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D. Infrastructure West Anchorage District Plan

INFRASTRUCTURE Infrastructure in West Anchorage is well-developed, including public and private utilities and facilities. Development in this area is generally not hindered by lack of access to infrastructure. This chapter reviews the services and organizations that provide utilities and social services including Fire, Emergency Medical Service (EMS), and Police as well as education within the West Anchorage planning area.

Public and Private Utilities Utilities in West Anchorage include water, wastewater, storm water, electric, natural gas, telecommunications, cable, and cellular services. To the extent possible, new utilities follow the roadway alignments of the Official Streets and Highways Plan. The Utility Corridor Plan and Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) are interrelated with the LRTP identifying the major areas of road improvements and the Utility Corridor Planidentifying the locations of future utility transmission facilities. The siting of utility transmission facilities within or adjacent to road ROW vary depending on MOA or State jurisdiction and with engineering road design standards. The Areawide Trails Planidentifies the trail system for MOA and joint use of ROW for bike/pedestrian trails and utility lines is often advantageous for both.

Water, Wastewater, and Storm Water The Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility (AWWU) provides water and sewer to most of the planning area. Its certificated boundary (permitted by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska) is shown in Figure D-1. Water and sewer lines are usually located under the paved portion of the street ROW. Some major lines are located in State owned ROW or elsewhere (like back lot line easements) if there are severe topographic constraints.

The objective of the AWWU Anchorage Water Master Plan (2005) is to provide a guide for future expansion and modification to the AWWU water system for the land use development patterns anticipated during the preparation of its recommendations. It has flexibility to adapt to unanticipated changes.

Residents in West Anchorage without AWWU service operate private on-site water and septic systems or receive service from one of four small water utilities (shown in Figure D-1). Detailed maps of AWWU infrastructure can be found in their master plan. AWWU has the ability to extend its infrastructure within its certificated boundary.

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Certificated Water Utility Areas

!1 Romig Park Improvement Company - Certificate No. 82

!2 Spenard Heights Water System - Certificate No. 271

!3 South Central Utilities Inc. - Certificate No. 361

!4 Sand Lake Services - Certificate No. 76

Source: Municipality of Anchorage

Exhibit D-1: Water DistrictsWest Anchorage District Plan

kj AWWU Facility

AWWU Certificated Area

West Anchorage Planning Area Boundary

TSAIA Property

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Drinking Water The majority of drinking water supplied by AWWU to the Bowl is from Eklutna Lake (surface water) and wells (groundwater). Treated water is distributed to the majority of the Bowl through an extensive network of transmission and distribution mains with a total length of over 685 miles. This system includes booster stations, valve vaults, pressure reducing stations, and over 5,100 hydrants.

WastewaterAWWU operates the John M. Asplund Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF), a 58 million gallon per day facility located at Pt. Woronzof (shown in Figure D-2 with other West Anchorage infrastructure). The WWTF provides primary treatment to Bowl wastewater before discharging it into Cook Inlet. (Primary treatment is a sedimentation settling process to skim grease and oils and separate sludge.) The extreme tides of Cook Inlet, high level of primary treatment, and chlorination are some factors that allowed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue the WWTF a waiver from secondary treatment (AWWU, 2009). AWWU maintains an extensive marine monitoring program to ensure their discharge does not have a negative impact on the Cook Inlet environment. However, there is no conclusive evidence indicating the cumulative effect of disposing wastewater into the Inlet. The EPA reissues the secondary treatment waiver roughly every five years. If the secondary treatment waiver is not granted, WWTF may have to upgrade and expand their facility.

Storm Water The storm drain system in West Anchorage is owned and maintained by the MOA and ADOT&PF. It is comprised of oil and grease separators in storm drain catch basins and sedimentation basins that are owned by MOA or built by private developers. Storm water is collected to reduce flooding from rain and melting snow. Most of the system discharge is into creeks, lakes, or wetlands.

Solid Waste Most residential and commercial waste is trucked to the Central Transfer Station and eventually hauled in trailers to the Anchorage Regional Landfill. Wastes that are not accepted at the transfer station must be delivered directly to the landfill (i.e. some commercial and industrial wastes; clean construction material can be delivered to the Sand Lake pit).

Figure D-2 The Anchorage Recycling Guide by ALPAR provides details on

recycling, reuse, and composting opportunities including the location of

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Residential Solid Waste Residential solid waste services are provided by Alaska Waste and MOA Solid Waste Services (SWS).

