Municipal Road Maintenance Service Area Program
Municipal road maintenance services are provided through established road maintenance service areas. Only the established road service areas receive municipal road maintenance services. All other areas do not receive any municipal road maintenance services. The purpose of the individual road maintenance service areas is to provide road maintenance within defined areas supported by individual road maintenance service area taxes approved by the individual road maintenance service area voters.
The main function of each road maintenance service area is the furnishing of contractual road maintenance services in accordance with state statutes and municipal ordinances. Each road maintenance service area are established by the individual road maintenance service area voters who defined the individual road maintenance service area boundaries and the maximum mill levy imposed on real property within the individual road maintenance service area to pay for the road maintenance services.
Each individual road maintenance service area has an elected board of supervisors elected by the individual road maintenance service area voters. The individual road maintenance services are provided by private contractor selected through a Municipal purchasing competitive bid process. The individual road maintenance service area board of supervisors determines level of road maintenance services and directs the contractor to perform the road maintenance services accordingly.
The road maintenance service areas are classified by the type of road maintenance services authorized to provide (maintenance and/or capital improvements), capacity to use road maintenance service area tax funds for limited road maintenance services or capital road construction projects and the ability to save road maintenance service area tax funds for capital projects. The Municipal Assembly and the road maintenance service areas voters determine the authority, capacity and ability of the individual road maintenance service areas.
Limited Road Service Area (LRSA) has limited authority to provide basic road maintenance in the form of grading, dust control, brushing, culvert thawing and replacement, ditching, limited use of tax funds for limited authorized basic road maintenance services. LRSA do not have the ability to save tax funds for capital road projects. Most of the road maintenance service areas on the hillside are LRSA’s.
Rural Road Service Areas (RRSA) has authority to provide basic road maintenance, to make capital road improvements and to save for capital road projects.
Service Areas (SA) has authority to provide basic road maintenance, to make capital road improvements and to save for capital road projects. In addition, the SA may have other authority, such a fire protection and rescue and parks and recreation.
The resource management division of the maintenance and operations department is designated as the lead municipal unit supporting the individual road maintenance service area boards of supervisors.
There are numerous municipal requirements to be considered by individual road maintenance service area boards of supervisors and the resource management division, imposed by various municipal departments and offices ranging from engineering, finance, right of way, planning, zoning and platting, office of budget and management, purchasing officer, clerk office, municipal attorney office, mayor and assembly. The division’s main role is to guide the individual road maintenance service area boards of supervisors through the processes and procedures, including funding needs, contract requirements and contract administration.
The resource management division interfaces with residents, contractors, municipal administration, state agencies, and federal agencies endeavoring to give administrative support to road maintenance service area board of supervisors, coordinationg board actions and requests.
Under Anchorage Municipal Code (AMC) title 27, the administration may prescribe rules, procedures and guidelines to be followed in furnishing road maintenance services and expending monies public funds for road maintenance service areas where boards supervise the furnishing of services. The Municipality has issued an operating manual for the individual road maintenance service area boards proscribing rules, procedures and guidelines. The manual also provides insight into the overall municipal functions and describes state statues affecting the road maintenance service areas.
The operating manual covers all road maintenance service areas (LRSA/RRSA/SA) except Chugiak, Birchwood, Eagle River Rural Road Service Area (CBERRRSA), Spenard Service Area (SSA) and Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area (ADRSA).
