RAPID/Roadmap/1-AK-a
Alaska Land Use Planning (1-AK-a)
Land Use Planning Process
1
1-AK-a.1 - Public Notice
Alaska Stat. § 38.04.065 requires that the Commissioner adopt, maintain, and when appropriate, revise regional land use plans that provide for the use and management of state-owned land. The planning process is designed to provide a link between the citizens and the agencies responsible for managing state land that has not been reserved or withdrawn from multiple use management, also called the public domain land. Alaska Admin. Code tit. 11 § 55.020(b) ensures meaningful participation in the planning process by affected local governments, state and federal agencies, adjacent landowners, and the general public. Public involvement requires the DNR to issue notice under AS 38.05.945. Alaska Stat. § 38.04.065(a).
The DNR publishes public notices online at http://dnr.alaska.gov/commis/pic/pubnotfrm.htm.
1-AK-a.2 – Identify Issues and Concerns in Planning Area
The first step in the planning process is to determine which areas in the state need to have old plans revised or a new plan created. During the early stages of the planning process, the primary function of public and agency involvement is to identify issues and concerns within the planning area, important resources, and land use potential. The purpose of public and agency involvement is to gather information and input about the issues and then focus the planning efforts on these issues.
1-AK-a.3 - Gather Information About Land, Economy, and Resources
An integral part of the planning process is gathering information about the natural resources, past and present land use, land ownership, and the local economy within the plan area. This information gathering process is ongoing and is completed simultaneously with the scoping process. Under Alaska Stat. § 38.04.060, the DNR is required to prepare and maintain current statewide inventory of all state land and water and their resource and other values.
1-AK-a.4 - Prepare and Evaluate Land Use Alternatives
After identifying issues and concerns, the planning team evaluates possible choices for managing state land based on public interests, local resources, and state policies. Whenever possible, guidelines are established to allow for multiple uses. Each adopted land use plan must be consistent with relevant municipal land use plans to the maximum extent determined consistent with state and public interests. Where irreconcilable conflicts exist, alternatives are developed and evaluated.
During this part of the planning process, all resources are considered and evaluated. For each choice, the possible effects on the management goals are described. Under AS 38.05.300, the Commissioner must classify surface use land in areas considered necessary and proper; this does not prevent reclassification of land where the public interest warrants reclassification. Under Alaska Stat. § 38.04.005(b), when classifying or reclassifying land, the natural resources and conditions present are evaluated to minimize adverse effects of private settlement on wildlife, fish, mineral, timber, and other significant resources of the land.
As stated in Alaska Stat. § 38.04.015, lands are retained “to make them available on a sustained-yield basis for a variety of beneficial uses including subsistence, energy development, aquaculture, forestry, grazing, sport hunting and fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, skiing, and similar activities which can generally be made available to more people and conducted more successfully if the land is in public rather than private ownership.” State land is also retained to facilitate mining and mineral leasing by managing appropriate public land for surface uses which are compatible with subsurface uses. When land is classified for uses and purposes involving retention, they may be considered for the management categories under Alaska Stat. § 38.04.070. These categories include:
- State public reserve land
- State parks
- State trails
- Wild and scenic rivers
- State public domain
State public domain land classified as settlement by the DNR in a regional plan may be made available for development. Surface resource classifications include agriculture, coal, forest, geothermal, grazing, heritage resources, material, mineral, oil and gas, public recreation, reserved use, resource management, settlement, transportation corridor, water resources, and wildlife habitat land. Classification might reflect the surface impacts of surface or subsurface uses, or both. Classifications may identify both primary and secondary uses for which the land will be managed. Alaska Admin. Code tit. 11 § 55.040 In addition, the DNR may authorize other uses that do not conflict with the plan. On any parcel of land, up to three (3) classifications may be used where the dominance of a particular use cannot be determined. Under Alaska Admin. Code tit. 11 § 55.075, “land classified geothermal is land where known geothermal resources exist and where development is occurring or is reasonably likely to occur, or where there is reason to believe commercial quantities of geothermal resources exist.”
Under Alaska Stat. § 38.05.300, “if the area involved contains more than 640 contiguous acres, state land, water, or land and water area may not, except by act of the state legislature, be closed to multiple purpose use, or be otherwise classified…so that mining, mineral entry or location, mineral prospecting, or mineral leasing is precluded or is designated an incompatible use, except when the classification is necessary for a land disposal or exchange or is for the development of utility or transportation corridors or projects or similar projects or infrastructure.” If the DNR determines it necessary and proper, it may order an interim classification precluding mineral leasing. However, within ten (10) days after the convening of regular legislative session, the DNR must transmit the classification to the legislature for consideration.
