OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Urban Design Commission Meeting - April 30, 2026: Fish Creek Trail and Glen Highway Interchange Reviews

Assembly & Committee Meetings — Thursday, April 30, 2026
BodyAnchorage, Alaska
SessionAssembly & Committee Meetings
DateThursday, April 30, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:40:26
Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Good evening.

0:07

It's 6 32, April 29th, 2026, and the meeting of the Urban Design Commission will now come to order.

0:13

Maybe please have a roll call.

0:15

Monica Sullivan.

0:17

Here.

0:18

Edith McKee.

0:19

Here.

0:19

Alison Lenick?

0:21

Here.

0:21

Julia Foland.

0:22

Here.

0:23

Alexandra Nanello.

0:26

Here.

0:26

Trevor Strait.

0:28

Here.

0:28

James Cullis is excused.

0:30

You have a quorum.

0:31

Thank you.

0:32

Thank you.

0:33

May we get a motion to approve the minutes from March 20th, 2026.

0:48

It's been moved by Commissioner Lenig and Senate seconded by Commissioner Strait.

0:53

Are there any corrections to the minutes?

0:59

Are there any objections to the minutes being approved?

1:04

Hearing none, the minutes are approved.

1:08

We'll now move on to disclosures.

1:10

Are there any disclosures?

1:19

How do I do this?

1:32

Galen Jones, who will be presenting case 2026-0051 is a project manager with the DOT that I work with on other projects.

1:49

With the Glen Highway and Highland Road Interchange Improvements.

1:53

I don't stand to have any financial gain from that project directly or indirectly.

1:58

And I was not aware of the project until I reviewed it recently.

2:16

Thank you.

2:18

May I please get a motion to direct uh Commissioner McKee to participate in case 2026-0051.

2:35

Sorry.

2:45

Um is there any discussion or objection to the motion.

2:52

Seeing none and hearing none, um Commissioner Chair McKee is directed to participate in case 2026-0051.

3:03

I will hand this back to you now.

3:15

Okay.

3:16

We don't have any items on the consent agenda, unfinished business or items on the regular agenda this evening.

3:22

Therefore, we will move on to the public hearings, and I'll read the public process.

3:37

If the Urban Design Commission fails to complete its agenda for its regular meetings, the commission carries over the remainder of the agenda to the following meeting date.

3:45

The procedure by which the public may speak to the Urban Design Commission at its meeting is one, after the staff presentation is completed on public hearing items, the chair will ask for public testimony on the issue.

3:58

Two, persons who wish to testify will follow the time limits established in the Urban Design Commission rules of procedure.

4:04

Petitioners, including all his, her, their representatives will have 10 minutes.

4:09

Rebuttal by the petitioner may be allowed when the time has been reserved.

4:14

Representatives of groups, community councils, PTAs, etc.

4:18

will have five minutes.

4:22

When your testimony is complete, you may be asked questions by the commission.

4:27

You may only testify once on any issue unless questioned by the commission.

4:33

Any part of any party of interest wishing to appeal shall first file with the planning director within seven days of the commission's decision made on the record.

4:42

A written notice of intent to appeal in accordance with AMC 21.03.050A4A.

4:50

Commission recommendations to the Anchorage Assembly are not appealable.

5:00

Following approval of the written findings of fact and decision any party of interest may within 20 days file an appeal by filing a notice of appeal and paying the appeal fee and deposit in accordance with section 2103 050.

5:09

The notice of appeal must be filed with the planning director on a form prescribed by the municipality.

5:14

If the appellant is not the applicant the appellant notice of appeal shall include proof of service on the applicant.

5:26

Maybe please have staff's presentation yes thank you Chair McKee.

5:34

So this is a trail review for the AMATS Fish Creek Trail connection.

5:39

This trail would be approximately 1.1 miles it would be a new non-motorized pathway extending from Northern Lights to the coastal trail.

5:50

Segment re uh this new trail would cause a segment of the coastal trail between the tunnel from Westchester Lagoon to the Fish Creek Bridge to be repaved and relocated to facilitate this connection.

6:02

The majority of the project corridor is within Alaska Railroad right away plus one easement on private property near the southern end of the project.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████████████████████████████████40%
Transportation Safety█████████████████17%
Procedural███████████████15%
Parks and Recreation███████████████15%
Public Engagement██████6%
Active Transportation███3%
Environmental Protection███3%
Public Safety█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Urban Design Commission Meeting - April 30, 2026

The Urban Design Commission met on April 30, 2026, from 6:32 PM to 8:12 PM to conduct two public hearings: the AMATS Fish Creek Trail Connection (Case 2026-0047) and the Glen Highway and Highland Road Interchange Improvements (Case 2026-0051). Both projects were approved unanimously (6-0). The meeting also included a disclosure from Commissioner McKee regarding a potential conflict of interest, and staff announced that the Anchorage Assembly had adopted an ordinance to sunset the Urban Design Commission, making the May 2026 meeting the final regular meeting.

