Community Survey: Frequently Asked Questions

Q What is the Girdwood Area Plan?

The Girdwood Area Plan is the planning document for the community and provides guiding principles which affect land use, zoning, future development and preservation. In other communities this document is sometimes called a Comprehensive Plan. The current Girdwood Area Plan is approaching 25 years old and is due for an update to reflect the needs and desires of the Girdwood community now and into the future.

The best plans are developed from within the community, so a group of residents have formed a public committee and started work to update the plan. This survey is the first major step to gather information from a broad sampling of Girdwood residents, property owners, and visitors. There will be multiple future opportunities to participate and share your opinions which will be used to help shape the final plan.

Q Why do we need a new plan? I like Girdwood just as it is.

The current plan was written in 1993-94 and adopted in 1995 just after the Hotel Alyeska opened. Girdwood has changed significantly since then. Some of the goals in the plan have been met, some have not, and some have since been rejected by the community.

This is an opportunity for the whole Girdwood community to provide direction for the town over the next decade or more. When the plan is complete, it can identify areas for preservation as well as future development.

Q What happens to the results of the survey?

The goal of the survey is to identify the major concerns and issues facing the Girdwood community. There will be a town hall style meeting in late April to discuss the major themes coming out of the survey. Following the town hall, the project will move into the next phase of identifying issues that need attention. There will be several more stages of public input before the final draft of the plan. The plan then goes through more public review and discussion before being adopted.

The results of the survey will be published on the Girdwood Area Plan website.

Q How can I find out more information about the Girdwood Area Plan?

See the Girdwood Area Plan website https://girdwoodareaplan.org, Facebook Page www.facebook.com/GirdwoodAreaPlan , send the Plan Committee an email at info@girdwoodareaplan.org or come to a regular monthly public meeting (find the schedule here).

Q Didn’t we just do a survey about Girdwood?

A variety of groups survey the community for various projects and programs. This is the first survey conducted regarding the Girdwood Area Plan Update since 2007. We also plan to conduct a follow-up survey later in 2019 to ensure we reach as many Girdwood residents as possible.