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Airfield cleared for landing
BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER
MONTEREY - The grass runway at Hannah Field on Airport Terrace Road just outside Monterey is freshly cut. Trees have been cleared from both sides of the 2,300-foot long runway and squares of freshly laid chalk dot the centerline on the runway. Bright orange windsocks hang limply awaiting a breeze as a summer shower threatens from the west.
Jeff Ward's dream to reopen Hannah Field as a private airfield is now a reality. Last Thursday the Highland County Board of Supervisors quickly approved rezoning the land from M-1, light industrial, to A-2, agriculture, and granted a conditional use permit to operate a private airfield.
No one spoke against the rezoning or the airfield; several residents thought the landing strip would benefit the county, even if it were only for Ward's private use.
Ward's original application included a request to rezone a small section of R-2, residentially zoned property to A-2, but supervisors decided to leave the R-2 intact because it was not part of the runway. The M-1 area, about 96 acres, was rezoned to A-2. About 40 acres of Ward's property was already designated A-2.
"We have no idea why it was zoned not to allow an airfield since the airfield was already there," said county attorney Melissa Dowd.
Zoning administrator Jim Whitelaw said he had no record of the property being rezoned since zoning came into effect in 1981.
Ward said he and his wife bought the land for the airfield. "We thought, what a wonderful opportunity," he said. "We'd like to have this rezoning for a private airstrip only, the reason is, it is a grass field. A lot of people today have no concept of what landing an airplane in a field is like. For safety we would like to keep it private."
Ward, who lives and works in Waynesboro, believes he will use the airfield only on weekends, though friends and future partners in the airfield might be allowed to land there.
One potential user of the airfield is PHI Air Medical NE.
"We are excited about the use of the airstrip because of its easy access to ground support vehicles, distance from public buildings and many other positive aspects," wrote PHI program director Jonathan Collier.
"We are willing to do whatever the public would like to do with it in the future," Ward told the planning commission and board of supervisors. "I don't want to take on too much. I want to be careful whom we allow in. We want people who are safety conscious. Aviation is very, very safe if you do it right."
Ward said he would carry $1 million in liability insurance, the amount required for any airplane in Virginia. The only letter sent to the planning commission, from residents John and Patricia Donaldson, had no objection to the airfield, but wanted to make sure there was insurance to cover damage from airplanes and helicopters.
Planning commission chairman Doug Gutshall seemed most interested in the emergency helicopter use of the field.
"Would you pour a helipad with lights?" he asked.
"We would be glad to," Ward answered.
Dave Smith, a McDowell resident who held a private pilot's license with an instrument rating, said he was personally in support of the airfield.
Smith, a member of the Economic Development Authority of Highland County, made it clear he was speaking as an individual and not as a representative of the EDA.
"I flew in for close to 30 years to Hannah field," Smith said. "I support rezoning and the conditional use permit. A lot of airports have industrial lots. A lot have residential zoning; I owned one in Frederick County, Md.
"My strip in McDowell was in agriculturally zoned land; it worked out fine," he added. "This is one of the few places in Highland County where different types of zoning and uses can be utilized."
The airstrip has the county refuse collection site to its west and a mixture of residential, industrial and agricultural land on the remaining sides.
"I am highly in support of what he is doing," said David Botkin, an adjoining landowner.
Highland resident and EDA board member Clay Hamilton, speaking as an individual and not as a member of the EDA, said, "I applaud him for preparing what can potentially be a significant county asset."
Highland County Volunteer Fire Department fire chief Elmer Waybright also spoke in favor of the airfield.
Emergency helicopters land at Highland County Public Schools and that presents safety issues, he said. Hannah Field would not pose the same risks.
County resident Tom Atkeson, who spoke in favor of the airfield, was concerned about the trees nearby. Ward assured him he had removed trees and cut the grass on the turf runway to make it usable as an airstrip.
Resident Steve Sweitzer also spoke in favor of the emergency use of the airfield, citing safety concerns at the school campus. He pointed out there were fewer power lines at Hannah Field than at the school. Power lines pose a hazard to aircraft coming in and out of the school property.
"I looked at this from the perspective of (medical evacuation)," said planner Jim Cobb. "I asked Richard Waybright if an ambulance would be able to get up there during inclement weather. He said it could. The only concern I have is, will medevac pilots fly in at night?"
Ward said they have night vision goggles and would be able to fly in the dark.
Ward agreed to Cobb's recommendation that appropriate people be brought to the county from the medical evacuation units that service the area to suggest additional improvements to the landing strip to meet their needs.
The planners forwarded the rezoning request to supervisors with a favorable recommendation and one modifica- tion - leave the R-2 zoned parcel on Ward's land as it is, but rezone the M-1 area to A-2 as requested.
Supervisors rezoned the M-1 portion of the land to A-2 as recommended.
Planners also forwarded the conditional use permit application to the board with a favorable recommendation and supervisors approved it, noting the use would have no detrimental effect on traffic volumes, that the character of the neighborhood would not be compromised, and that it supported a future need in the county.
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