Planning commission approves interior‑setback variance for Kiewit crew camp in Nome

The Nome Planning Commission on a voice and roll‑call vote approved a variance allowing interior lot‑line setbacks to be relaxed for a proposed temporary crew camp that would house up to 186 workers for the Port of Nome project. The property is owned by Bering Straits Native Corporation and the camp would be operated by Kiewit under a lease.

City Clerk Dan Kramer told the commission the hearing was limited to whether the interior setbacks on the parcels in Block 125 should be relaxed and that conditional‑use approval would be a separate step. "All that we're looking at deciding on today is if those setbacks should be relaxed," Kramer said.

Kiewit representatives described a modular, sprinklered facility with five dormitory buildings, internal walkways, a dining hall and 24‑hour security. "This is temporary — it's a crew camp — and we've designed it with 24‑hour security, sprinkler systems and controlled access," said Scott Foles of Kiewit. Engineer Ron Thompson (Scope Permitting Engineering) told the commission the site met the city's variance criteria for a temporary installation and said the project team had coordinated with the state fire marshal and city utilities. Thompson estimated typical daily water and sewage demand at about 80 gallons per person — roughly 16,000 gallons per day for the full camp.

Several residents and former officials spoke during public comment. Derek McLarty, identifying himself as a longtime Nome resident and former planning and port commissioner, urged approval to avoid delays to a project he said would benefit the city. "Anything that we can do to speed this project along and not stifle any efforts moving forward would be very advantageous," McLarty said. Port commissioner and former ambulance chief Charlie Lean supported the camp on public‑health grounds, arguing a centralized, sprinklered facility with city water is safer than dispersed, informal housing; he cited World War II-era sanitation failures as historical context.

Opponents — including commenters who said the variation would effectively erase interior lot lines — pressed the commission on alternatives and legality. One commenter argued the hardship was self‑created because the applicant had sought and received an encroachment permit; another said replatting, not variance, was the appropriate tool for erasing interior lot lines. Bering Straits Native Corporation representative Larry Peterson said the company supported the temporary plan and that the proposal includes a required deconstruction plan.

Commissioners debated each variance criterion point‑by‑point: whether similar properties enjoy the same rights; whether the condition was self‑created; whether the variance was sought merely to save money or due to inconvenience; whether unusual physical features made strict application unreasonable; minimality of the variance; and whether granting it would increase flood risk or public cost. Several commissioners said the temporary nature, the city's prior encroachment approval and the technical steps taken with the fire marshal and utilities weighed in favor of a variance for the interior lot lines.

A motion to approve the requested variance was made, seconded and carried by roll call. The roll call recorded affirmative votes from Commissioner McCann, Commissioner Jennings, Commissioner Herrker and Commissioner Porteous; the motion passed and the variance was approved. Commissioners emphasized that approval of the variance does not grant the conditional‑use permit required to operate the crew camp and that the applicant still must satisfy building, fire‑safety and other permitting requirements.

Kiewit said the camp will be a dry site (no alcohol), will use key‑card access and will permit live camera access for emergency responders; company staff said camera footage will be stored in the cloud and that police and fire will have live access. Dan Peterson, Kiewit senior project manager, said the company expects to bring roughly 40 additional vehicles for the project and has room on the site for about 60 parking spaces. "We do plan to have the fire or police station able to view cameras live at the same time," Peterson said.

The commission scheduled further proceedings on the project: commissioners said a conditional‑use hearing will be set as a special meeting (tentatively late March) and the next regular meeting remains scheduled for April 7. The variance decision allows Kiewit to proceed to the next permitting steps but does not itself authorize camp operations.

Votes at a glance: Motion to approve interior‑setback variances (applicant: Kiewit/Bering Straits Native Corporation) — Approved (roll‑call): Commissioner McCann: Yes; Commissioner Jennings: Yes; Commissioner Herrker: Yes; Commissioner Porteous: Yes. The conditional‑use permit and final permits remain pending.