Airparks; Living On The Beaten Path?

BobR wrote:


Until the last two years I lived about 5 miles from DWH airport and
flew out of the same airstrip. A nice, private airport that is large
enough to have a federal control tower. It was built well out from
the city of Tomball and far from any developments. It also had a
sizable number of hangar homes on the field with more being built all
the time. The airstrip had been there at least 40 years that I know
of and believe it was longer but not sure. I know I live out there
for 30 years and it had been there for some time prior to that.

About four years ago, a developer bought several hundred acres of the
area west and south of the airport. Just south of the airport was
ploted to become another major toll road loop around Houston. The
builder built streets and started building homes, many of which were
directly under the flight path for the airport, and a substantial
number that directly backed up to the runway, including one end.
These weren't track homes but large estate sized homes.

Within a couple of years, it began. The BITCHING, whining, and
threats of lawsuits by the homeowners. The story is always the same,
"we knew the airport was there....but didn't think is was being
used!". The excuses were pathetic but as the number of people
continue to increase, the pressure to close the airport or place
severe restrictions on it are growing. The family that owns the
airport is trying to sell it to the local community before the
lawsuits can drive him out of business.

If we fail to respond to these threats, we will end up without any GA
airports to use without having to drive 50 miles to get to the
planes. For Gawds sake, if you don't want to live near an airport,
don't buy a home near one. And Please, don't give us the excuse that
the home was cheaper and that is why you bought it. Maybe that is why
it was cheaper and you should learn to live with it.





When the developers tried that stunt at the north end of the runway
at Zuehl, we met with him and asked him if he would be careful to leave
a clear center strip - in case somebody lost an engine on takeoff
or landed short. That way we wouldn't land in somebody's living room.

He never did start building there...