Ohio airport's allies speak up
Development would conflict
The village zoning commission in Batavia, Ohio, got an earful from more than 350 people (many of them AOPA members) opposed to building hundreds of homes next to one of the busiest general aviation airports in the state.
The commission met September 17 to consider a proposed zoning change to clear the way for hundreds of homes to be built on 175 acres adjacent to Clermont County Airport, home of Sporty's Pilot Shop, Sporty's Academy, University of Cincinnati Aviation, the Tri-State Warbird Museum, and other aviation businesses.
Creating new housing and maintaining a vibrant airport are two goals that the village of Batavia set on a collision course when it annexed 175 acres adjacent to the airport earlier this year, specifically to attract high-density residential development, and soon began the process of approving construction of 800 mixed-use residential structures just south of the airport, with some of those dwellings to be situated within 150 feet of a runway or taxiway.
Airport officials have several concerns about the potential new neighbors, including the likelihood that noise complaints would begin to arrive soon after the moving trucks. AOPA Great Lakes Regional Manager Kyle Lewis spoke at the September zoning hearing, urging local officials to reject the zoning change, which could put the county (the airport sponsor) in violation of agreements made when accepting various federal grants by allowing the creation of new hazards close to the airport, and allowing incompatible land use.
"AOPA is constantly looking for ways to promote harmony between airports and their community neighbors,” said Lewis. “Protecting these areas from development is not meant to halt the town from new housing projects as much as to present a warning to local officials about the future compatibility between residential housing and airports. AOPA respectfully asks the village to adhere to the guiding principles and statements found in the Village Land Use Plan and further cautions that if the village proceeds with the zoning change, and potential development is realized, this may put Clermont County at risk of failing to meet the FAA’s grant obligations."
Aeronautical concerns were not the only issues raised at the zoning hearing. Representatives of the local school district, first responders, and residents also spoke out against the massive development, including a planned 15-year abatement on property taxes that would further strain local services.
Lewis continues to work with airport management, the Ohio Aviation Association, airport businesses, and other advocates hoping to persuade local officials to relocate the planned development and allow the airport to continue to grow to meet the county's future needs. A federally funded effort is now underway to update the airport's master plan.
