Fairbanks Platting Board to weigh state-backed subdivision, easement vacation near Old Steese Highway

A joint request to create nine residential lots near Old Steese Highway goes before the Fairbanks North Star Borough Platting Board on July 15, paired with a request to vacate a 50-foot section-line easement along the south boundary of the parcel.

Boulder Lode Subdivision

The State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources and ACS of Fairbanks, LLC are seeking to subdivide 16.7 acres off Hagelbarger Avenue into nine lots ranging from 1.2 to 1.8 acres. The request includes dedication of a new subdivision road, Boulder Lode Road, which will end in a cul-de-sac and provide access to all proposed lots, along with dedication of a 20-foot non-motorized trail easement along the northern and eastern boundaries.

The applicants also seek to vacate the existing 50-foot section-line easement along the parcel's south boundary. According to the application materials, the easement corridor is not practically constructable due to unfavorable intersection grades, utility conflicts, and intersection-offset problems. Borough staff recommends approval of the vacation, finding that other provisions have been made that are more beneficial to the public, including Boulder Lode Road, the new trail easement connecting to Old Steese Highway, Summer Avenue, and a 33-foot section-line easement corridor to the east, and existing public road right-of-way connectivity to the south and east.

The replacement trail easement is a 20-foot non-motorized corridor, narrower and limited to non-motorized use compared to the 50-foot section-line easement being vacated, according to the staff report.

All State of Alaska citizens are considered interested persons and may provide testimony on the subdivision item. Borough citizens may provide testimony on the easement vacation item.

The board meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, in the Mona Lisa Drexler Assembly Chambers, Juanita Helms Administration Center, 907 Terminal Street, Fairbanks.