If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
Howdy,
I'm lucky to have found a lot nearby that has pretty much everything I want, including 2600 ft. of turf runway. This whole thing has been carved out of the bush in the past 6 months. Great fishing is just a stretch of the legs away, and while it is awfully rural, it isn't that far away from a lovely metropolitain city or the beach. There is only 5 lots on this airstrip vith varying acreage. One end of it faces a lake. (Good, not flying directly over anyones house) The other end is purpendicular to a country road with a small trailer and a large piece of acreage on the other side. It isn't on the current sectional. I've chatted briefly with the fellow who built it. There is only his house on it at this time, and he doesn't have an aircraft based there. There is no obvious evidence that an aircraft has ever operated from it. There is a rather large sign aftertising the lots as "airpark" lots on this little country road, so I imagine the fellar across the street has at least some understanding of what this large field is intended for. However there are a few things burning a hole in the back of my mind preventing the checkbook from flowing forth. City state and federal ordinances for one. What constitutes legitimacy for an airpark? I've heard some horror stories about litigation between the state and private airstrips. I'm awfully concerned that 5 lots is not enough to make a good show and Bubba's courthouse-and-saloon. I'm thinking I need to hire a paralegal to look up any applicable laws and precedent before buying. I also was thinking of knocking on some neighbors doors and get an idea what the community thinks about it. I will of course wear my hip-waders and a cow bell lest I get shot for rustlin'. Anybody been through this? Advice? -Matt |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
In a previous article, " said:
However there are a few things burning a hole in the back of my mind preventing the checkbook from flowing forth. City state and federal ordinances for one. What constitutes legitimacy for an airpark? I've heard some horror stories about litigation between the state and private airstrips. I'm awfully concerned that 5 lots is not enough to make a good show and Bubba's courthouse-and-saloon. I'm thinking I need to hire a paralegal to look up any applicable laws and precedent before buying. I also was thinking of knocking on some Considering what is at risk here, maybe you should spring for a real lawyer? -- Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/ Can't get out of 'vi'? Common problem. Don't worry, I'm here to help. Just log in as root and type "init 0". It works for pretty much any problem you might have with Linux. No, no, no. Thank /you/. -- Mikey Raeder |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
In my (many?, all?, most?, some?) area, the local zoning laws govern where
you can put an airstrip. You need to check with your county to see if they have rules on the subject, and what those rules are. Also, if I was spending a premium to get an airfield lot, I'd make sure the airstrip can't be sold out from under me. KB wrote in message oups.com... Howdy, I'm lucky to have found a lot nearby that has pretty much everything I want, including 2600 ft. of turf runway. This whole thing has been carved out of the bush in the past 6 months. Great fishing is just a stretch of the legs away, and while it is awfully rural, it isn't that far away from a lovely metropolitain city or the beach. There is only 5 lots on this airstrip vith varying acreage. One end of it faces a lake. (Good, not flying directly over anyones house) The other end is purpendicular to a country road with a small trailer and a large piece of acreage on the other side. It isn't on the current sectional. I've chatted briefly with the fellow who built it. There is only his house on it at this time, and he doesn't have an aircraft based there. There is no obvious evidence that an aircraft has ever operated from it. There is a rather large sign aftertising the lots as "airpark" lots on this little country road, so I imagine the fellar across the street has at least some understanding of what this large field is intended for. However there are a few things burning a hole in the back of my mind preventing the checkbook from flowing forth. City state and federal ordinances for one. What constitutes legitimacy for an airpark? I've heard some horror stories about litigation between the state and private airstrips. I'm awfully concerned that 5 lots is not enough to make a good show and Bubba's courthouse-and-saloon. I'm thinking I need to hire a paralegal to look up any applicable laws and precedent before buying. I also was thinking of knocking on some neighbors doors and get an idea what the community thinks about it. I will of course wear my hip-waders and a cow bell lest I get shot for rustlin'. Anybody been through this? Advice? -Matt |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. .. In my (many?, all?, most?, some?) area, the local zoning laws govern where you can put an airstrip. You need to check with your county to see if they have rules on the subject, and what those rules are. Also, if I was spending a premium to get an airfield lot, I'd make sure the airstrip can't be sold out from under me. Also - How is the drainage - will it turn to mud in the spring? Snow removal / mowing - who and how much will it cost. I assume the lots are buildable (perk OK for a septic and all that stuff). Utilities? Easemenets to get back to your lot (and to the strip)? Deed restrictions on what you can / can't build /do? -- Geoff The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
