Attracting Aviation Businesses -- How?

Jim Weir wrote:
Unless Iowa runs by different rules, your airport commission is appointed by the
county board of commissioners. THAT is the place to apply pressure. I'd ask
for a rezone on that carved out parcel that is tied to a conditional use permit
process. That way everybody gets a say in what goes in.

The FAA has an Advisory Circular on Compatible Land Use.
Getting Zoning Codes changed MAY take quite a bit of time, depending on
the bureaucracy you are dealing with.
In Columbus Ohio, it took us six years to implement Airport Environs
Overlay Zoning Ordinances from inception to legislation passage. This
deals primarily with residential construction and remodeling on land
underlying and within the 65 ldn noise contours (see your Part 151 Noise
Study for your airport, these should be updated every five years). Also,
have you obtained a copy of your Airport Master Plan? This lays out the
5-, 10-, 20-year goals for airport improvements.
Does your state have an Aviation Department? What services do they
provide? They should be administering the Federal funds they receive as
part of the federal AIR-21 legislation.
Each state has its own program, many provide runway and taxiway overlay
project grants to general aviation airports. Feds pay 90%, state pays
5%, local government pays 5%. If you are paying a fuel tax to the state,
an excise tax on aircraft parts, aircraft registration, you should be
getting something back in the form of services listed above.