Scottsdale Bans Aerial Commuting

Scottsdale, Ariz.’s planning commission has passed a motion that would ban landing aircraft in residential areas. Commission spokesman James Heitel said legislation with that intent has been on the books for 20 years but the motion passed last week clarifies the old law and makes it “black and white” according to a report in The Arizona Republic. The new rule fixes a problem that might hardly exist. The Republic states, “Scottsdale planners say that to date, only a handful of residents have landed aircraft on their properties,” but the community’s apparent failure to deal with another planning issue has prompted the pre-emptive strike against those who might want to change that condition. Traffic headaches are mounting in the affluent community and the planning commission is afraid that hopping over the gridlock might soon become attractive to those who can afford it. One homeowner has filed suit against the city’s 2003 decision to outlaw helipads as “accessory uses” in residential areas.