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Alaska2026Passed Legislature

SB255

Rules for City Land Grants and Transfer to Mat-Su Borough

Last scannedSep 21, 2026, 12:32 AM

In one sentence

This law updates rules for how cities receive state land grants, including review timelines and survey requirements, and transfers six specific parcels of unsurveyed surface land directly to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

What it does

  • Requires a review by the director within nine months for city selections made before July 1, 1978 that have not yet received a patent.
  • Confirms valid status for approved selections if the land was vacant and unreserved on the date of selection.
  • Rescinds approvals for past selections where the land was not vacant or unreserved at the time of selection.
  • Requires the Department of Commerce to review new city land requests before a final decision is made.
  • Allows directors to approve land transfers with special conditions if public interests are protected and the municipality agrees.
  • Permits cities to accept patents for unsurveyed land without waiting for an official survey, provided they give notice.
  • Transfers six specific parcels of state-owned surface land directly to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough as part of their general grant entitlement.

Who it affects

  • The State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources and its director
  • Cities and boroughs seeking general grant lands from the state
  • The Matanuska-Susitna Borough as a recipient of specific land parcels

Limits and unknowns

  • The effective date is not specified in the provided text.
  • The full list of six parcel descriptions for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough transfer is cut off after listing four parcels.
  • The bill does not specify any monetary value or payment involved in these land transfers.

Plain language

Terms to know

Patent
A legal document that transfers ownership title to the land.
General Grant Lands
State-owned lands set aside by law for cities and boroughs to select based on their entitlement.
Cadastral Survey
An official survey that shows the exact boundaries of a piece of land, often required before issuing patents or leases.

Official record

Sources

Source checked
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill text
Read the official summary

MUNI GRANT LAND; MAT-SU BOROUGH TRANSFER An Act relating to the selection and conveyance of municipal general grant lands; providing for the transfer of real property to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (S) Heard & Held -- Please Note Time Change --Text
  2. (S) RESOURCES at 09:00 AM BUTROVICH 205Text
  3. (S) REFERRED TO RESOURCES1974
  4. (S) FN2: ZERO(CED)1974
  5. (S) FN1: INDETERMINATE(DNR)1974
  6. (S) DP: YUNDT1974
  7. (S) NR: MERRICK, OLSON, DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON1974
  8. (S) CRA RPT 4NR 1DP1974
  9. (S) Moved SB 255 Out of CommitteeText
  10. (S) COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)Text
  11. (S) Heard & HeldText
  12. (S) COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)Text
  13. (S) CRA, RES1753
  14. (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS1753