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Fairbanks City Zoning Code

18.106 Historic

Sites and Districts

From the time of the filing of a completed nomination form with the Department of Community Planning until final action upon the nomination by the Borough Assembly, no building permit, conditional use permit, variance, rezone, plat, or replat shall be issued for alteration, construction, demolition or removal of any property or structure within the nominated site or district, unless authorized by formal action of the Borough Assembly. For purposes of this section, final action shall be:

A. Disapproval of a nomination;

18.106.010 Nomination of historic sites and districts.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

A. Nominations for historic sites and districts shall be made by written application to the Department of Community Planning stating the legal description of the site or district. Nominations shall be signed by all those record property owners who wish to be included in the proposed site or district.

B. Hearing and Recommendation by the Historic Commission. The commission shall review, hear and recommend whether a nomination should be approved. The commission shall consider all oral and written statements from the applicant(s), the public, the Department of Community Planning, and its own members prior to making its recommendation. The commission shall also consider and adopt findings of fact demonstrating whether or not the proposed nomination conforms to the historic district criteria (FNSBC 18.106.020). Recommendations for approval shall set forth the obligations and duties of property owners in the site or district, including a requirement to obtain a rezoning to historically significant designation.

C. Upon the commission’s recommendation for approval of a nomination, a request for rezoning to historically significant designation pursuant to FNSBC 18.104.010 and 18.104.020 shall be made to the Planning Commission.

D. Submission to the Borough Assembly. A report of the Historic Preservation Commission’s recommendation shall be submitted to the Borough Assembly. If the commission recommends approval of the nomination, an ordinance shall be prepared with the participation of the nominators and the commission. The ordinance shall state the historic or architectural features sought to be preserved. It shall include rules regulating and, if appropriate, prohibiting alteration and demolition of structures, and guidelines, standards or rules for new construction.

E. Hearing by Assembly. The Borough Assembly shall publish notice of the time set for hearing on the nomination ordinance and shall include in the published notice a complete and clear description of the boundaries of the proposed site or district, and short descriptive summary of the nomination. Any person may offer written or oral comments at the hearing. After close of the hearing the Borough Assembly shall determine whether the proposed site or district meets the criteria of FNSBC 18.106.020.

The Assembly may approve or disapprove the nomination or it may postpone the matter pending amendment or perfection of the nomination. The filing of a perfected or amended nomination following such a postponement shall be considered a new filing for the purposes of this section, but the hearings thereon shall be limited to the new matter or the deletions of the petition, unless the Assembly orders otherwise. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.020 Historic district criteria.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

An historic district shall contain properties or structures which contain at least one of the following characteristics:

A. Are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the history of the Fairbanks North Star Borough or the City of Fairbanks;

B. Are associated with the lives of persons significant to the history of Fairbanks North Star Borough or the City of Fairbanks;

C. Have yielded or may be likely to yield information important in history or prehistory;

D. Have character, interest or values as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the state of Alaska, the Fairbanks North Star Borough or the City of Fairbanks;

E. Embody design elements considered structurally or architecturally innovative;

F. Provide familiar exterior architectural features which, through their unique location or singular physical characteristics, render the district worthy of recognition;

G. Have a character that shows a fine or unique example of a utilitarian structure; or

H. Have suitability for preservation or restoration as determined by the commission. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.030 Interim protection of nominated district.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

From the time of the filing of a completed nomination form with the Department of Community Planning until final action upon the nomination by the Borough Assembly, no building permit, conditional use permit, variance, rezone, plat, or replat shall be issued for alteration, construction, demolition or removal of any property or structure within the nominated site or district, unless authorized by formal action of the Borough Assembly. For purposes of this section, final action shall be:

A. Disapproval of a nomination;

B. The effective date of an ordinance to establish a site or district;

C. Failure of an ordinance to establish a site or district after parliamentary means of reconsideration have been exhausted or not exercised; or

