Annexation - Boundary Change Information

A service area is a taxing jurisdiction within the borough that has been established to provide a special service such as road maintenance or fire protection. When a resident or area requests inclusion in or removal from a service area, they must follow the steps outlined in Section 1 below. Requests are forwarded to the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) Assembly for action. Section 3 applies to all requests except borough sponsored requests to remove parcels or subdivisions.

Only areas with publicly dedicated rights-of-way can be annexed into road service areas. Private roads can not be maintained with public funds.

1) Types of Annexation/Boundary Change Requests

a) Petition Based Boundary Change

The sponsor submits a completed application to the Rural Services Division by May 15. After the request has been reviewed, the staff will prepare a petition, a map of the annexation or removal area, and a current tax roll of property owners. These items are given to the sponsor. The sponsor must obtain signatures of a majority of property owners (50% +1) in the proposed area. Any legal property owner, as shown on the current property tax roll within the area proposed for boundary change, may sign the petition. The petition will serve as evidence of sufficient interest to proceed with the change request once the required signatures are obtained by the sponsor. Petitions are available to sponsors on June 1.

Once the sponsor has obtained signatures and returned the petition(s) to the Rural Services Division, the signatures are then verified. Once verified, the request is processed as outlined in Sections 2 - 3. Elections are required of both the proposed area and the parent service area.

b) Consent to Annex

Where parcels are being subdivided and the newly created parcels will access roads of an established road service area, the subdivider is required to request annexation to that service area. Since the property is held by one owner, an election is not required of the requesting area. An election of the parent service area is required.

c) Borough Sponsored Boundary Change Request

The Borough may annex subdivisions/parcels into an existing service area where service area maintained roads provide the only access to the parcel or subdivision, or where access to service area roads is required by the subdivision plat or by other regulation or ordinance. An election of the parent service area is required.

d) Borough Sponsored Request to Remove Parcel or Subdivision

The Borough may remove parcels or subdivisions from an existing service area where the parcel or subdivision does not rely on service area maintained roads for its only access or where access to service area roads is required by the subdivision plat or by other regulation or ordinance. This is an Assembly action and no elections are required for the requesting area or parent service area.

2) Processing of Requests

a) Preparation

Rural Services staff prepares a map showing the proposed boundary change recommendation, and an Ordinance. These are forwarded to the Borough Assembly for consideration and action.

b) Informational Meeting

Rural Services schedules a public informational meeting for all proposed annexations prior to their introduction to the Assembly. Property owners in all areas affected by the requests are notified. Both the informational meeting and the Borough Assembly meetings are advertised in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner, noticed on the Borough's website, and are open to any member of the public.

c) Assembly Consideration

The Borough Assembly will hold a meeting for public testimony prior to the approval of the Ordinances. If the ordinances are approved, elections will be held in all areas noted in Section 1.

3) Elections

a) Public Hearing Notification & Ballot Request

All property owners are mailed notification of the public hearing before the FNSB Assembly and instructions for requesting a ballot by mail if the ordinance is approved by the Assembly. This information will also be advertised in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner. Any qualified voter may request a ballot from the Clerk's Office, regardless of property ownership (renters may also vote in the election). There is also a voting booth available at the Borough Clerk's Office, 907 Terminal St. A qualified voter is someone who has lived in the proposed service area at least 30 days before the election and is registered to vote at that address.

b) Election Results & Notification

All required elections must be favorable in order for an annexation to be approved. Election results are certified by the FNSB Assembly in December. After the certification, affected property owners will be notified of the election results by mail. If the annexation is approved, service areas will receive the new tax monies July 1st of the following year.