Assembly approves rezoning of Benton View lots for suburban housing; easement and surplus questions remain

The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly on Feb. 3 voted 7-1 to adopt Ordinance 2059, rezoning lots 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 in the Benton View Subdivision (formerly “Mile 17”) from Future Development (FD) to Suburban Residential (RS).

The rezoning applies to parcels on the northwest side of North Tongass Highway at Mile 17 and clears the way, staff said, for marketing and sale of those buildable parcels. “We are asking to rezone from the FD zone to suburban residential,” Planning Director Frank Mullen told the assembly during a second public hearing on the item.

Why it matters: The change moves borough-owned property from a transitional FD category—used where future use is undecided—into a residential designation that allows home construction and sale. Assembly members cited local housing shortages as a reason to allow residential development, while some residents and members raised concerns about traffic and infrastructure in the North Area.

What staff and…