The Fairbanks North Star Borough hearing officer on July 17, 2025 approved SD D 020-25, a request by 3 Tier Alaska on behalf of Robert and Catherine Hilton, to vacate interior lot lines between three lots and create one approximately 1.13-acre parcel on Shorter Road and Stowell Drive North. Zach Lee, community planning staff, presented the staff report and recommended approval.

The request qualified as a "quick plat" because it eliminates or moves lot lines with no increase in the number of lots, and staff found the replat does not create a new violation of Title 17 or increase any nonconformity. The staff report cited plat number 81-65 and instrument number 134.357 as the legal basis for applicability, listed three standard conditions (including reviews by GVEA and GCI), and recommended approval with findings of fact A through C.

The hearing officer said the correct findings are those in the staff report, not a mistakenly displayed slide, and granted approval, adopting the staff report and findings. The officer noted that a final plat must be prepared by a registered land surveyor and submitted to the Community Planning Department within 24 months or preliminary approval becomes void, and reminded that the decision may be appealed in writing to the borough clerk's office within 10 working days.

During discussion, the applicant, Nathan Kaihui, explained the original configuration reflected an alley from the older Dennis Manor subdivision that remained as a right-of-way after later replats. The applicant and staff also noted receipt of a comment letter from the Northstar Fire Department dated June 10 that arrived after the preliminary application; staff said that letter should suffice if forwarded after the hearing. The hearing officer suggested the applicants might consider a future right-of-way vacation because of the odd keyhole-shaped right-of-way between existing lots, but made no direction binding the applicant.

No members of the public signed up or offered testimony on the item. The hearing officer closed public testimony before issuing the approval.