Road maintenance services areas covered by the operating manual are:
- Girdwood Valley SA - AMC § 27.30.020 - five member board
- Glen Alps SA - AMC § 27.30.190 - five member board
- Talus West LRSA - AMC § 27.30.200 - three member board
- Upper O'Malley LRSA - AMC § 27.30.210 - three member board
- Rabbit Creek View/Heights LRSA - AMC § 27.30.240 - three member board
- South Goldenview RRSA - AMC § 27.30.280 - five member board
- Birch Tree/Elmore LRSA - AMC § 27.30.290 - five member board
- Section 6/Campbell Airstrip Road LRSA - AMC § 27.30.300 - five member board
- Valli Vue Estates LRSA - AMC § 27.30.310 - five memeber board
- Skyranch Estate LRSA - AMC § 27.30.320 - three member board
- Mountain Park Estates LRSA - AMC § 27.30.330 - three member board
- Upper Grover LRSA - AMC § 27.30.340 - three member board
- Raven Woods/Bubbling Brook LRSA - AMC § 27.30.350 - three member board
- Mountain Park/Robin Hill LRSA - AMC § 27.30.360 - five member board
- Bear Valley LRSA - AMC § 27.30.370 - three member board
- Sequoia Estates LRSA - AMC § 27.30.380 - three member board
- Villages Scenic Parkway LRSA - AMC § 27.30.390 - three member board
- Rockhill LRSA - AMC § 27.30.590 - three member board
- Lakehill LRSA - AMC § 27.30.600 - three member board
- Totem LRSA - AMC § 27.30.610 - three member board
- Paradise Valley South LRSA - AMC § 27.30.640 - three member board
- SRW Homeowner's LRSA - AMC § 27.30.650 - three member board
|
SERVICE AREA
|
SEAT
|
MEMBER
|
TERM
|
| Bear Valley LRSA |
A |
Kathleen Rice |
April 11 |
| Map Link |
B |
Deanne Fuller |
April 09 |
|
C |
Bill Ennis |
Aprill 11 |
|
|
|
|
| Birch Tree/Elmore LRSA |
A |
Edward Bosco |
Aprill 11 |
| Map Link |
B |
Joseph Kirchner |
April 09 |
|
C |
Ted Pease |
April 10 |
|
D |
Steven Schmitz |
April 11 |
|
E |
Howard Hansen |
April 11 |
|
|
|
|
| Girdwood Valley SA |
A |
Jim Henderson |
April 09 |
| Map Link |
B |
Tim Cabana |
April 09 |
|
C |
Bryan Epley |
April 10 |
|
D |
Jake Thompson |
April 11 |
|
E |
John Gallup |
April 11 |
|
|
|
|
| Glen Alps SA |
A |
Dan Constantine |
April 11 |
| Map Link |
B |
Judith Burtner |
April 11 |
|
C |
Duncan Bosley |
April 09/10 |
|
D |
Marc Rodman |
April 10 |
| |
E |
Jim Cardwell |
April 09 |
|
|
|
|
| Lakehill LRSA |
A |
Ken Bystedt |
April 09/10 |
| Map Link |
B |
Allen Price |
April 09 |
|
C |
John Lau |
April 09/11 |
|
|
|
|
| Mt. Park Estates LRSA |
A |
Gary Russell |
April 10 |
| Map Link |
B |
Richard Andrews |
April 09/11 |
|
C |
Vacant |
April 09/10 |
|
|
|
|
| Mt. Park/Robin Hill LRSA |
A |
Vacant |
April 11 |
| Map Link |
B |
Brian Hoefler |
April 11 |
|
C |
Ted Gschwind |
April 11 |
|
D |
Jim Smith |
April 09/11 |
|
E |
Collin Leary |
April 09/11 |
|
|
|
|
| Paradise Valley South LRSA |
A |
Catherine R. Woods |
April 10 |
| Map Link |
B |
Vacant |
April 09/11 |
|
C |
Lois Uitdeflesch |
April 09 |
|
|
|
|
| Rabbit Creek View/Heights LRSA |
A |
David Lipps |
April 09 |
| Map Link |
B |
Leonard Stanley |
April 11 |
|
C |
Daniel Stone |
April 10 |
|
|
|
|
| Raven Woods/Bubbling Brook LRSA |
A |
Lloyd E. Andrews |
April 09 |
| Map Link |
B |
Vacant |
April 09/10 |
|
C |
Hans E. Hanson |
April 10 |
|
|
|
|
| Rockhill LRSA |
A |
David Hart |
April 09 |
| Map Link |
B |
David Haag |
April 09/11 |
|
C |
Jim Topolski |
April 10 |
|
|
|
|
| Section 6/Campbell Airstrip Road LRSA |
A |
Robt. Groenweg |
April 11 |
| Map Link |
B |
Eric Johnson |
April 11 |
|
C |
Charlie Cary |
April 09 |
|
D |
Harry Haywood |
April 10 |
|
E |
Ted Trueblood |
April 09/10 |
|
|
|
|
| Sequoia Estates LRSA |
A |
Linda Wallace |
April 09/12 |
| Map Link |
B |
Charles Gunther |
April 09/11 |
|
C |
Robert Valantas |
April 10 |
|
D |
James Croak |
April 09/10 |
|
E |
Dagmar Mikko |
April 09 |
|
|
|
|
| Skyranch Estates LRSA |
A |
Joseph M. Kurtak |
April 09 |
| Map Link |
B |
Jonathon Ditto |
April 09/11 |
|
C |
Brian Wallow |
April 10 |
|
|
|
|
| South Goldenview RRSA |
A |
Robert Johnson |
April 09/12 |
| Map Link |
B |
Nancy Bataille |
April 09 |
|
C |
Marcia Hansen |
April 09 |
|
D |
Lori Davey |
April 09 |
|
E |
Mark Schimscheimer |
April 10 |
|
|
|
|
| SRW Homeowner's LRSA |
A |
Steve Dombrowski |
April 09 |
| Map Link |
B |
Joe Lepley |
April 10 |
|
C |
Jeanne Molitor |
April 11 |
|
|
|
|
| Talus West LRSA |
A |
Norman Buboltz |
April 11 |
| Map Link |
B |
Tony Winsor |
April 09 |
|
C |
Lawerence Jorgensen |
April 10 |
|
|
|
|
| Totem LRSA |
A |
Ruth Marcy |
April 10 |
| Map Link |
B |
Matt Kurchinski |
April 09 |
|
C |
Pam Giammalva |
April 09/11 |
|
|
|
|
| Upper Grover LRSA |
A |
Vacant |
April 09 |
| Map Link |
B |
Brian Horschel |
April 11 |
|
C |
Elaine Bull |
April 10 |
|
|
|
|
| Upper O'Malley LRSA |
A |
Allison Hull |
April 09/11 |
| Map Link |
B |
Barbara (Robin) Holm |
April 09 |
|
C |
Bill Wuestenfeld |
April 10 |
|
|
|
|
| Valli Vue LRSA |
