Galloway Landings air park request granted again

Galloway Landings essentially got what it wanted Thursday night after a public hearing on his new plans to expand the air park.

The Leighton Township Board approved developer Clark Galloway’s request for a rezoning from rural estates to planned development, thereby giving its blessing to an expanded and paved runway, hours from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, replacement of hangars, an events barn, and an increase in number of planes allowed from seven to eight.

The air park won the Township Board’s approval in 2017 and voter in the township added its approval in a ballot referendum in August 2018. The only difference was this time the Planning Commission recommended it, something it did not do in 2017 by a 4-3 vote.

Most of the objections to Galloway Landings II were about noise.

David Zylstra acknowledged that “volume is by far the biggest issue.”

One woman who appeared before the board in march, reiterated that the plane noise was so loud overhead it shook her house. She added that she believes it makes a bad situation worse.

Kate Shelter, neighboring horse farm owner and perhaps the fiercest critic of the air park, said the request will make the air park an even bigger intrusion to a quiet rural setting.

Mark Ouwinga objected to the contention that house dwellers in the neighborhood can’t object because they chose to live there, saying, “the airport wasn’t here when most homeowners bought their properties.” He also maintained that paving the runway will attract more planes and increase frequency of use.

Galloway himself spoke to the board, asserting that the plane with the most complaints of noise has been flying over the area since the 1970s. He took issue with many of Sheltema’s contentions.

The vote to grant the request from Galloway Landings was approved unanimously.