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Planning board approves renaming of Tara Drive to Winch Road
Summary
The Fairbanks North Star Borough Planning Board approved NR002-26 to rename a short segment called Tara Drive to Winch Road to reduce emergency-response confusion. The action passed 8-0 with conditions requiring compliant signage and photo verification.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough Planning Board voted 8-0 on April 15 to approve NR002-26, a borough-initiated request to rename a short segment known as Tara Drive to Winch Road.
Staff planning officer George Stephan told the board the short S-shaped portion known as Tara Drive ties into the longer Winch Road and that emergency responders and the traveling public do not consistently recognize a distinction. "Staff is recommending approval this road naming request to change Tara Drive to Winch Road," Stephan said, adding the borough used a petition-waiver allowed by code because the borough is the applicant.
The nut of the board's action was procedural: the renaming is treated as a public-road renaming because it lies within the Steese Highway right-of-way corridor and thus must be heard by the planning board. Stephan said the renaming is supported by borough addressing, emergency operations, and the Steese Area Volunteer Fire Department.
Ian Miller, emergency services manager for Fairbanks North Star Borough, described several recent emergency responses that highlighted the potential for confusion and said consolidating the name would "clean up an opportunity for confusion for emergency response." Miller told the board he did not expect a meaningful change in traffic because the section does not form a continuous passable through-route.
Ms. Guthrie moved to approve the renaming, adopting the staff report and findings with two conditions: installation of signage that meets the cited naming standard and submission of photo verification that the signage has been installed. Mr. Brooks seconded the motion, which passed on an 8-0 roll call vote.
The clerk said the decision may be appealed to the Board of Adjustment by filing a written notice of appeal with the clerk's office within seven days of the decision.