wrote in message oups.com... However there are a few things burning a hole in the back of my mind preventing the checkbook from flowing forth. City state and federal ordinances for one. What constitutes legitimacy for an airpark? I've heard some horror stories about litigation between the state and private airstrips. I'm awfully concerned that 5 lots is not enough to make a good show and Bubba's courthouse-and-saloon. I'm thinking I need to hire a paralegal to look up any applicable laws and precedent before buying. I also was thinking of knocking on some neighbors doors and get an idea what the community thinks about it. I will of course wear my hip-waders and a cow bell lest I get shot for rustlin'. The covenants are absolutely critical. The airstrip must be dedicated so that A) Someone can't sell it after all of the "airstrip" lots are sold, and B) Some landowner can't (for example) throw up a fence across it. (I have seen and/or heard of both of these things happening) * Who pays for maintenance? *Who gets sued when (for example) someone lands, hits a pothole and crashes? *As already mentioned, a check of local land-use restrictions is in order to be sure that the airstrip is compliant. Vaughn |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
Vaughn Simon wrote: wrote in message The covenants are absolutely critical. The airstrip must be dedicated so that A) Someone can't sell it after all of the "airstrip" lots are sold, and B) Some landowner can't (for example) throw up a fence across it. (I have seen and/or heard of both of these things happening) * Who pays for maintenance? *Who gets sued when (for example) someone lands, hits a pothole and crashes? *As already mentioned, a check of local land-use restrictions is in order to be sure that the airstrip is compliant. Although I don't live on an airpark my plane does. Our airpark is set up such that each home owner owns a fraction of the runway. There is a community associate that all the owners belong to and they manage the airpark. The fuel pump pretty much pays for the operation but we just recently accepted state money to do some improvements (never took any federal money though). We've paved so we don't have much drainage to worry about but we do have to resurface every so many years. -Robert |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
-----Original Message----- From: ] Posted At: Sunday, January 14, 2007 3:54 PM Posted To: rec.aviation.owning Conversation: Airpark lot, things to consider before buying? Subject: Airpark lot, things to consider before buying? Howdy, I'm lucky to have found a lot nearby that has pretty much everything I want, including 2600 ft. of turf runway. This whole thing has been carved out of the bush in the past 6 months. Great fishing is just a stretch of the legs away, and while it is awfully rural, it isn't that far away from a lovely metropolitain city or the beach. .... Having just purchased a lot on Gunderson's Airpark in Owasso, Oklahoma (O38) I suggest you take the earlier advice and talk to a knowledgeable attorney. In the meantime, here are some things to think about: * There probably should be a homeowners association to buffer the individual homeowners from some of the liabilities. * If the airport is privately owned then the homeowners association may need first-rights to prevent sale to some non-aviation type buyer. * If the airport is sod then the substructure most likely will be hard clay or some other type of soil that does not perk-test well. That means you will be looking at a septic system that treats your waste and then distributes the gray-water through a sprinkler system. Figure on adding $5 to $8 K to your home building costs. * In most areas, the county / parish planning board must approve the platted land description. (This isn't easy so don't put your money down until that approval is obtained.) We put a deposit down on our lot 2 years before we could legally close - the planning commission, the utility companies, and the local residents all had to be satisfied before we would agree to buy the property. And this is an expansion of a pre-existing residential airpark. Best advice I can think of is - don't get in a hurry, make sure your deposits are refunded if the developer can't close, and find a good attorney who will help you through the entire process. $500 for an attorney is cheap when you are looking at $50 K or more for good residential airpark building lots. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
In article
, "Vaughn Simon" wrote: wrote in message oups.com... However there are a few things burning a hole in the back of my mind preventing the checkbook from flowing forth. City state and federal ordinances for one. What constitutes legitimacy for an airpark? I've heard some horror stories about litigation between the state and private airstrips. I'm awfully concerned that 5 lots is not enough to make a good show and Bubba's courthouse-and-saloon. I'm thinking I need to hire a paralegal to look up any applicable laws and precedent before buying. I also was thinking of knocking on some neighbors doors and get an idea what the community thinks about it. I will of course wear my hip-waders and a cow bell lest I get shot for rustlin'. The covenants are absolutely critical. The airstrip must be dedicated so that A) Someone can't sell it after all of the "airstrip" lots are sold, and B) Some landowner can't (for example) throw up a fence across it. (I have seen and/or heard of both of these things happening) I also know of examples of the above. I live on an airpark and LOVE it! I did, however (along with my wife) set up a number of critical checklist items: 1. Property owners must own the airstrip. 