Harvey Field Endangered

Is the AOPA involved, yet? They're very good at fighting this kind of
fight.

jf


"C J Campbell" wrote in message
news:2007080321433616807-christophercampbell@hotmailcom...
It appears that Harvey Field (S43) in Snohomish County, WA, is in serious
trouble. Basically, Federal surveys have re-mapped the flood plain and
errors in the new map have placed Harvey Field within an area where
industrial development is now restricted, despite the fact that the
existing buildings are more than a century old and have never been
flooded.

Opponents of the airport have seized on this and orchestrated a
well-organized media campaign with slick flyers and ads claiming that the
airport is killing fish, that it is planning on expanding (actually, the
runway is being shortened to make room for an overrun) and other false
claims. The brochures even show pictures of flooded areas which are not
even on the property, claiming that they are pictures showing that Harvey
Field does indeed flood. To date, letters to Snohomish County
commissioners have been running 100 to 1 against the airport.

There are more than 330 planes based at Harvey Field and there are more
than 250 people employed there. The airport is private and receives no
federal funding. The County refuses to approve building permits for new
hangars, runway improvements and repairs, and other needed work. One
individual responsible for this is a self-proclaimed environmentalist,
Craig D. Ladiser, who even though he is the director of Snohomish County
Public Development Services has referred Snohomish as a city, not a
county -- that is how ignorant he is about the area. Originally, he
estimated it would cost just over $100,000 to correct the flood plain
mapping errors, but in less than 90 days he revised this cost to more than
$500,000.

Harvey Field is supposed to be protected under the law by Washington
State's Growth Management Act. A discussion of the issues involved is in
the latest issue of Wings.

Letters requesting information about the Urban Growth Area should be
addressed to Linda Kuller. A sample letter appears below:

August 3, 2007




Linda Kuller
Chief Planning Officer
Snohomish Co. Planning & Development Services
2930 Wetmore Avenue
Everett, Washington 98201




Dear Ms. Kuller,

Please send me all information pertinent to the South Snohomish Urban
Growth Area (UGA) Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) Request.
Thank you.

Respectfully,



The Snohomish County Commissioners and their email addresses a

District 1 John Koster
District 2 Kirke Sievers
District 3 Gary Nelson
District 4 Dave Gossett
District 5 Dave Somers

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

On 2007-08-04 05:21:56 -0700, "Jeff" jfranks1971 minus said:

Is the AOPA involved, yet? They're very good at fighting this kind of
fight.

jf

Both AOPA and WPA are involved in this. They are encouraging this
letter writing campaign.


--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

C J Campbell wrote:
On 2007-08-04 05:21:56 -0700, "Jeff" jfranks1971 minus
said:

Is the AOPA involved, yet? They're very good at fighting this kind of
fight.

jf

Both AOPA and WPA are involved in this. They are encouraging this letter
writing campaign.



Yeah, a letter writing campaign. I just betcha the Snohomish folks are
shakin' in their boots.

Letter writing didn't save Meigs, and won't save Harvey either. It'll be
a sad loss to a great airport.

The AOPA, well-meaning organization that it is, just doesn't have the
clout to save any airport that the local population, meaning non-flying
public, doesn't care about.

--
"Religion began when the first scoundrel met the first fool."
—- Voltaire