The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has announced plans to press forward with a land swap involving Point Bridget State Park and Echo Ranch Bible Camp.
The swap has been in the works since at least 2001 but has been repeatedly foiled by procedural hurdles involving the timing of the swap. House Bill 274, proposed by Rep. Cathy Muñoz, R-Juneau, passed the Alaska Legislature earlier this year and cleared those hurdles to allow the swap. The bill has not yet been signed by Gov. Bill Walker, but the state is pressing ahead with the swap in anticipation that it will be enacted.
Currently, the sole public access to the state park crosses Echo Ranch-owned land. The ranch has permitted that access — a well-maintained trail occupies the land — but the swap is intended to grant the state a permanent connection between the main body of the park and access from Glacier Highway.
According to documents from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, the state would offer 37.93 acres of the park for 59.89 acres of Echo Ranch land. According to an appraisal conducted in 2015, the state land is worth $4,000 per acre and the Echo Ranch land is worth $2,500 per acre, accounting for the differing amounts of exchanged territory.
Each side in the arrangement will receive about $150,000 worth of land.
The state is soliciting public comments on the swap through Sept. 6 at charles.pinckney@alaska.gov.
There will be a public hearing about the exchange 6-8 p.m. July 7 in the Hammond Room of Centennial Hall.