There are no capacity issues at the landfill in Eagle River and all areas within West Anchorage are served by waste haulers. Access to solid waste service is unlikely to restrict development.

Alaska Waste provides curbside residential trash service to the majority of West Anchorage. Alaska Waste’s service is “subscription” or voluntary and the company has the necessary infrastructure to provide waste service to the planning area regardless of maximum build-out. Alaska Waste provides curbside recycling service to customers by subscription.

SWS provides mandatory curbside residential trash service collection to a small segment of residential units in Turnagain and North Star Community Councils which lie within the original City of Anchorage service area. SWS is phasing in its automated trash collection system which includes curbside recycling. SWS also has adequate capacity and necessary infrastructure to provide waste service to all planned development within its defined service area.

Residents who choose to recycle utilize drop-off sites (described in the Anchorage Recycling Guide) or curbside subscription recycling service if they live within the service areas. Several organizations coordinate recycling efforts that have reduced municipal solid waste tonnage by almost 10% (Madden, 2009).

Commercial Solid Waste Commercial waste dumpster service is provided by a number of private haulers to private business, multi-family residential properties, and public facilities. Access to waste service is not an issue for future development, but there are opportunities to provide better trash service with building design and screening that account for pick-up space requirements of trash trucks.

Power and Heating Enstar provides 90% of Anchorage residents’ natural gas for heating or appliances. Enstar also provides natural gas direct to commercial customers and to electric companies for power generation. The Enstar transmission line travels from the Kenai Peninsula, crosses Turnagain Arm to Potter Marsh, and enters the planning area roughly along the Anchorage Railroad ROW.

As shown in Figure D-3, Municipal Light & Power (ML&P) provides electricity for the northwest corner of the planning area. Chugach Electric Association (CEA) is the electrical power provider to the remainder of the planning area.

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Source: Municipality of Anchorage

Exhibit D-3: Public FacilitiesWest Anchorage District Plan

West Anchorage Planning Area Boundary

TSAIA Property

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Telecommunications and Cable Cables for telecommunications are usually buried in combination with other utility systems, particularly with underground electric. GCI uses fiber optic cables that run in the Alaska Railroad ROW. For towers, see below.

Cellular Towers There are dozens of registered cellular towers located in West Anchorage (shown in Figure D-2). Service is widely available in West Anchorage, but there are areas within Kincaid Park where service is unavailable. Should future commercial towers be located in West Anchorage, it would change land use for some parcels. Tower construction is regulated by Anchorage Municipal Code 21.45.265; heights are restricted by the zoning district. MOA encourages collocation of multiple carriers on towers.

Public Facilities For the purposes of this document, public facilities are key components of the community infrastructure, maintained by State, Federal, municipal, and private entities. Public facilities are distributed throughout West Anchorage.

Medical Facilities There are private walk-in clinics in West Anchorage but no hospitals and no municipal health clinics. The MOA does not provide health services; facilities in this area are privately managed.

Administrative Facilities The only government-related administrative office for MOA or the state in West Anchorage is the main office ADOT&PF Central Region at 4111 Aviation Avenue.

Civic and Cultural Facilities The civic and cultural facilities in West Anchorage include churches, Kincaid Bunker, the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum, Spenard Recreation Center (Spenard Rec), and Turnagain Arts Building. There are no libraries in West Anchorage except those found in public schools. West Anchorage CCs meet at the Spenard Rec, Calvary Church, and Turnagain Elementary School.

Fire/EMS Stations Residential and commercial structures receive insurance safety ratings based on whether they are less than 5 miles from a fire station or hydrant. Anchorage is rated a 2 out of 10; 1 being the highest rating. The following stations service West Anchorage with Fire, EMS, and Rescue and are shown in Figure D-3.

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Battalion One (Companies)Station #5 at Spenard Road and McRae Road contains Engine 5, Medic 5, and Truck 5.

Battalion Two (Companies)Station #7 at Jewel Lake and West 88th Avenue contains Fire Engine 7. Station #15 at 11301 Southport Drive lies just outside the planning area with Fire Engine 15 that may respond to calls within the project area.

The 2008-2013 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) did not contain major changes to the Fire/EMS facilities in the project area. The Station #5 ladder truck and pumper are due for a replacement and some overall facility renovation.

Anchorage Police Department The planning area is almost completely contained within the Anchorage Police Department (APD) West Patrol District. An APD Training Center is located on West Dimond Boulevard, in the planning area.

