On Monday, April 19, the Fairbanks City Council endorsed Resolution 4410, a government-to-government communication to the Borough about Ordinance 2010-09, which proposes to create new zone types in Borough code. The Resolution, sponsored by Mayor Strle and Councilwoman Bratcher, passed without amendment on a 4-2 vote, Council members Roberts, Gatewood, Eberhart and Bratcher in support, Stiver and Cleworth opposed.
On April 20, the Borough Planning Commission amended and then unanimously endorsed Ordinance 2010-09, forwarding it to the Borough Assembly. The commissioners’ amendments refined the new zone types, which are themselves refinements on the Central Business District zone. Exhibiting mastery of the subject matter, accepting the intent of the zones, aware how land use shapes our community, the commissioners plainly enjoyed the role they played in revitalizing downtown Fairbanks by their hand in creating a new tool for revitalization.
The new zone types will play a unique role in both attracting and protecting investment downtown. But before Fairbanks has these new tools at its disposal, the Borough Assembly needs to act to add the new zones to Borough code. The City Council’s and the Planning Commission’s endorsements set the stage for the Borough Assembly, which will take up Ordinance 2010-09 sometime this summer.