A |
William Rathke |
April 09 |
| Map Link |
B |
Ida Dailey |
April 11 |
|
C |
David Dunsmore |
April 10 |
|
D |
Russell Kucinski |
April 09 |
|
E |
Ben Padget |
April 11 |
|
|
|
|
| Village Scenic Parkway LRSA |
A |
Vacant |
April 09/11 |
| Map Link |
B |
Gerald Shearer |
April 10 |
|
C |
Vacant |
April 09 |
Within the Muni website, there are links to the Street Maintenance, Limited Road Service Areas, CBERRRSA-Eagle River Area Street Maintenance, Girdwood Board of Supervisors, and Glen Alps Road Service individual web sites.
Individual road maintenance service area boards hold periodic noticed public meeting to discuss road maintenance service area business, such as budgets, finances, contract services, contract performance, road and drainge projects, level of services, election of board chair, road contractor administrator, co chair and finance monitor.
The current individual road maintenance service area board members and telephone numbers can be located above. Questions regarding individual road maintenance service area services, such as dust control, snow removal, drainage, culverts, road conditions and road maintenance contactor activities, should be directed to the individual road maintenance service area board members.
The current road maintenance service areas geographic boundaries and individual road maintenance service areas can be found by perusing the maps herein. Under Street Maintenance Maps, there is LRSA map section with an overall road maintenance service areas map that describes the individual road maintenance service areas as well as the areas that do not receive any municipal road maintenance services. In addition, there are individual maps of each road maintenance service area. If you do not reside in any of the individual road service areas, then you do not receive nor pay for any public road maintenance services. In such cases, if you desire public road maintenance services, you may contact the Road Maintenance Service Areas Coordinator for information how to qualify for and obtain road maintenance services.
The following are the basic guidelines used in considering whether or not a road maintenance service area can be formed or added to an existing road maintenance service area or any road within an existing road maintenance service area will receive any road maintenance services:
A. Municipal right of way requirements for rural roads
- Minimum sixty feet wide
- Waiver to fifty feet if provision made for five foot snow piling easement on both sides.
B. Municipal rural road standards
- Minimum twenty foot wide driving surface with a 2% crown with a 2 to 1 slope of ditch
- Drainage ditch on both sides of driving surface
- Minimum capability to safely accomodate an 80,000 pound fire truck
C. Municipal acceptance of rural roads
- Must meet right of way requirements, rural road standards and other necessary requirements to make safe driving conditions deemed appropriate by municipal right of way and engineering departments
D. Rural roads constructed and accepted prior to established requirements
- Historically many rural roads were built substandard without adequate right of way prior to creation of affected service area, and prior to imposition of standards and other requirements.
- The historical lawful rural roads physical condition, right of way and acceptance quality is researched and determine through archives by several municipal departments whenever the issue of acceptance and road maintenance level arise.
- Many historical rural roads are not accepted, do not have adequate right of way and are not readily maintainable
- The ability to maintain and the level and type of road maintenance is determined on a case by case basis
- If the rural road is not accepted by the municipality, no road maintenance is provided by the road maintenance service area
- A few of these roads do receive modified road maintenance by the road maintenance service area when road maintenance is historical, is necessary for access by residents and is necessary for access by fire and emergency services, especially in areas like Glen Alps service area
- Whenever there is no dedicated right of way, the property owner’s implicated permission to use the road for access and provide limited road maintenance services is obtained by the municipality
- Road improvements beyond the minimum to provide safe access are not provided by the affected road maintenance service area
- The level and kind of road maintenance service provided is generally a discretionary function of the affected road maintenance service area and is based on safety and available resources
E. Road maintenance service areas are not required to bring rural roads up to meet right of way requirements, rural road standards or municipal acceptance requirements.
