GCLT South Townsite Lease
Girdwood Community Land Trust
September 2022
55-Year Lease with Heritage Land Bank
Heritage Land Bank has offered Girdwood Community Land Trust an opportunity for a 55-year ground lease on Girdwood South Townsite Tract G6.
This tract has had more community planning done than any other lot in the Girdwood Valley. It is the tract which is identified in the Girdwood South Townsite Master Plan for locating a multi-use facility, along with a new location for Little Bears.
A purpose of this presentation is to notify the community this opportunity has been offered and we are engaging in moving forward. HLB provided an example of a lease for a non-profit, which is the Chugiak Volunteer Fire Department ground lease. (View here.) We are still in the beginning phases of working through details of our potential lease. We are hoping for this resolution to further demonstrate community engagement and support, as well as help facilitate working with municipal departments. This lease is the first step toward local management of land intended for community use.
In order for us to move forward, the land transferring from a lease into ownership is required for a CLT model to work as intended and important to be incorporated into the lease.
The offered resolution specifically states support for the lease and Phase I, childcare center project. Future phases would be expected to obtain additional Resolutions of Support prior to development.
Girdwood Community Land Trust plans to lease the 14.5-acre parcel and immediately intends to create frag lots/interior lot lines and sublease a 2.5 acre area to Little Bears for a new childcare facility, with a goal of the land being transferred to Little Bears Playhouse as a best-case scenario should the Board of Directors (BOD) be in favor.
Little Bears has additional location opportunities on Alyeska land, but this location is most preferred by LB staff. Little Bears Board of Directors have indicated they are interested in pursuing the opportunity to be located at this site. Factors such as how much of the road will be required for construction, will be a major factor in moving forward on this parcel.
Despite challenges, there is substantial support for Girdwood Community Land Trust concepts/goals and future projects in the Master Plan.
Girdwood Community Land Trust hopes to foster moving the childcare project in the area of town it is most fitting and desired by the operating organization. By moving the parcel into local management other non-profit organizations and civic causes may still utilize the land and could develop additional concepts, by means of sublease or owning structures on the land in future phases.
We welcome you to visit our website and encourage you to read more, become a member, or learn about this lease, as we progress in the process. This page will be updated as we receive new information.
Our bylaws state that board member elections happen in the 4th quarter of each year. We traditionally do this in October. Are you a professional who is interested in joining our board? We invite those who are interested in volunteering in a minor capacity, as well as new board members.
Specifically supporting the childcare facility concept in the Girdwood South Townsite Master Plan include:
“A consortium of groups, including Little Bears and the health clinic, has developed plans for a new multi-use facility and is actively seeking a new site and funding. (Page 17, Executive Summary 1.2)
Phase One Development - Phase One includes the new library and community center and the new fire station to be constructed at the current location. While the library/community building does generate additional trips in the area, it is anticipated that the new fire station will maintain current use levels and will not result in any significant increase. .” (Page 80, The Planning Concept 6.3) (COMPLETED)
Phase Two Development - Phase Two proposes a new Multi-Use community center that will house an expanded Little Bears Day Care Center, a community athletic facility, and a relocated and expanded healthcare center. Additional commercial development may be associated with these improvements. As plans for development proceed, a traffic impact analysis will be required to determine the impacts for traffic in the South Townsite Area.” (Page 80, The Planning Concept 6.3) (THIS PROJECT FOCUS ON CHILDCARE)
Current Recommendation The master plan recommends relocating Little Bears to a site identified on Figure 8.1 as the Girdwood Multi-Use Community Center. The Little Bears child care facility would share facilities at this location with a new health clinic and an indoor community athletic facility. Efforts are currently underway to obtain the necessary funding. Access to the Girdwood Multi-Use Community Center would be provided by a small access road extending from the end of Egloff Drive. (Page 116, Plan Recommendations 8.9)
Additional References Relevant to Little Bears:
HLB’s long-term intent is to help foster a strong community. As an example of its responsiveness to community needs, HLB is working with Little Bears on a below-market lease that will assist the childcare center in locating a new facility somewhere in the South Townsite. (Page 18, Executive Summary 1.3)
Items of immediate priority were the designation of a new location for Little Bears Playhouse childcare center and a decision on the routing of an improved road to the library. (Page 23, Executive Summary 1.8)
Provide for both near-term and long-term change: Resolve near-term needs (a library access road and a new site for Little Bears), clarify the circulation network as a supportive framework for future development, and identify a general arrangement of civic, commercial, and residential uses that can be reasonably phased in the future as demand for these becomes clearer and funding becomes available. (Page 26, Executive Summary 1.11)
Identify a New Location for Little Bears Little Bears Playhouse childcare center is an institution in Girdwood. However, the existing Little Bears building is undersized and in poor condition. The group that operates the facility has been working with the Municipality to reserve land and raise money to fund a new building. The group has joined with other groups seeking space and a combined facility that would contain Little Bears Child Care, a clinic, and a community athletic/recreation facility is now referred to as the Girdwood Multi-Use Community Center. Confirmation of a specific site for the new building is a prerequisite to proceeding with the project and acquiring needed funds. The master plan recommends relocating Little Bears to a site south of California Creek Park with access from the new Egloff Drive. Little Bears’ staff members support this location because it has a good functional relationship to the existing kids’ recreational facilities and can be as easily accessed by car upon completion of Egloff Drive. Access to the Little Bears Playhouse childcare center would be provided from a small access road off the extension of Egloff Drive.” (Page 29, Executive Summary 1.14)
