, Traffic denied primary access across College Alps property.

November 30, 2006 - Hearing before the Board of Adjudication - About 12 representatives from UACC, Castles of Bryn Mawr and College Alps were present to listen to the Board of Adjusters deliberations. The Board of Adjusters affirmed the Platting Board's decision to not remove the restriction of access to Northern Lights Blvd that is presently on the plat for Collegegate Tract 1B-2C.

In other words, they agreed with the Platting Board's decision to leave the restriction on the property and not allow access from Northern Lights Boulevard to the property.

The Board of Adjusters reviewed a written copy of their comments and signed it. The UACC received a copy of their decision. This decision is now a legal document.

Discovery Construction has the right to appeal this decision to the Superior Court of Alaska.

Early January 2007 – Cases on line #2007-035 - Discovery Construction is appealing denial of a building permit for the Bryn Mawr apartments on the grounds that the MOA cannot deny them a permit just because adjacent landowners “think” they do not have an easement with access to the property. This appeal is to be heard on March 8th.

Susan Klein called Jerry Weaver about the above case and at that time was informed that Lee Baker was purchasing the duplex on the corner of Bryn Mawr Court and Wesleyan Drive to create a new access road to his property. She requested a copy of the new access route from Bob Kniefel and it was emailed to her. This appeal may be withdrawn since Discovery Construction now has another access method.

UACC scheduled a special meeting for January 31,2007.

January 31, 2007 - The duplex on the corner of Bryn Mawr and Wesleyan Drive has been sold to Lee Baker. The duplex will be demolished to create a new road (private) from Bryn Mawr Court to the north of Castles of Bryn Mawr and parallel to NLB. This will be a one-way road going west to the apartment complex. There is a stipulation that the duplex not be torn down until January 2008.

MOA Traffic Department (Bob Kniefel) is amenable to a traffic pattern of 1. A right turn from NLB to Wesleyan, 2. A right on Bryn Mawr and 3, a right onto a new road where the duplex now sits. This would create one-way traffic into the complex and one-way traffic out (going east) on Bryn Mawr Court. Turning right or left out of Bryn Mawr Court has not been addressed by the Traffic Department.

January 31, 2007 – Special meeting - At this meeting a number of ideas were put forth and the major objective is safety. Safety for pedestrians, bike trail users, children who wait for the bus at the corner of Bryn Mawr Court and Wesleyan Drive and for the rest of the community. An ad hoc committee was formed and is addressing this from many sides. Some have written letters to our Assembly people (Dan Coffey and Dick Traini - west of Wesleyan, and Ken Stout and Paul Bauer - east of Wesleyan). Some are contacting the media. One person is writing a draft of a Compass piece for the Anchorage Daily News. Others are contacting the Traffic and Planning Departments and the Mayor's Office.

2007-03-08T19:41:00.000-09:00

University Lake
Fall 2006