Fairbanks planners to hear permits for clinic expansion and an already-built parking lot

The Fairbanks North Star Borough Planning Commission will decide Tuesday, Oct. 27, whether to let McKinley Orthopedics on Geist Road expand to 15,567 square feet and whether to permit a parking lot already built across Ginko Road. Both requests come from RDC, LLC, and borough staff recommend approving both with conditions.

The clinic sits partly in a Light Commercial zone, where a commercial building over 5,000 square feet needs a conditional use permit. RDC plans to tear down a smaller building used as offices and expand the main one from 9,855 square feet. Staff calculate the clinic needs 46 parking spaces, while its own lot has 20. Conditions include approval of the Ginko Road permit and a shared parking agreement. A neighbor to the south asked for tall shrubbery, not trees, as a buffer. Staff recommend a 10-foot vegetative buffer and no parking or vehicle traffic in the south yard.

RDC cleared the Ginko Road lots this summer and added a gravel pad and vehicle plug-ins without a conditional use or driveway permit, according to the Planning Commission meeting agenda and staff reports. The borough opened a code enforcement case; RDC has since obtained two driveway permits. Staff want a 15-foot vegetative buffer on the south side, culverts, restored drainage and limited lighting hours.

RDC earlier asked the commission to rezone the clinic property, which staff recommended denying. In July, the commission split 3-3 and put off a decision.