Trail and greenspace advocates have a chance to speak up for an expansion of the Isberg Recreation Area.
At its September 10 regular meeting, the Fairbanks Borough Assembly will vote on an ordinance to rezone 340 acres of land to Outdoor Recreational. This is part of the process to add this land to the borough’s Isberg Recreation Area. The land was purchased by the Interior Alaska Land Trust and donated to the borough for the purpose of being added to the recreation area.
This new land being added to the recreation area consists of both wetlands and uplands. The land already has some winter trails popular for snowmachining, mushing, skiing, fatbiking, hiking, ski-joring, and snowshoeing. The uplands have some lesser known trails. Both have the potential for more trails.
In addition to saving trails, this move will save greenspace near to town and will protect the headwaters of Cripple Creek, a salmon nursery stream.
If you support the addition of this land to the Isberg Recreation Area, please let the Assembly know you support this rezone.
You can see the ordinance HERE.
How to Advocate to the Borough Assembly
Testify at the meeting
You can speak at the meeting. You have to wait until the ordinance has its public hearing, which depends on where it is in the agenda. You can speak in person or by telephone. You have three minutes. People who sign up to testify are allowed to testify first. For more information on testifying see HERE.
The ordinance to rezone the land is Ordinance No. 2026-13. It is listed as 13a in the agenda HERE.
Call or email the Assembly
To contact the full Assembly you may either send an email to the Assembly at Assembly@fnsb.gov, or use the Contact Form HERE.
You can also call or email individual Assembly members. Find their contact information HERE.
Thank you to the Interior Alaska Land Trust for the immense work it has done to make this all happen. The trust is one of the biggest protectors of trails and greenspace in Interior Alaska. If you support the group’s work, please become a member and/or donate HERE.
My Take
Here is the email I sent to the Borough Assembly:
Dear Assembly Members,
I am in full support of Ordinance No. 2026-13, an ordinance rezoning 340 acres of land to Outdoor Recreation as part of the process to get the land incorporated into the Isberg Recreation Area. This expansion of the Isberg Recreation Area will greatly benefit the neighborhood and the greater community. The recreation area already has some popular winter and year-round trails, but some of those extend beyond the boundaries of the recreation area. The addition of this land will help protect those trails for public use. I have been on those trails many times as a hiker, runner, snowshoer, skier, and fatbiker. Often when I am out there, I see many others using the trails. Giving people the space and trails to get outside and get exercise is vital for our physical and mental health.
Besides informal use, the trails are used yearly for a snowshoe race run by Running Club North and they have been used several times for group rides by the Fairbanks Cycle Club.
In addition, the expansion of the Isberg Recreation Area will help preserve greenspace valuable for wildlife and for the protection of the headwaters of Cripple Creek, an important salmon nursery stream.
I hope you will support this rezone.
Thank you for your service.
Eric Troyer
