Denali Environs Land-Use Planning
The Denali Borough, established in 1990, is young and inexperienced. To date, land-use development has been largely unguided, the entire borough, excepting one subdivision and the landfill in Anderson, is classified "unrestricted zoning". Over the past twenty years, visitation to Denali National Park has tripled and overnight accommodations at the park's entrance area have increased proportionately, from 133 rooms in 1980 to 1,800 rooms in 2000. Bed taxes, collected by the borough, comprise nearly 86% of its total revenue and consequently there has been little incentive to restrict growth.
"Glitter Gulch," a mile long stretch of mega-resorts, restaurants, gift shops, etc., is located just north of the Park's entrance. A lack of land use planning has degraded the Nenana River canyon's natural beauty and has created an area of major safety concerns for the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, local business operators, citizens of the borough and tourists.
Land Ownership
Municipal Entitlements - 49,000 acres of land the Borough is scheduled to receive under their municipal land entitlement from the state. Large tracts of land selected, along the eastern boundary of the park, contain sensitive wildlife corridors for animals moving into and out of the park. Development of these tracts will alter the view shed from the Park's Road. Selections along the highway corridor could potentially spread strip development north towards the town of Healy.
Native owned land, south of the Park's boundary, has been proposed as a potential site for large tourism development.
Alaska Railroad owns 6000 acres of land in the Denali Borough and is presently promoting a program to have these lands leased and developed by entrepreneurs. The pristine, local recreation site at Otto Lake just south of Healy is already under development.
Coming Soon -
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Denali Highway
Healy Clean Coal Plant
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