The Nome Planning Commission approved a variance Tuesday allowing Kiewit Corporation to move forward with plans for a temporary workforce housing facility in the city. The site would be used to house employees working on the Port of Nome Modification Project.
Present commissioners voted 4–0 to relax interior setback requirements for a block of land owned by Bering Straits Native Corporation and leased to Kiewit. The decision allows the company to build across multiple interior lot lines within Block 125 of the Nome townsite, just south of the Richard Foster Building.
The variance does not authorize construction of the crew camp itself. That proposal will require a separate conditional use permit and another hearing before the commission. City Clerk Dan Grimmer told commissioners the request was limited to those setbacks and did not address the broader project.
“Please keep in mind that this is a variance for the interior setbacks, not the conditional use, which will come later. That's a whole nother conversation, and probably a much bigger one,” Grimmer explained to the commission.
According to application documents, the proposed facility would include modular dormitory buildings linked together by an arctic hallway. It would be capable of housing up to 186 workers. The camp would connect to city water, sewer and power utilities and include dining and recreation areas.
Representatives for the project said the design reflected the need to house a large workforce while connecting to municipal utilities. Ron Thompson with Scope Permitting Engineering told the commission the site was selected after evaluating several alternatives.
“We looked at several properties, this seemed to be what we felt was the best to meet the safety, sanitation and also a similar use of the same type of use in the area,” Thompson said.
Thompson said locating the camp within the city would allow it to connect to water and sewer systems rather than relying on trucked services or septic systems. He approximated that for 186 people, the facility would produce up to 16,000 gallons of sewage a day.
Nome Joint Utility System Manager, Ken Morton, joined by Zoom and informed the commission that the utility had the capacity to handle the extra sewage.
Replay the Planning Commission meeting:
During the public hearing, Nome Port Commission members Derek McLarty and Charlie Lean spoke in favor of the project. Lean noted that providing a site for a work camp was part of the city’s agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is overseeing the port modification project.
"The project is hanging fire, and every delay is going to cost the city money,” Lean said. “I’m questioning the idea that you can chase a major contractor out of town, and what is the motivation for that.”
Planning Commission chair Greg Smith said during the hearing that he believed other locations should be considered.
“They have been told by city council that in town, man camp won't fly, and they continue to push this hard due to water and sewer,” Smith said. “We must uphold our oath of office. I appreciate you guys very much, but you don't meet the conditions.”
After public comment, commissioners reviewed the eight criteria required under city code to grant a variance, including whether the request creates safety risks or additional public expense.
The commission ultimately concluded the request met those requirements and voted unanimously to approve the variance.
The project must still return to the planning commission for a conditional use permit before construction could proceed.
Application documents indicate the temporary workforce housing facility could operate for approximately five to seven years before being removed after project work concludes. 
