Does anyone worry... (Anchorage, Wasilla, Palmer: new home, live in, shopping mall)

[rose.pal]

about overgrowth of their city/town?

I live in what's considered a semi-rural area and worry about it all the time. I know that some growth is necessary and good but when is enough, enough? I don't mind driving 20 miles to the nearest shopping mall or 12 miles to Wal-mart even the 8 1/2 miles to the grocery store.( that's why we chose to move here) I like seeing farms and trees and open space while I'm doing that driving. They have just approved a Wal-mart in "town" and I'm not real happy about it.
I grew up in So. Fla where there is very little open space left except the Everglades and that's only because it's protected land. I got tired of looking at strip malls and box stores every where (and let's not mention the traffic) which is why we moved. I just want to keep my little town just that a little town. I know it's unreasonable and probably a little selfish but heck-I don't care!!



Okay I'm done venting and climbing off my soapbox now....

[Metlakatla]

I gotta fly about 30 air miles to the nearest grocery store.

[Rance]

I have what I call my sanctuary. It's an island in the middle of a large lake that is protected as a federal wildlife refuge. So even if my quaint little community becomes the next Wasilla/Palmer type setting...I will always have a place to escape to.

[rose.pal]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I gotta fly about 30 air miles to the nearest grocery store.

wow but you like it that way right?

[rose.pal]

Originally Posted by Rance

I have what I call my sanctuary. It's an island in the middle of a large lake that is protected as a federal wildlife refuge. So even if my quaint little community becomes the next Wasilla/Palmer type setting...I will always have a place to escape to.

lucky duck!!!

[Marty Van Diest]

Take a good look at the map of Alaska on google earth.

Anchorage and Palmer/Wasilla are really the only areas that I would call a little overcrowded. But that's only from our point of view. When I visit the lower 48 we feel positively remote when we come back here.

So although I don't like the extra traffic, iand I live smack dab between Wasilla and Palmer, t's only a 10 minute drive to my closest moose hunting spot, and 20 minutes from here I can hunt brown and black bear.

[Xa'at]

Yes, I worry sometimes that Juneau will be "discovered"... It's already pretty big but the amount of usable land is limited. I don't think that will be a problem for a while, though...

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

Take a good look at the map of Alaska on google earth.

Anchorage and Palmer/Wasilla are really the only areas that I would call a little overcrowded. But that's only from our point of view. When I visit the lower 48 we feel positively remote when we come back here.

So although I don't like the extra traffic, iand I live smack dab between Wasilla and Palmer, t's only a 10 minute drive to my closest moose hunting spot, and 20 minutes from here I can hunt brown and black bear.

I agree, particularly if you have lived in the valley for more than a few years, it does feel overcrowded. When I built my home in 2003 near Settler's Bay there were only two other homes in my sub-division. Now, every lot in my sub-division has a new home. The good news is that none of the lots are smaller than an acre, which is an improvement over Anchorage.

Whenever I get frustrated and think the traffic is becoming intolerable, I just remember what it was like to drive from Reseda, California, to Long Beach and back on the daily basis. Then the traffic in Alaska doesn't seem so bad.

[aquariusmom]

Not me, I live in a town with negative population growth... lol and no driving to a Walmart here, ever.

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

Yes, I worry sometimes that Juneau will be "discovered"... It's already pretty big but the amount of usable land is limited. I don't think that will be a problem for a while, though...

Two things will save Juneau,

Rain
if they ever succeed moving the capital!

You have a 50 50 chance it seems!