UPDATE: The Assembly adopted the proposed ordinance 9-0!
ORIGINAL POST
The Fairbanks Borough Assembly will consider an ordinance at its June 26 meeting that will make it easier to build trailheads in the borough. If you support this ordinance please let the Assembly know (see more below).
This ordinance has gone through the public hearing and vetting process. It passed the Trails Advisory Commission and the Planning Commission unanimously. It was also recommended by the borough Community Planning department.
You can see a previous post on this ordinance HERE.
The Issue
Currently, trailheads are allowed only in three types of zoned lands. They are allowed outright in General Use zoned lands. They are also allowed in lands zoned Outdoor Recreation and Mineral Lands, but in those they require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). So, to build a trailhead on land zoned in other ways, the landowner must rezone the land and then ask for a CUP. That’s a lot of red tape and expensive, so it discourages trailheads. Even in lands zoned Outdoor Recreation trailheads require a CUP, which seems excessive for lands meant for outdoor recreation.
This ordinance allows trailheads on land zoned in a variety of ways. All except General Use zoning would still require a CUP, which includes a public vetting process, except for land zoned Outdoor Recreation (OR). On OR land, a trailhead would require a standard zoning permit.
For more details, see this staff REPORT.
While trailheads can have problems, such as too many cars for parking spaces or overflowing trash cans, they also give people a place to park and allow for informational signage, such as maps and allowed uses on the associated trails. With some popular trails in the borough, people currently park on the road, sometimes making it difficult for local residents to use the road or even their own driveways. Trailheads make for more controlled access.
By allowing trailheads in several land use zones but still requiring a CUP, the public (including any nearby residents or businesses) can have voice their concerns, which may change or even derail a trailhead. And that may be appropriate in certain areas.
Hopefully, this ordinance passes and allows for more trailheads to be built. We want to encourage people to use our public trails, but we also want access to those trails to be controlled so that they have minimal impact on nearby residents and businesses.
See the ordinance HERE.
See the staff report HERE.
See the Assembly June 26 meeting agenda HERE. The ordinance of item 13f. (Several associated documents are listed with the ordinance in the agenda)
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.
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 there contact information HERE.
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