A developer is feeling public pressure to redesign a proposed a 160-acre subdivision on Yankovich Road that would border the Large Animal Research Station and surround the Skarland Trail.

Neighbors have voiced concerned about how creating 86 residential lots would impact traffic and safety in the area. At its meeting April 4, the Fairbanks North Star Borough Platting Board postponed action on the plan, and the developers withdrew it for reconsideration.

"They really pulled out all the stops on this," said Richard Heieren, owner of RCH Surveys, which is overseeing the project. "I have never seen the amount of interest in something."

Tom Hancock, a borough platting officer, said dozens of people commented on the project at the board's meeting. He has received more than 40 e-mails and 25 unique phone calls regarding the project.

"This one surprised everyone," he said.

Called the Magoffin Highland Subdivision, the proposed development would divide a 160-acre piece of land on Yankovich into 86 lots. Heieren said the property's owner, recently retired lawyer Jim Magoffin, had envisioned developing houses for low- to middle-income families, specifically younger couples probably right out of university.

At the moment, the land is almost all trees and trails, save for Magoffin's lone house. If approved in its current form, the proposal would place a right of way next to border the Large Animal Research Station, which houses the university's musk oxen and reindeer. Houses would also make up the bulk of the area, which includes the Skarland Trail. The public trail, owned by the borough, is popular among runners and skiers.

But Margery Kniffen, a member of the platting board, said at the meeting that the development "would take traffic and put it right up against the musk ox fence."

"I know there's a lot of concern about what happens to the musk ox, and I like them just like everybody else does, and I run out and look at them and take my guests," she said.

Hancock said the plan directs traffic away from the animals. Two fences already separate the Magoffin Highlands from LARS. And while some concern has arisen on whether animals from the new residents in the area could get loose and harm the university's animals, Hancock said that threat already exists and is handled through borough leash laws.

"I don't see that this is any different than all around the area," he said. "There's already the possibility of impact of dogs with the populace in the area."

Perry Barboza, an associate professor in biology and science director at LARS, said the animal research station is primarily concerned about how the development will impact traffic and water in the area.

Currently, LARS uses well water to feed its approximately 40 musk oxen, 40 reindeer, and 20 caribou, Barboza said. With 86 new homes, though, the water table could drop, leaving less water in the wells to be used at LARS during the summer, he said.

Barboza said he and others at the station are concerned members of the community, but that LARS had no formal position on the development.

"We're aware of it," he said. "I convened a managers meeting for LARS. We have discussed it, and we've identified that there are these couple of issues."

The statewide university system has also been made aware of the project, but has not commented formally on it.

"This is a legal subdivision certainly within the rights of the owner," said Kristi Sherman, the associate director for land management at UA. "Unless there is something within the project that would cause significant damage to the university, then we wouldn't have any grounds to complain."

Sherman added the university would review the Magoffin proposal when he resubmits it, which is expected to occur sometime this summer.

Hancock said the plan as currently set out would have little impact on the public trail, as no roads will intersect it and a 70-foot buffer zone will surround the trail.

"There's so many skiers and runners who use the trail, so we're happy that they're doing that," Hancock said.

Barboza said although the development may have impacts on the surrounding area, it's practically inevitable.

"Some element of this is going to happen anyway," he said. "Fairbanks is growing. I think that most locals are concerned about that it destroys something that's fairly valuable."