Provide Access to Current and Proposed Facilities In part to make recommended development affordable, the master plan recommends a phased approach to the building of roads in the South Townsite. The extension of Hightower Road (currently Egloff Drive) will accomplish the immediate objectives of providing improved access to the fire station, the new library, the relocated Little Bears, and any second-phase commercial and civic developments. In the initial phase of development, this can be done without triggering the need for a second point of access that will eventually be required by fire codes and the limitation on the length of cul-de-sac streets. Fire standards are a key to future development in the South Townsite area. The small amount of truly developable land in the south townsite area makes it difficult to warrant the expense of bridge connections to Alyeska Highway to the west or a long connection through wetlands to Ruane Drive to the south. In subsequent phases, as Girdwood’s population increases, the extension of roads and infrastructure can proceed in step with evolving market demand. (Page 31, Executive Summary 1.16)
Other Needs and Possible New Uses in the South Townsite New Locations Needed for Existing Uses Little Bears Playhouse, the Girdwood Community Club, and Glacier City Hall all need new facilities, preferably in the South Townsite. In recent years, Little Bears, advocates for a Community Recreation Center, and the Community Health Center have come together to promote development of a facility that can house all three. A concept for such a facility has been developed and the group is currently seeking funding. The new facility would be located on the west side of Karolius Drive, just below California Creek Park. The proposed location can be seen in Figure 8.1, Recommended Land Use Plan. The functions that currently take place in Glacier City Hall will be displaced if and when the existing building is demolished. Some of these uses can be accommodated in the library’s new community room, but a new town hall or community center may eventually be needed to support growing civic and municipal functions. (Page 66, Zoning and Land Uses 4.11)
Table 4.1 Land Uses Desired by the Community – Lists Little Bears and Community Center under Civic Uses (Page 67, Circulation and Infrastructure 4.12)
Little Bears Playhouse Inc. Little Bears Playhouse Inc. was founded in 1981 by the parents of Girdwood to provide quality childcare services for Girdwood families. Little Bears currently occupies a 6,000- square foot building, constructed in 1967 for the Girdwood Community Club. The facility can serve approximately 20 children per day. Little Bears is currently seeking to build a new facility of around 9,000 square feet to serve up to 60 children as Girdwood grows. The new building is designed with two preschool classrooms (16 children each), two toddler classrooms (10 children each), one infant room (8 infants), and associated support spaces, including conference, kitchen and community gathering spaces. One goal of this master planning effort is to identify a general location for the new building. (Page 64, Zoning and Land Uses 6.4)
Provide for both near-term and long-term change—Resolve near-term needs (a library access road and a new site for Little Bears), clarify the circulation network as a supportive framework for future development, and identify a general arrangement of civic, commercial, and residential uses that can reasonably be phased in the future as demand for these becomes clearer and funding becomes available. (Page 109, Plan Recommendations 8.2)
Identify a New Location for Little Bears Background Little Bears Playhouse childcare center is an institution in Girdwood. However, the existing Little Bears building is undersized and in poor condition. The group that operates the facility has been working with the Municipality to reserve land and raise money to fund a new building. Confirmation of a specific site for the new building is a prerequisite to proceeding with the project and acquiring needed funding. (Page 115, Plan Recommendations 8.8)
Current Recommendation - The master plan recommends relocating Little Bears to a site identified on Figure 8.1 as the Girdwood Multi-Use Community Center. The Little Bears child care facility would share facilities at this location with a new health clinic and an indoor community athletic facility. Efforts are currently underway to obtain the necessary funding. Access to the Girdwood Multi-Use Community Center would be provided by a small access road extending from the end of Egloff Drive. (Page 115, Plan Recommendations 8.9)”
These slides are from a larger presentation found here: https://www.girdwoodlandtrust.org/things-that-inspire/gclt-presentation
Proposed Draft Resolution Language:
RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR GIRDWOOD COMMUNITY LAND TRUST GROUND LEASE FOR GIRDWOOD SOUTH TOWNSITE TR G-6
Whereas, Girdwood Community Land Trust has expressed interest in land being locally managed for community needs;
Whereas, at least 250 owners and residents have signed Statements of Support for Girdwood Community Land Trust and their goals;
Whereas, a 55-year lease has been suggested by Heritage Land Bank to begin a partnership and path forward for Girdwood Community Land Trust to reach goals and objectives,
Whereas, Girdwood Community Land Trust is supportive of a new childcare facility for Little Bears Playhouse to operate;
Whereas, Little Bears Board is interested in pursuing the Girdwood South Townsite as a location for the new facility;
Whereas, a new location is identified in the Girdwood South Townsite Master Plan for Little Bears under Phase II of the master plan;
Whereas, the Girdwood community is in favor of Girdwood Community Land Trust providing a 55-year sublease to Little Bears Playhouse for a 2.5 acre area or assist in a 2.5 acre lot to be subdivided and transferred to Little Bears Playhouse as fee-simple real estate;
Whereas, the childcare facility would be Girdwood Community Land Trust’s Phase I project;
Whereas, Girdwood Community Land Trust would seek additional resolutions of support for future phases;
Therefore, the Girdwood Board of Supervisors resolves support for Girdwood Community Land Trust to contract with Heritage Land Bank for a 55-year lease agreement for Girdwood South Townsite Tract G-6.
You can become and member/supporter by reading the Statement of Support and filling out the form here: https://www.girdwoodlandtrust.org/get-involved
