Colas Permit for a large Mat-Su gravel pit in the middle of a residential neighborhood off Parks Highway denied

Palmer, Alaska — Colas, one of the largest construction and asphalt producers in the world received news they are not used to hearing. Mat-Su officials denied a permit this week for a large gravel pit proposed for the quiet Meadow Lakes neighborhood off the Parks Highway. The decision announced Monday night creates a potential conflict with property owner Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, which is charged with raising revenue to fund mental-health programs for Alaska residents.

Quality Asphalt Paving, a subsidiary of Colaska Inc., a member of the international Colas Group, filed the application for the proposed pit in the unincorporated community west of Wasilla. It drew vocal opposition from area residents and the local community council.

Over a 20-year period, the company hoped to mine up to 2 million cubic yards of gravel. The conditional-use permit application stated that up to 1,000 truck trips are made daily on the narrow, two-lane Sylvan Road. Peak traffic volumes could reach 100 trucks per hour, an amount that engineers say borough roads are generally incapable of accommodating.

Residents expressed concerns about public safety, noise, and dwindling property values. The pit would be located less than a half-mile from over 270 property owners. According to planning clerk Karol Riese, only one of the 35 witnesses before the Matanuska-Susitna Borough planning commission Monday night supported the pit.

Quality Asphalt informed the commission that they operate gravel pits throughout the state, the majority of which are located in subdivisions, including Anchorage. At Sylvan Road, the company promised to construct earthen berms to muffle noise and to restrict loud rock crushing and screening operations to daylight hours.

QAP has additional gravel mining properties — residents pointed to an existing pit just across the Parks Highway — but that simply relocates the same issues, senior production engineer Patrick Cummins told the commission prior to voting.

The commission unanimously voted to deny the permit, citing conflicts between the company’s application and a 2005 plan guiding future growth in the area. Borough planners had advised against issuing the permit.

Trust officials assert that the denial may conflict with the borough’s fiduciary obligation to generate revenue.

Alaskans with a developmental disability, mental illness, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury, or Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia must use the state corporation’s approximately 1 million acres of land to generate revenue for “beneficiaries.”

According to officials, gravel mining on Sylvan Road could generate nearly $1.6 million for the trust over a 20-year period.

The trust frequently collaborates nicely with local governments. However, Boroughs have attempted to exercise authority over Trust lands on a number of occasions over the years. Typically, such disputes are resolved on a legal basis.”

The trust is considering an appeal, which must be filed within the next 21 days.