D. In the case of a postponement, pending amendment or perfection of a nomination, such action as the Borough Assembly may define in its postponement decision. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.040 District brochure.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

After designation of an historic district by ordinance, the commission shall, within the limits of available funds and resources, direct the preparation and publication of a brochure setting forth the ordinance, a map or maps of the district and a brief monograph explaining the historic, architectural or archaeological significance of the district. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.050 Unauthorized alterations prohibited.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

No person may undertake any construction, alteration, demolition or removal of any property or structure within an historic district established under this chapter which affects the exterior of such property or structure, without first obtaining either a certificate of appropriateness or a certificate of economic hardship from the Fairbanks North Star Borough. A person who violates this section is guilty of a violation punishable by a fine as set forth at Chapter 1.20 FNSBC. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.060 Certificate of appropriateness.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

A. A certificate of appropriateness may be sought from the Fairbanks North Star Borough by making a written application to the Borough Department of Community Planning stating:

1. The alteration sought to be accomplished;

2. The reasons therefor;

3. Why the action sought is consistent with the historic nature of the site or district;

4. Any other information the Department of Community Planning deems necessary.

B. The commission shall schedule a public hearing on the application and shall recommend whether it should be approved.

C. The Borough Assembly shall consider such an application and the commission’s recommendation and shall issue the certificate upon approval of the application. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.070 Certificate of economic hardship.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

A. A certificate of economic hardship may be sought from the Fairbanks North Star Borough by making a written application to the Borough Department of Community Planning stating:

1. The proposed alteration;

2. The reasons therefor;

3. Information tending to show that the denial of the certificate will work a clear and unquestionable economic hardship of major proportions upon the applicant and that no other reasonable remedy is available to the applicant;

4. Any other information the Department of Community Planning deems necessary.

B. The commission shall schedule a public hearing on the application and shall recommend whether it should be approved.

C. The Borough Assembly shall consider such an application and the commission’s recommendation and shall issue the certificate upon approval of the application. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.080 Fees.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

A fee of $100.00 must accompany an application for the filing of a nomination of an historic district or for a certificate of appropriateness or for a certificate of economic hardship, but the Mayor may by formal action waive the fee requirement for good cause shown. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.010 Nomination of historic sites and districts.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

A. Nominations for historic sites and districts shall be made by written application to the Department of Community Planning stating the legal description of the site or district. Nominations shall be signed by all those record property owners who wish to be included in the proposed site or district.

B. Hearing and Recommendation by the Historic Commission. The commission shall review, hear and recommend whether a nomination should be approved. The commission shall consider all oral and written statements from the applicant(s), the public, the Department of Community Planning, and its own members prior to making its recommendation. The commission shall also consider and adopt findings of fact demonstrating whether or not the proposed nomination conforms to the historic district criteria (FNSBC 18.106.020). Recommendations for approval shall set forth the obligations and duties of property owners in the site or district, including a requirement to obtain a rezoning to historically significant designation.

C. Upon the commission’s recommendation for approval of a nomination, a request for rezoning to historically significant designation pursuant to FNSBC 18.104.010 and 18.104.020 shall be made to the Planning Commission.

D. Submission to the Borough Assembly. A report of the Historic Preservation Commission’s recommendation shall be submitted to the Borough Assembly. If the commission recommends approval of the nomination, an ordinance shall be prepared with the participation of the nominators and the commission. The ordinance shall state the historic or architectural features sought to be preserved. It shall include rules regulating and, if appropriate, prohibiting alteration and demolition of structures, and guidelines, standards or rules for new construction.

E. Hearing by Assembly. The Borough Assembly shall publish notice of the time set for hearing on the nomination ordinance and shall include in the published notice a complete and clear description of the boundaries of the proposed site or district, and short descriptive summary of the nomination. Any person may offer written or oral comments at the hearing. After close of the hearing the Borough Assembly shall determine whether the proposed site or district meets the criteria of FNSBC 18.106.020.

