WASILLA -- Some people had concerns over possible coal mines in the Sutton area.
Others wanted to make sure their property isn't annexed into Palmer.
A few wondered how the city would provide better housing for seniors.
All of them took the time to help Palmer officials figure out how to make their city better for the future.
About 65 Palmer-area residents stopped by the Palmer Depot on Monday night to give their input on the city's economic development strategy.
The three-hour event was hosted by the Palmer Board of Economic Development in its effort to design a strategy for growth and preservation using these eight goals:
• Strengthen Palmer's competitiveness as the region's institutional center.
• Encourage expansion of technology and research-related sectors and other well-paid professional jobs.
• Strengthen Palmer's role as a place to shop for residents and visitors.
• Strengthen Palmer's image of being a tourism destination.
• Strengthen efforts to promote quality of life by supporting Palmer as the agricultural and educational center of the Valley.
• Maintain high-quality residential neighborhoods and promote a diverse range of quality housing.
• Provide public infrastructure needed to support and facilitate the retention of existing industrial uses and the expansion of industrial development.
• Develop and market the municipal airport to maximize its effect on the Palmer economy
Board members and Palmer planning commissioners led discussions and noted preferences of residents at eight round tables, each devoted to one of the goals. As ideas were expressed, Palmer High School students jotted down the main points on large pieces of white paper that would be incorporated into a compilation of suggestions from residents over the next week.
Residents have until Nov. 19 to submit comments to city officials before the Board of Economic Development meets again Dec. 6. Comment forms can be found on the city's website at cityofpalmer.org. The board will use the information to help plan its work schedule for 2011 and beyond.
"It's exciting to get all the community together on this," Deputy City Manager Sara Jansen said as the forum was winding down. "We had a great turnout for a Monday night. That's what's so great about this town -- people will spend the time to make sure their voices are heard."
One of those voices was that of Dr. Gary Benedetti, a local orthopedic surgeon who lives about a mile from the Wishbone Hill coal deposit near Sutton that Usibelli Cole Mine is exploring.
Benedetti was talking with Economic Development Board member Hans Vogel, president of a Palmer company that supplies off-highway vehicles and specialty equipment.
"This is a great plan, but if there's a coal mine going in up the road, all this will be for naught because Palmer will become a coal town like those in Appalachia and stifle development," Benedetti told Vogel. "Professionals won't want to come here and tourists won't come here."
Vogel said that while he's supportive of having coal mines in the area, he would like to see Palmer and the borough use the coal locally to reduce fuel costs, rather than help it get shipped overseas.
"Some of us call Alaska 'the Africa of North America' because we strip our state of its resources and then ship them out," Vogel said.
Dave Jenkins joined a discussion about expanding quality neighborhoods because he was worried about one particular objective calling for a new zoning district in rural areas.
"They're not going to bring a lot of this stuff to fruition without annexing more property," said Jenkins, who lives in the unincorporated Outer Springer area.
"They just keep pushing for growth and pushing for growth. I'd rather see the town stay the way it is."
By K.T. McKEE
kmckee@adn.com