Pros and Cons of Indianapolis Executive Airport Zoning OutlinedBy Public

[Colleen Turner <turner@xxxxxxxxxx>]

December 7, 2003

Pros and Cons of Airport Zoning Outlined By Public 
Lebanon Reporter, IN 

Supporters and opponents of a proposed airport zoning district for Indianapolis 
Executive Airport were given an hour Wednesday night to share their thoughts. 

Officials from the Hamilton County Aviation Board, the owners of the airport 
(formerly known as Indianapolis Terry Airport), are leading the charge to 
rezone the 560-acre general aviation airport location on State Road 32 in Union 
Township. The proposal would also rezone Boone County Airport in Lebanon. Both 
airports are located on land zoned agricultural with a special exception to 
allow for the airport use. 

In October, Boone County Area Plan Commission Executive Director Steve Niblick 
presented a draft of the proposal to create an airport zoning district. He has 
said the current special exception process can be a tedious process for both 
the airport and the county. He said the proposal would set guidelines for the 
airport to work within. 

The airport needs to have the zoning in place by April 2004 because according 
to a decision by the Boone County Board of Zoning Appeals, the airport must 
apply for a special exception for existing and future improvements to the 
grounds by that date. 

During the hearing, APC member Jay Parks said there are some issues that need 
to be resolved before moving forward. He said the board should consider the 
comments made at the hearing. He also requested APC attorney Gerard Gregerson 
to review the zoning powers the county will have over the airport once the 
facility is rezoned. The APC will have two work sessions, one in December and 
another in January to go over the issue. A public hearing on the rezone will be 
held again in February. 

This is not the first time the county looked at rezoning Indianapolis Executive 
Airport. In 2000, then Commissioners Garland Ferrell and Thelma Theobald 
approved a rezoning request filed by Terry Airport to rezone 607 plus acres on 
the airport property and neighboring land from AG-Agriculture to I-1 Light 
Industrial, and 50 acres from agriculture to GB-General Business to allow an 
industrial park. Commissioner Wendy Brant opposed the change. 

The move, which provided a less strict zoning classification, was reversed back 
to agriculture a year later when Commissioners Jo Baldauf and Byron Loveless 
joined the board. 

In recent years, the airport has been a sore subject for area neighbors known 
as the Boone/Hamilton County Property owners Association. The group has 
expressed concern about growth and expansion at the facility. 

During Wednesday's hearing supporters from both sides stated their case. Here 
are some of the comments made during the hearing: 

Cynthia Ellis, Union Township 

Ellis said under the current special exception process, the county has control 
over the zoning at the airport. She said if the airport is rezoned "we will 
have lost all control of what goes on at the airport." She said she is 
concerned about the potential expansion of the runway and would like to see the 
airport hours limited. 

Chris Schnepf, Union Township 

Schnepf said the airport is currently out of compliance based on a June 2002 
ruling of the Boone County Board of Zoning Appeals. He questioned the proposed 
rezone being supported by what he calls "a small group of people." "Its (the 
zoning) not broken, why are we fixing it?" Schnepf also questioned the belief 
that the airport will bring in economic development. "What businesses have been 
brought by the airport." 

Jackie Carr, Union Township Trustee 

Carr said while she is not asking the airport to go away, she is asking it to 
be a "good neighbor." She said the airport is an unlawful use based on the 
BZA's May 2002 memo. "If the airport is rezoned ... then federal law can 
control what happens at the airport and we lose the ability to restrict its 
uses." She said right now the Boone County Commissioners and the BZA have some 
control. She also stated that she doesn't think the airport is an economic 
boost for the area, but instead a "drain on the local government." 

Jill Troha, Union Township 

Troha is a firm believer that the "airport can peacefully coexist" with the 
surrounding property owners. She said she is not comfortable with current 
rezone proposal, but thinks Hamilton County is trying to do the right thing. 
She said the Indiana courts have supported the BZA's May 2002 decision 
upholding the special exception process. "It (the new rezoning) seems to me 
like an uncontrolled mess." 

Tim Roebken, Union Township 

Roebken said "once the zoning is created, we (Boone County) don't have control" 
over the airport. "They want the ability to operate it without restrictions." 
He said with the possibility that Metropolitan Airport in Fishers closing in 
the next 10 years, more planes will be landing and taking off from Executive 
Airport. He suggested a committee be formed to address the airport rezone. 

Mike Howard, attorney for Hamilton County 

Howard said the rezone will "let the surrounding landowners ... know of record" 
where the airport is located by providing notice. He also suggested the 
Hamilton County Aviation Board and airport officials are considering dropping a 
plan to add an east/west runway at the airport. He said there are advantages of 
such a runway, but it is not a necessity. He said if it were added it would 
"rarely be used." The airport currently has one 55,000 foot north/south runway. 

Howard said since the airport receives federal funds and is a general aviation 
airport, it cannot restrict hours of operation. He also said since the runway 
is a asphalt runway with a 60,000 pound runway, no planes larger than 60,000 
pounds can land. 

Speaking on the economic advantages, Howard said the proximity of an airport is 
critical for corporate businesses locating in the area and increasing the tax 
base. 

Mike Baker, Union Township 

Baker said "we (Boone County) have a great opportunity." He said while Boone 
County should have looked at purchasing the airport, he envisions a great 
partnership between both counties. He said as a real estate agent in the area, 
he has seen the advantages of having an airport nearby. 

Andrea Montgomery, co-owner of Montgomery Aviation, the operator of 
Indianapolis Executive Airport 

Montgomery said the airport has existed since 1956 and has been very beneficial 
to the area from an economic standpoint. She said the airport is clearly 
supported by a master plan approved by the Town of Whitestown in 1980. Calling 
it a "gateway to the community," Montgomery said while like all airports, it 
does not pay property taxes, excise taxes from the airport come back to the 
county. She said the economic impact of the airport is estimated at $18 million 
and added 70 percent of its users are from Boone County. "It's about zoning an 
airport an airport." 

Michael Andreoli, Zionsville area attorney 

Andreoli said it is impossible for a business to operate when every time it 
wants to make an expansion it has to get government approval. He said the 
rezone will allow the airport to make changes within the rules set by Boone 
County within its boundaries only. He said if it wants to purchase additional 
land and expand outwards, it will have to come back for approval. 

Bill Cummings, Indianapolis 

Cummings said air transportation is very important for economic development. He 
said "its is amazing who comes in and out" of Executive Airport and named 
politicians, Larry Bird and David Letterman. He said it is very difficult for 
any business to be micro-managed.

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