1-AK-a.5 - Prepare Draft Plan
The DNR creates a draft plan that reflects resource values as well as public and agency goals. Participating agencies review the first draft and settle any land use conflicts that remain, or propose the best alternatives for public review. Land use plans incorporate management objectives and may contain guidelines to resolve conflicts among competing land uses. Area plans must contain the following:
- A summary of existing land uses and ownership patterns within the planning boundaries;
- A discussion of resource potential and land uses on state lands and water within the planning boundaries;
- Goals and objectives for each resource in the planning area;
- Land classifications that set out primary uses and that may be supplemented by identifying secondary uses; with a land classification, the DNR will include
- A statement whether the land is to be disposed of in fee or retained in state ownership; and
- For land to be retained in state ownership, a statement as to whether the land is to be made available for lease or other less-than-fee disposal, timber sale, or material sale;
- Consideration of mineral potential to include, at a minimum, identification of areas that will be closed to mineral entry or restricted to leasehold locations under the criteria set out in Alaska Stat. § 38.05.185, existing or potential conflicts and, if mineral leasing is intended, stipulations for future leases; and
- Management guidelines and stated management intent, representing the DNR policies to guide the actions of the DNR when making land use decisions, directing land management and ensuring compatibility among competing land uses.
Alaska Admin. Code tit. 11 § 55.030
1-AK-a.6 - Review of Draft Plan by Public
The DNR holds public meetings to provide the public with the opportunity to comment on the draft plan and to identify necessary changes. As it does throughout the land use planning process, during this time the DNR accepts written public comments.
1-AK-a.7 - Prepare Final Plan
The DNR reviews agency and public comments and revises the plan in preparation for final publication. The final product of the planning process is a document that describes intended uses of state lands. Final area plans contains management guidelines and classifications for specific management units as well as allocate for the use of state land through plan designations. This document also identifies land to be retained by the state and what land may be sold or granted to municipalities through the municipal entitlement process. Final area plans provide detailed guidance for areas or specific resources; they may recommend legislative designations as well. These plans may establish section priorities or special land use designations. In addition, they may be associated with a mineral order, either opening or closing lands to mineral entry.
1-AK-a.8 to 1-AK-a.12 - Approve Plan
The Commissioner approves and signs finalized land use plans. Once the plan has been signed by the Commissioner, public notice is issued. Public notice is required for new land classifications, mineral opening or closing orders, and oil and gas leases. Alaska Stat. § 38.05.945. This provides notice of the 30-day public comment period that commences after signing. Eligible affected stakeholders are allowed to appeal any decision of the DNR or request that it be reconsidered. If no requests for reconsideration are filed or the Commissioner chooses not to reconsider the decision, the signed plan goes into effect on the 31st day after the date of issuance and can move into the implementation phase of the planning process.
Alaska Admin. Code tit. 11 § 02.010-02.040
1-AK-a.13 – State Land Use Plan
Approved land use plans guide management decisions for state lands within the planning area. Two types of state land use plans might govern geothermal development on state-owned land: an area plan or a management plan. These plans apply only to state-owned lands.
Area plans usually cover large areas. Area plans establish goals, policies, management intent, guidelines for recommendations to retain or sell land, open or close areas to mineral entry, establish selection priorities or special land use designations, and recommend legislative designations. These plans must consider, identify, and delineate renewable resource development (See Alaska Admin. Code tit. 11 § 55.030(c)).
Management plans provide more detailed guidance for special areas, such as parks, or for specific resources, like forestry, within a region or sub-region. Management plans identify planned actions, detailed site planning, management guidelines, implementation work plans, and information about resources, constraints, and management decisions (See Alaska Admin. Code tit. 11 § 55.030(d)).
The DNR maintains a list of:
- Plans currently under development;
- Future planning projects; and
- Adopted area and management plans.
These are available at http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/planning/#CURRENT.
In addition, the DNR provides access to its Land Records search portal allowing users to locate, research, and verify ownership, land use, and authorizations on state land and water owned or managed by the State of Alaska, available at http://dnr.alaska.gov/landrecords/.
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Alaska Department of Natural Resources
Large Project Coordinator
(907) 269-8400