Ledgedale Airport seeks rezoning

The owners of Ledgedale Airport say they have no specific businesses in mind but they came before the Town of Sweden board requesting changes to zoning from residential to light industrial and residential to airport on close to 40 acres surrounding the Colby Street airstrip.

A couple dozen people crowded into the meeting room on September 12 to voice their opposition to the request for the rezoning.

"What kind of businesses do you anticipate would be building in the light industrial section?" Town Supervisor Nat Lester asked.

Mary Kay Gunther, of Passero Associates, who represented Walt Eisenhauer, owner of the airport, said, "There might be businesses that would sell products to maintain airplanes or offer parts. There is nothing planned yet."

An attorney, representing property owner Mary Louise Bader, said he was concerned that a rezone request was being made without any specificity. "This land that is being sought for rezoning is adjacent to my client's land," he said. "If it is rezoned light industrial there could be any manner of business that could move in and that is not conducive to a residential area."

Donald Pophal presented a petition to town officials opposing the rezoning request. "All of the names on the petition are landowners and homeowners adjacent to the property," he said. "We chose to move there and live in a non-commercial setting. A change of this kind could negatively impact our property values." Other residents voiced opposition to the request and agreed with comments on potential negative impacts on property value and on changes to the rural atmosphere.

Councilman Thomas Ferris asked, "Why rezone now if you have no plans in place for occupancy?"

Gunther said the first step in marketing the property would be to get the rezoning in place.

"I haven't looked for any interest in the property yet. I do want to get it rezoned first," Eisenhauer said.

"Isn't the airport for sale?" Lester asked.

Eisenhauer said he was trying to "relieve some of the debt" of the airport and that pieces, or the whole parcel, were for sale if anyone were interested. "What I am trying to do now is get the rezoning approved and move ahead and try to help bring more economic growth to the town," he said.

"I think we are putting the cart before the horse and I don't want to set a precedent of having rezoning in place before any development has been discussed," Councilman Rob Carges said. "I've been on the board for 13 years and have never had a request like this come before us."

Councilwoman Danielle Windus-Cook, who is a real estate agent, said, from a real estate perspective, the concept of rezoning first in anticipation of marketing the property makes sense. "It also raises the value of the property (for marketing purposes)," she said.

"We have to look into this further and see what's best for the Town of Sweden," Lester said.

September 17, 2006