The Assembly may approve or disapprove the nomination or it may postpone the matter pending amendment or perfection of the nomination. The filing of a perfected or amended nomination following such a postponement shall be considered a new filing for the purposes of this section, but the hearings thereon shall be limited to the new matter or the deletions of the petition, unless the Assembly orders otherwise. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.020 Historic district criteria.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

An historic district shall contain properties or structures which contain at least one of the following characteristics:

A. Are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the history of the Fairbanks North Star Borough or the City of Fairbanks;

B. Are associated with the lives of persons significant to the history of Fairbanks North Star Borough or the City of Fairbanks;

C. Have yielded or may be likely to yield information important in history or prehistory;

D. Have character, interest or values as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the state of Alaska, the Fairbanks North Star Borough or the City of Fairbanks;

E. Embody design elements considered structurally or architecturally innovative;

F. Provide familiar exterior architectural features which, through their unique location or singular physical characteristics, render the district worthy of recognition;

G. Have a character that shows a fine or unique example of a utilitarian structure; or

H. Have suitability for preservation or restoration as determined by the commission. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.030 Interim protection of nominated district.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

From the time of the filing of a completed nomination form with the Department of Community Planning until final action upon the nomination by the Borough Assembly, no building permit, conditional use permit, variance, rezone, plat, or replat shall be issued for alteration, construction, demolition or removal of any property or structure within the nominated site or district, unless authorized by formal action of the Borough Assembly. For purposes of this section, final action shall be:

A. Disapproval of a nomination;

B. The effective date of an ordinance to establish a site or district;

C. Failure of an ordinance to establish a site or district after parliamentary means of reconsideration have been exhausted or not exercised; or

D. In the case of a postponement, pending amendment or perfection of a nomination, such action as the Borough Assembly may define in its postponement decision. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.040 District brochure.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

After designation of an historic district by ordinance, the commission shall, within the limits of available funds and resources, direct the preparation and publication of a brochure setting forth the ordinance, a map or maps of the district and a brief monograph explaining the historic, architectural or archaeological significance of the district. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.050 Unauthorized alterations prohibited.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

No person may undertake any construction, alteration, demolition or removal of any property or structure within an historic district established under this chapter which affects the exterior of such property or structure, without first obtaining either a certificate of appropriateness or a certificate of economic hardship from the Fairbanks North Star Borough. A person who violates this section is guilty of a violation punishable by a fine as set forth at Chapter 1.20 FNSBC. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.060 Certificate of appropriateness.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

A. A certificate of appropriateness may be sought from the Fairbanks North Star Borough by making a written application to the Borough Department of Community Planning stating:

1. The alteration sought to be accomplished;

2. The reasons therefor;

3. Why the action sought is consistent with the historic nature of the site or district;

4. Any other information the Department of Community Planning deems necessary.

B. The commission shall schedule a public hearing on the application and shall recommend whether it should be approved.

C. The Borough Assembly shall consider such an application and the commission’s recommendation and shall issue the certificate upon approval of the application. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.070 Certificate of economic hardship.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

A. A certificate of economic hardship may be sought from the Fairbanks North Star Borough by making a written application to the Borough Department of Community Planning stating:

1. The proposed alteration;

2. The reasons therefor;

3. Information tending to show that the denial of the certificate will work a clear and unquestionable economic hardship of major proportions upon the applicant and that no other reasonable remedy is available to the applicant;

4. Any other information the Department of Community Planning deems necessary.

B. The commission shall schedule a public hearing on the application and shall recommend whether it should be approved.

C. The Borough Assembly shall consider such an application and the commission’s recommendation and shall issue the certificate upon approval of the application. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)

18.106.080 Fees.

This section was recently added by Ordinance 2025-32, codified in February 2026.

A fee of $100.00 must accompany an application for the filing of a nomination of an historic district or for a certificate of appropriateness or for a certificate of economic hardship, but the Mayor may by formal action waive the fee requirement for good cause shown. (Ord. 2025-32 § 36, 2026.)