2. Sewer and water system. 3. Lights for night ops. 4. Close to civilization. (Who wants to drive an hour to get a can of paint or a loaf of bread?) 5. No state income taxes. 6. State homestead law. 7. Reasonable ground access. (You still have to move in the heavy/bulky stuff.) 8. Some kind of architectural planning. (You could end up in a dump.) 9. near community colleges. (for wife's interests) 10. Near beaches. (Both of us) 11. A friendly community. 12. A community big enough to put down the "rules Nazis" and the slobs. 13. Big enough to protect itself from the local Philistines who hate airplanes. * Who pays for maintenance? *Who gets sued when (for example) someone lands, hits a pothole and crashes? *As already mentioned, a check of local land-use restrictions is in order to be sure that the airstrip is compliant. Vaughn |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
It doesnt matter much if the runway is on the sectional. What matters
is: 1. Who owns it 2. Who controls it 3. Who pays for it 4. Who uses it 5. Who doesn't want it There are probably zoning laws. Is it allowed by zoning? Is there a written arrangement for it's ownership and control? Five lots is not many, but I have seen ones operate with fewer. How long has it been there? Ultimately, you won't know for sure, I suspect. The only ones that are "for sure" (is anything for sure?) are ones that have been there a long time and are supported by many of the local home owners who are active flyers. What seems to do these airparks in more than anything is disuse. Crested Butte has a local airport that is private, but public use allowed. It was originally built to be part of a subdivision. The local landowners dont want it and they are trying to shut it down. There are many other similar stories. If there were several landowners that used it and wanted it, it would be much more likely to stay open. The one up at Red Feather Lakes is closed now (I think). It was the last remaining posession of the developer. Not a single lot owner who used it. Only about two pilots ever landed there in the last year. It was on and off the sectional over the years. It was for sale for a while. I am not sure what happened to the land. It might even still be there. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Airpark lot, things to consider before buying?
Sounds COOL! Where are you?
Jer/ in Colorado Orval Fairbairn wrote: In article , "Vaughn Simon" wrote: wrote in message oups.com... However there are a few things burning a hole in the back of my mind preventing the checkbook from flowing forth. City state and federal ordinances for one. What constitutes legitimacy for an airpark? I've heard some horror stories about litigation between the state and private airstrips. I'm awfully concerned that 5 lots is not enough to make a good show and Bubba's courthouse-and-saloon. I'm thinking I need to hire a paralegal to look up any applicable laws and precedent before buying. I also was thinking of knocking on some neighbors doors and get an idea what the community thinks about it. I will of course wear my hip-waders and a cow bell lest I get shot for rustlin'. The covenants are absolutely critical. The airstrip must be dedicated so that A) Someone can't sell it after all of the "airstrip" lots are sold, and B) Some landowner can't (for example) throw up a fence across it. (I have seen and/or heard of both of these things happening) I also know of examples of the above. I live on an airpark and LOVE it! I did, however (along with my wife) set up a number of critical checklist items: 1. Property owners must own the airstrip. 2. Sewer and water system. 3. Lights for night ops. 4. Close to civilization. (Who wants to drive an hour to get a can of paint or a loaf of bread?) 5. No state income taxes. 6. State homestead law. 7. Reasonable ground access. (You still have to move in the heavy/bulky stuff.) 8. Some kind of architectural planning. (You could end up in a dump.) 9. near community colleges. (for wife's interests) 10. Near beaches. (Both of us) 11. A friendly community. 12. A community big enough to put down the "rules Nazis" and the slobs. 13. Big enough to protect itself from the local Philistines who hate airplanes. * Who pays for maintenance? *Who gets sued when (for example) someone lands, hits a pothole and crashes? *As already mentioned, a check of local land-use restrictions is in order to be sure that the airstrip is compliant. Vaughn Best regards, Jer/ "Flight instruction and mountain flying are my vocations!" -- Jer/ (Slash) Eberhard, Mountain Flying Aviation, LTD, Ft Collins, CO CELL 970 231-6325 EMAIL jer at frii.com http://users.frii.com/jer/ C-206 N9513G, CFII Airplane&Glider FAA-DEN Aviation Safety Counselor CAP-CO Mission&Aircraft CheckPilot BM218 HAM N0FZD 247 Young Eagles! |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Things to do along the way...or when I get there! | [email protected] | Piloting | 4 | October 13th 05 09:38 PM |
Fun weekend buying an Arrow (long) | Jack Allison | Owning | 44 | April 20th 05 12:29 PM |
Fun weekend buying an Arrow (long) | Jack Allison | Piloting | 45 | April 20th 05 12:29 PM |
On buying a "used" kit (Avid Flyer) | Paul Gifford | Home Built | 0 | February 28th 04 06:07 AM |
AOPA confirms CBS hatchet job on Eagles Nest Residential Airpark news story | Corky Scott | Piloting | 6 | January 25th 04 03:08 AM |