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Planning board approves Sollywood Subdivision and related road and easement vacations
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Summary
The Fairbanks North Star Borough Planning Board unanimously approved the Sollywood Subdivision (SD626), a roughly 540‑acre replat into 17 lots, and three related right‑of‑way and easement vacations after staff recommended conditions addressing new road construction and DOT driveway requirements.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough Planning Board voted 7‑0 on Jan. 21 to approve SD626 (Sollywood Subdivision ASLS 2025‑13), a proposal to divide about 540 acres near Johnson Road and Eielson Air Force Base into 17 lots ranging from about 20 to 82.1 acres. The board adopted the staff report, six findings of fact and five conditions tied to final plat approval.
Staff planning officer George Stephan told the board the proposal includes a Sullywood Road right‑of‑way realignment, vacation of a 40‑foot public access easement, creation of two cul‑de‑sac rights‑of‑way (Winsome Court and Walter Court), and dedication of new public utility easements. "As read into the record, it's roughly 540 acres of land, to be subdivided," Stephan said, summarizing the scope and explaining that DOT granted final approval for the new Johnson Road approach on Sept. 18, 2025.
Why it matters: the staff report framed the vacations and realignment as safety and access improvements. Stephan told the board the existing dirt roadway had been rejected by DOT for poor sight distances and substandard geometry, and that approximately 1,000 feet of new Pioneer Road construction (a minimum 16‑foot width) would be required inside the new Sullywood Road right‑of‑way to provide continuous public access and meet borough conditions.
The staff recommendation included conditions requiring the new Pioneer Road to be constructed and inspected by the borough engineer before final plat approval, continued coordination on placement of public utility easements, and removal or physical blocking of the old approach consistent with the DOT driveway permit. Stephan described the removal as likely taking the form of a berm or similar obstruction per DOT guidance.
The applicant did not present additional evidence beyond staff's report. A representative said they had "nothing to add" and would respond to questions if needed. Mr. Pitney, who moved approval, said he was "fully supportive of this" and emphasized that staff had worked through relevant title requirements.
Board action and appeal rights: the board approved the subdivision and separately approved two vacations tied to the plat — the Sullywood Road right‑of‑way realignment (VA003‑26) and the 40‑foot public access easement vacation (VA004‑26) — all by 7‑0 votes. The clerk noted that subdivision decisions may be appealed to the Board of Adjustment within seven days and that the Assembly has 30 days to veto vacation decisions.
What’s next: conditions specified in the staff report (road construction, utility easement placement and DOT‑specified closure of the old approach) must be satisfied before final plat approval is issued.
The planning board heard no interested‑person testimony on this item and moved on to other agenda items after the votes.
