…As Both Sides Claim High Ground…

The developer says the airport operators agreed to shorten the runway by 1,000 feet in return for an access road through the development property. The FAA OK’d the buildings based on that agreement. Bartmess says the operators were “blackmailed” into the agreement to gain access, and the terms are not safe or sensible. “This should not have happened,” he told local officials. “Help us try to straighten this out.” AOPA has weighed in to support the airport, asking local officials to “take all possible measures, including enforcement of existing state and local statutes, to prevent further residential encroachment of Spanish Springs Airport.” AOPA told the county, “By doing so, you will be protecting the health, safety, and welfare of your citizens, both on the ground and in the air.”