Local pilots and Battle Ground residents are concerned that rezoning Cedars North Airpark for higher-density usage may lead to its eventual closing.
In the future, the City Council will decide whether or not to allow more housing or light industrial businesses to surround the soft airfield.
Under the state’s Growth Management Act (GMA), Battle Ground must approve a plan to zone for future housing and employment needs based on the county’s estimation. By December, the county will receive, revise and adopt a plan for cities, including Battle Ground, to prepare for the next 20 years of growth. One of several lands under review is the city’s 78.67-acre airpark zone, as the land between Eaton Boulevard and the airfield can be developed for either light industrial jobs or residential houses.
Earlier this year, the Airpark Steering Committee, composed of stakeholders and local landowners, could not reach a consensus on rezoning recommendations, with many homeowners in opposition to rezoning entirely. On May 8, the Planning Commission considered the steering committee’s discussion and proposed the City Council rezone the airpark to residential-3 (R3), allowing three housing units per acre near the airfield. Currently, the airfield shares land with at least five residential properties, as all homes comply with FAA regulations regarding size and distance. The rezoning would not close the airpark or halt operations. A second option is to rezone land north of the property for industrial use. The Planning Commission presented a third alternative: to leave the land under current zoning, preventing the intensive development of industrial or residential properties surrounding the field.
In a Monday, May 20 meeting, the City Council reviewed the three alternatives and listened to public comment without making any decisions. During public comments, several property owners expressed their concerns about the property. Airpark resident and Airport Manager Stewart Davis said higher-density houses near the airport would compromise its safety and existence.
“Residential areas and safe operations are not conducive to go together for that reason for high-density housing as well,” Davis said.
Several property owners echoed Davis’ fears. Carolyn Dronen, who built her home at the airpark six years ago, said that recent city rezoning of residential and commercial areas has already jeopardized the experience of residents. She fears that the planes she enjoys viewing will be gone in years to come if future residents complain about the airfield.
“Not only are we concerned about the city zoning this airpark out of existence but the addition of automobile traffic on Eaton Boulevard,” Dronen said.
Joel Sterling, an engineer and member of the Airpark Steering Committee, emphasized two of the alternatives drawn would not lead to the airpark’s closure.
“We have maintained the runway and easement on all the designs that we did. Our intent was to keep that runway in place,” Sterling said. “Just because the airpark (zoning) is removed does not mean that the airport itself is removed.”
Jason Nemeroff, a flight instructor and president of the Camas-Washougal Aviation Association, argued the proposed rezoning would not guarantee the landing zone’s viability. He said the soft airfield is important for pilot training and is one of the best maintained in Clark County.
“As residential areas encroach on the airport environment, even if the runway surface remains intact, it starts to become unsafe,” Nemeroff said. “North Cedars Airpark is really nice in that it has a lot of area around the airport environment where, in the unlikely event that something bad happened, we don’t just go flying into someone’s house.”
McCoy told The Reflector he was undecided, and he and other council members will review future testimonies. He noted that if light-industrial rezoning occurs, the airfield zone’s Covenants, Conditions, & Restrictions Disputes document, which outlines its regulations, would need to be amended to allow businesses on airfield-zoned land.
City staff will conduct a compatibility-use study for the properties before the City Council adopts a rezoning ordinance.