- Any major rural road improvements, except those required by the funding source (e.g., federal or state grants) requirements, are generally at the discretion of the affected road maintenance service area board
- Any major rural road improvements should be done in consideration of safe drivable surfaces, road maintenance service area available resources and future impact on the road maintenance service area rural road system
If you can not meet the basic criteria to obtain road maintenance services, you and your neighbors will need to establish a homeowners association or group to fund road maintenance services for your area. The Municipality can not provide road maintenance services in those areas that can not meet the basic criteria.
If you can meet the basic criteria, then you are eligible to submit a qualifying petition to obtain and tax yourselves for road maintenance services. The Road Maintenance Service Areas Coordinator will guide your provision of the necessary information, map and petition format and wording. Once you have the information, the Road Maintenance Service Coordinator will prepare the petition for you to obtain signatures from your neighbors, along with instructions.
When completed as instructed, the petition needs to be submitted to the Road Maintenance Service Areas Coordinator for review, changes and acceptance by the municipality for departmental review and comments. The Road Maintenance Service Areas Coordinator will work with you to make the necessary changes, if required, so that it can be submitted for review and acceptance by Municipal departments. If any changes or conditions are required, the Road Maintenance Service Areas Coordinator will advise you and assist in resolving any issues so the petition can be resubmitted for final review and acceptance for processing.
The processing involves the Municipality of Anchorage Assembly acceptance, approval and authorization to place the Road Maintenance Service Area and taxing issues into a ballot form for the next April Municipal General Election. In order to timely meet the ballot election procedures, the Assembly must be provided the ballot ordinance no later than the first regular meeting in January.
The ordinance and ballot proposition can become effective, if approved by the voters, the following tax year or retroactive to January 1st. If effective the following year, taxes will be imposed for that year and the road maintenance services will begin January 1st. If effective retroactively, taxes will be imposed that year, but road maintenance service will not begin until May 1st.
If the ordinance and ballot proposition is to establish a new road maintenance service area, the ballot proposition need only be approved by the voters within the new road maintenance service area
If the ordinance and ballot proposition is to add the new area to an existing road maintenance service area, the ballot proposition must be approved by the majority of voters within the existing road maintenance area and the new area in a separate vote.
The maximum tax mill levy that can be imposed each tax year for a new road maintenance service area or a new area is established in the ordinance and ballot proposition. The mill levy imposed on a new area being added to an existing road maintenance service area is the same that is imposed in the existing road maintenance service area.
A 1.00 mill levy means that $1.00 per $1,000 real property assessed valuation will be imposed each tax year. For example, real property assessed at $100,000 with a 1.00 mil levy will have a tax bill of $100 each year to pay for road maintenance services.
Although most road maintenance service areas impose the maximum mill levy that can be imposed by the Municipal Assembly, a few road maintenance service areas have a smaller mill levy imposed. This occurs at the request of the individual road maintenance service area board of supervisor, approval of the administration and the Municipal Assembly during the budgeting process.
Each tax year, the Municipal Assembly establishes the assessed valuation of all real property within each road maintenance service area approves operating budgets for each individual road maintenance service area and imposes the mill levy tax rate for each road maintenance service area. Revenues collected for each road maintenance service area can be expended only for that road maintenance service area. During this process, each road service area operating budget may be adjusted to reflect changes in predicted assessed valuation, operating budget needs and voter approved ballot proposition changes (for example, adding new areas or changing road service area maximum mill levy).
All expenditures and revenues of each road maintenance service area are maintained in a separate fund set up for each road maintenance service area. Revenues not spent each tax year lapses into a fund balance account (road maintenance service area saving account) for each road maintenance service area where the revenues are accounted for and accumulate for the benefit of the individual road maintenance service area. Revenues in the fund balance for each road maintenance service area can be appropriated by the Municipal Assembly for funding road maintenance work (summer work program) and supplementing operating budget (reducing tax year mill levy) for that road maintenance service area.
The qualifications for becoming a member of a road maintenance service areas board of supervisors, whether through a vote or appointment by the mayor and confirmation by the Assembly, are that the person must be a registered voter and resident of the road maintenance service area. In the case of an appointment, the person must seek a recommendation from the road maintenance service area board of supervisors.
There are two sources of information for current vacancies on road maintenance service areas boards or road maintenance service area board seats up for election in the April Municipal General elections (1st Tuesday in April). Contact the Service Area Coordinator or the Election Clerk Coordinator for specific information.
If you wish to run for a road maintenance service area board position, the primary contact is the Election Clerk Coordinator at elections. There are time limits to be met in order to be on the election ballot, which can be obtained from the Muni web site.
If you wish to apply for a vacant position on a road maintenance service area board, contact the Service Area Coordinator at for information.
Service Area Coordinator
Gerald A. Pineau
3630 E. Tudor Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99507
Office Phone: (907)343-8176
Office Fax: (907)343-8057
pineaug@muni.org