To the editor:
As a critical member of the management team at the Walter J. Koladza Airport in Great Barrington, I have been diligently attentive to the ongoing special permit process that proposes six new aircraft hangar buildings on the existing property. I continue to have many conversations with patrons of the airport and members of the community in regard to our application. There have been many misconceptions about the project throughout the public hearing process and I often find myself explaining our goals for the project. I thought I would take the opportunity to address these questions to the public and go on the record with this letter.
We carefully selected an expert team of engineers, lawyers, and construction specialists to develop a thorough and complete permit application. While we are sensitive to the concerns of the neighborhood, we find it frustrating that non-experts are given the same weight at the hearings as a group of professionals. We are a pre-existing, non-conforming business in regard to the current zoning bylaws but operate freely and without restrictions, as we are considered grandfathered with our pre-existing, non-conforming status. The special permit process allows us to be considered as a recognized legal use, but also gives the Select Board the ability to impose conditions. The concerns raised by the public support the need for a special permit, as it gives the town the opportunity to place reasonable and agreed upon restrictions on the airport.
The most common concern that people inquire about is how the granting of this permit would affect the future development of the airport. The airport can never be home to a restaurant or retail store, as those uses are strictly prohibited by the zoning bylaws. The airport cannot accommodate any planes larger than it already does, nor will it ever be able to do so. As the runway directly abuts a public way and a private residence, it can never get longer. Without a longer runway, we cannot land larger planes.
The granting of a special permit for the airport use does not give the airport the ability to develop the site further without town oversight. Any change to the airport complex would automatically trigger a site plan review by the Planning Board. In addition, the hangar project, as proposed, is just shy of a land area threshold that would require an additional special permit for development in the Water Quality Protection Overlay District. If we ever propose more buildings, hangars or roads at the airport, we will once again have to go in front of the Select Board and start the special permit process again.
The construction of airplane hangars has no impact on the number of planes traveling to the airport. We have the ability to accommodate many more planes in the grass tie-down area. If people wanted to store their plane at the airport, they would already be here. Our desire to construct hangars is a response to our current customers wanting a location to store their planes without having them exposed to the harsh weather conditions. The spaces are already spoken for. The granting of an airport special-use permit will allow us to maintain our infrastructure and keep our buildings standing — safe, code compliant, and accessible.
Yes, the Walter J. Koladza Airport is a private business, but it is unlike any other business in town. The airport provides public services at no cost. The Fire and Police Departments use the runway for training, and we act as the heliport for emergency medical transports in the area.
We encourage the town and the community to assist us with a positive outcome to our request for a special permit. We believe our airport is, and can continue to be, a valuable asset and benefit to the Town of Great Barrington.
Terri Andersen
Great Barrington
The writer is business manager of the Walter J. Koladza Airport.