Disclosures and Minutes

  • Minutes from March 20, 2026, were approved unanimously.
  • Commissioner McKee disclosed a professional relationship with the project manager for Case 2026-0051 but stated no financial interest; the commission directed her to participate.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Fish Creek Trail: Diana Rhodes, representing the Anchorage Park Foundation, testified in strong support, noting the project has been a goal since the 1997 trails plan and that six voter-supported bonds have passed to provide the local match. She also mentioned an indigenous place names plaza planned for the nearby coastal trail.
  • Glen Highway Interchange: No public testimony was offered.

Discussion Items

  • Fish Creek Trail Connection (Case 2026-0047): The proposed 1.1-mile non-motorized pathway from Northern Lights Boulevard to the coastal trail, including a realignment of a segment of the coastal trail. The project team (CRW Engineering Group, DOT, MOA Parks and Recreation) presented the 75% design. Key features include a 40-foot pedestrian bridge over Fish Creek, continuous fencing along the railroad (6-foot chain link with barbed wire) and a 3-foot wood-clad fence on the estuary side, and a 350-foot soldier pile retaining wall to minimize visual impact on adjacent properties. The trail is routed close to the railroad tracks per community council requests. Commissioners asked about wildlife escape, drainage, wayfinding, and maintenance. The design was found consistent with multiple adopted plans.
  • Glen Highway and Highland Road Interchange Improvements (Case 2026-0051): The project addresses morning commute queuing on Eagle River Loop Road by constructing a "diverge about" (diverging diamond interchange with roundabouts) at the interchange. The design includes a center-running multi-use pathway on the existing bridge to improve non-motorized safety, reducing crossings from eight to six and shortening the walking distance by 400 feet. The project budget is approximately $21 million. Commissioners asked about wrong-way signage, drainage, snow removal, and pedestrian safety. The design was praised for its context-sensitive approach.

Key Outcomes

  • Case 2026-0047 (Fish Creek Trail): Approved unanimously (6-0). The motion was made by Commissioner Lenig, seconded by Commissioner Strait, and included findings that the project complies with the comprehensive plan and other adopted plans.
  • Case 2026-0051 (Glen Highway Interchange): Approved unanimously (6-0) with conditions as listed on page six of the staff report. The motion was made by Commissioner Strait, seconded by Commissioner Lenig, and included extensive findings regarding compliance, context, costs, and pedestrian accommodations.
  • Commission Sunset: Staff announced that the Anchorage Assembly adopted the ordinance to sunset the Urban Design Commission. The May 2026 regular meeting will be the final meeting, after which reviews will go to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. It's 6 32, April 29th, 2026, and the meeting of the Urban Design Commission will now come to order. Maybe please have a roll call. Monica Sullivan. Here. Edith McKee. Here. Alison Lenick? Here. Julia Foland. Here. Alexandra Nanello. Here. Trevor Strait. Here. James Cullis is excused. You have a quorum. Thank you. Thank you. May we get a motion to approve the minutes from March 20th, 2026. It's been moved by Commissioner Lenig and Senate seconded by Commissioner Strait. Are there any corrections to the minutes? Are there any objections to the minutes being approved? Hearing none, the minutes are approved. We'll now move on to disclosures. Are there any disclosures? How do I do this? Galen Jones, who will be presenting case 2026-0051 is a project manager with the DOT that I work with on other projects. With the Glen Highway and Highland Road Interchange Improvements. I don't stand to have any financial gain from that project directly or indirectly. And I was not aware of the project until I reviewed it recently. Thank you. May I please get a motion to direct uh Commissioner McKee to participate in case 2026-0051. Sorry. Um is there any discussion or objection to the motion. Seeing none and hearing none, um Commissioner Chair McKee is directed to participate in case 2026-0051. I will hand this back to you now. Okay. We don't have any items on the consent agenda, unfinished business or items on the regular agenda this evening. Therefore, we will move on to the public hearings, and I'll read the public process. If the Urban Design Commission fails to complete its agenda for its regular meetings, the commission carries over the remainder of the agenda to the following meeting date. The procedure by which the public may speak to the Urban Design Commission at its meeting is one, after the staff presentation is completed on public hearing items, the chair will ask for public testimony on the issue. Two, persons who wish to testify will follow the time limits established in the Urban Design Commission rules of procedure. Petitioners, including all his, her, their representatives will have 10 minutes. Rebuttal by the petitioner may be allowed when the time has been reserved. Representatives of groups, community councils, PTAs, etc. will have five minutes. When your testimony is complete, you may be asked questions by the commission. You may only testify once on any issue unless questioned by the commission. Any part of any party of interest wishing to appeal shall first file with the planning director within seven days of the commission's decision made on the record.

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