What have I missed?

The community has been fighting a state-owned 113 acre quarry development in the middle of parks, lakes, and residential neighborhoods, that does not comply with the law or our land use plans. The Comsat Area Lakes and Land Alliance (CALLA) is defending the existing land use plans that protect the area's natural attributes. CALLA delivered a 35 page draft legal complaint to DNR and a proposal to classify the land as Public Recreation and Habitat, in keeping with management intentions.

DNR pivoted and said they were issuing an interagency land management agreement (ILMA) to the Department of Transportation, and designating 113 acres for extraction.

DNR then denied the classification proposal without due consideration or public input. CALLA appealed. So did the Mat-Su Borough, who supports our classification proposal. The matter is under administrative appeal now, to the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, Corri Feige.

DNR then issued a Preliminary Decision to make the 113 acres a "Designated Material Site" and hand it over to DOT for the time being. That required a public comment period to designate the site, and then dispose of their management interests to DOT, so they opened up a 20 day public comment window that closed on October 25th. This was the only time in the site's 56 year history that the public has been able to comment, because the site has not ever been identified as state land or been through the Planning, Inventory and Classification process required by law.

CALLA was copied in on over 100 thoughtful letters and comments opposing the DNR actions, and supporting Public Recreation/Habitat. The letters came from:

Former DNR planner and land use expert, Chris Beck
The MSB
Renowned economist Gunnar Knapp, who provided an economic analysis
The Mat-Su Parks and Trails Foundation
Talkeetna Community Council
Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce
Susitna River Coalition
The Sierra Club
Chickaloon Village Tribal Council
Talkeetna Historical Society

And loads more.