Monthly crime density maps produced by APD indicate that the relative density of property crimes1 and public order offenses2 have a hot spot in Spenard CC bounded approximately by Minnesota, West Fireweed, and Benson (see Figure D-4 and D-5). Person crimes3 have no hot spots in the project area, but moderate spots within Spenard CC and the West 88th and West 78th Avenue areas in Sand Lake CC (Figure D-6). Crime density maps can be downloaded from the MOA website: http://www.muni.org/Departments/police/stats. Sand Lake CC residents and Mears Middle School students have provided anecdotal descriptions of “gang” or teen alcohol and drug behavior on West 88th Avenue, along the Campbell Creek trail near Victor Road, and on trails near Sand Lake Elementary and Dimond High School.

APD’s Community Action Policing (CAP) Team is a program that puts a high number of officers in one area. The CAP Team is now active in Spenard and Sand Lake CC is interested in bringing-in the CAP team. Each CC has numerous community patrols with Sand Lake containing the greatest number (13) (Peck, 2009).

1 Property crimes include burglary, theft and stolen vehicles 2 Public order offenses include disorderly conduct, disturbance, weapons brandishing, vandalism, trespass, indecent exposure, and vehicle tampering 3 Person crimes are severe crimes of homicide, rape, robbery and assault

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EducationThe ASD public schools and charter/alternative schools found in the project area (or that draw attendance from the project area) are listed in Table D-1 and shown in Figure D-7. Table D-1 contains the age of the school and whether major additions were done to the original structure. The ASD Information Technology, Purchasing, and Warehouse support facilities are also located within West Anchorage.

Table D-1. Public and Private Schools in the Planning Area

Primary Schools Middle Schools High Schools Charter Schools

Aquarian Charter School K-6 (1966 + additions) Rilke Schule Charter School Secondary (2007) Continuation Program School

Private Schools

Bayshore Elementary (1976 + additions) Campbell Elementary (1965 + additions) Chinook Elementary (1968 + additions) Gladys Wood Elementary (1970 + additions) Kincaid Elementary (1996) Lake Hood Elementary (1996) Northwood ABC Elementary (1963 + additions) Sand Lake Elementary (1958 + additions) Turnagain Elementary (1956 + additions) Willow Crest Elementary (1960 + additions)

Romig Middle School (1963 + additions) Mears Middle School (1985)

Dimond High School (2003) West High School (1953 + additions)

Anchorage Montessori School Anchor Lutheran School Atheneum School Lumen Christian Tom Thumb Montessori School

Source: ASD, 2009

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Charter and Private Schools!1 Anchorage Montessori School!2 Aquarian Charter School!3 Athenum School!4 Continuation Program!5 Lumen Christi!6 Lutheran Anchor School!7 Rilke Shule German School!8 Tom Thumb Montessori School

Source: Municipality of Anchorage

Exhibit D-7: Public and Private SchoolsWest Anchorage District Plan

West Anchorage Planning Area Boundary

TSAIA Property

Public Schools!A Campbell Elementary School!B Chinook Elementary School!C Dimond High School!D Gladys Wood Elementary School!E Kincaid Elementary School!F Lake Hood Elementary School!G Mears Middle School!H Northwood Elementary School!I Romig Middle School!J Sand Lake Elementary School!K Turnagain Elementary School!L West High School!M Willow Crest Elementary School

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The Anchorage School District Ten Year Capital Improvement Plan (2009-2019) addresses anticipated levels of student enrollment along with school facility condition/functionality from an educational perspective. There are no near-term site selections for new schools indicated in the ASD 2009 CIP.

The following major capital improvements are planned for the high school attendance areas:

Dimond Attendance AreaGladys Wood Elementary - reconstruction Bayshore Elementary - reconstruction Southwest Elementary School – new school

West Attendance AreaInlet View Elementary - reconstruction Turnagain Elementary - reconstruction West/Romig Secondary School – phased reconstruction Central Middle School - reconstruction

The West/Romig campus is undergoing a master planning process in 2009-2010 after the completion of the 2008 Pre-Planning Vision Report: West High School & Romig Middle School Renewal. The vision is to restructure the West/Romig campus into a hub for the community where the campus integrates educational opportunities through the use of Educational Enterprise Partners (ASD, 2008). The master planning process will bring more details to the community in terms of construction alternatives and traffic pattern options.