Help save NH airstrip
Question:
Walt, I’m very sympathetic to your issues, as I am also the operator of an aircraft facility within New Hampshire (NH71), that, and we "Walt"s have to stick together! First, you neglect to indicate the absence or presence of commercial activity at your air-strip. If you are totally non-commercial, the issue shouldn’t be a lot different than a tennis court in the back yard. My seaplane base, for example, is on the sectional as (PVT), and the applications clearly states "…no commercial service of any kind…". Was your airport clearly registered with the FAA, with an identifier, and on the sectional…then you may well have issue with the local authorities on the ability to shut it down. The AOPA should be able to provide references to a good aviation issues atty. Much as we aviation types abhor litigation, may I suggest you file suit against the offending pilot for "loss of value" to your property. These funds may well be the support for your legal redress. Talk to me by E-mail…at least keep me posted.
Response:
I’ve posted this to both rec.aviation.homebuilt and rec.aviation.owning- my apologies to those who read both. I’m looking for some help and advice to get my private strip in Brentwood, NH reopened. All was fine until an uninvited pilot dropped his Warrior in my neighbor’s yard during an aborted landing 2 years ago. For the full story, drop me a line and I’ll e-mail the saga. The short version is that the neighbor hired a lawyer and complained to the town and I received a cease and desist on a zoning technicality. We tried to change the zoning twice- and lost both times, first by 27 votes and then by 90+ (they had much more money and time than we did). I will mention they rode in my plane prior to the accident and thought it was great. Despite their victory at the polls, they have put their house on the market, but at $525K, it hasn’t seen much action. I’ve waited a year for it to sell, but it looks like they aren’t in a big hurry to leave. I’m now looking for a new tact, or a revision of the old to reclaim my right to fly off my own land. This is what I have done: 1) Contact AOPA: "We’re sorry but we can’t get involved in individual problems. We have to concentrate on the large airport closings." 2) AOPA Legal Services Plan Attorney: "You had better notify your homeowner’s insurance carrier in case the pilot sues you." 3) Attempt to change town Zoning ordinance: a) The first attempt was not well written, and lost by 27 votes. b) The second attempt was met with a well-organized and well-funded opposition, who used several mailings with effective scare tactics and misinformation. Despite the RECOMMENDATION by the town Planning Board, the ordinance was more soundly defeated, even though we received more votes than the first time. 4) Contact the State Aeronautics Board: "There’s not much we can do to help- we need some way, possibly through State legislation, to end this discrimination against aircraft" Unfortunately, we’re at a loss as to what to do. We lost the use of our dream airstrip because of the bad judgement of another pilot. I’m looking for other owners or pilots from NH interested in a campaign to protect the rights of landowners- can we lobby the legislature to permit private, non-commercial airstrips? Does someone know a GOOD zoning and aviation attorney? (I am reluctant, however, to spend my children’s college tuition on a such a risky attempt.) We pilots need to get more active in protecting our priviledge to fly. Public hysteria, fed by the media, is constantly restricting our hobby (and profession for some). Help! / Walt Porter / * | | (Obviously not the opinion of H-P!)
