09-05-2002 APM+HUTCHINSON AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION
Thursday, September 5, 2002
5:30 p.m.
Arrival/Departure Building
Minutes
Chairman Dave Skaar called the meeting of the Hutchinson Airport Commission to order at 5:35
Members present: Dave Skaar, Chuck Brill, Jim Faber, Robert Hantge
Members absent: Doug Kephart, excused
Others Present: John Olson, City of Hutchinson; and Tom Parker, Hutchinson Aviation, Fixed Base
Operator, Jeff Lux, potential Airport Commission appointee.
There was a quorum of members present
L. Approve minutes of August 8, 2002
A motion was made by Brill, seconded by Faber, to approve minutes of the August 8, 2002 meeting. Unanimous
approval.
2. Conditional Use Permit Application — Erection of 140' tower at Fairgrounds
Per existing zoning ordinances, the Airport Advisory Commission must comment on any requests for towers that are
made within City limits. Olson reviewed the Conditional Use Permit application, submitted by Midwest Real Estate
Services, Inc., on behalf of Midwest Wireless. The application is for erection of a 140' tower to be located on
Fairgrounds property, just west of the intersection of Market St SW and Denver Ave SW.
A motion was made by Brill and seconded by Faber to approve an Airport Advisory Commission Resolution related
to the conditional use permit application, attached and made a part of these minutes. Unanimous approval.
3. Conditional Use Permit Application — Area at airport designated for construction of private hangars
At the August 8, 2002 meeting, Commissioners directed Olson to apply for a conditional use permit, for a period of
three years, designating spaces at the airport where private parties could construct hangars on airport property.
Olson reviewed the contents of the application with Commission members, reported that the application had
received staff recommendation and the Planning Commission would review the application at the September 17,
2002 meeting.
Olson reported the private hangar lease document, that the City Attorney had reviewed Commission members had
been working on for several months. Commission members requested that language regarding arbitration be left in
the document.
Commissioners directed Olson to draft a letter to the Director of Mn/DOT Aeronautics to express concern regarding
this application and ask if Aeronautics would contact the Attorney General's office to expedite the agreement
mentioned in the application.
4. Provision of Utilities to Airport
A motion was made by Faber and seconded by Brill to approve an Airport Advisory Commission Resolution related
to provision of utilities to the airport, attached and made a part of these minutes. Unanimous approval.
5. Ground Communications Outlet (G.C.O.
Chairman Dave Skaar updated Commission members that a Ground Communications Outlet (GCO) had been
installed at the airport. The GCO provides a telephone link, via the aircraft radio, to Center and Princeton Flight
Service. Tuning the radio to 121.725 accesses the GCO. 4 clicks accesses Center, and 6 clicks accesses Princeton.
Skaar informed Commissioners that pilots should not use the GCO while airborne.
Airport Advisory Commission
Minutes
September 5, 2002
Page 2
6. Building Maintenance
Commission members informed Olson of building maintenance needs at the Arrival/Departure building.
7. Miscellaneous
Jeff Lux has expressed interest in becoming a Commission member. Jeff could replace Jim Faber, whose term
expires at the end of September, or if it is Jeff's preference, he could fill the remainder of Robert Hantge's term.
Other potential members were discussed. None have formally filed an interest form at City Center, but will be
encouraged to do so. This individual, when appointed, could fill the remainder of Robert Hantge's term or replace
Jim Faber, whose term expires at the end of September.
8. Next Meeting
The next meeting date still remains set for October 17, 2002 at 5:30. The preliminary agenda will include more
information related to private hangar development.
• Attached and made a part of these minutes are:
1. Resolution related to the conditional use permit application
2. Resolution related to provision of utilities to the airport
+HUTCHINSON AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION
Resolution
A resolution relating to a Conditional Use Permit application submitted on behalf of Midwest Wireless.
WHEREAS; the existing zoning ordinances require comment from the Airport Advisory Commission whenever a
tower is proposed within the City limits of the City of Hutchinson, and;
WHEREAS; a 140' monopole tower, located west of the intersection of Market St SW and Denver Ave SW on
Fairgrounds property, is being proposed by Midwest Wireless,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
HUTCHINSON:
That the Planning Commission and City Council consider denying the permit for the following reasons:
1. The proposed tower would be very close to the pattern for runway 15. The proposed tower may likely
affect Non - directional beacon and Global Positioning System (NDB /GPS) approaches under
Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
2. The proposed tower would likely affect "Circle -to -Land" operations on runway 15.
3. The proposed tower may affect helicopter traffic, because helicopters do not follow standard patterns
during emergency flights.
4. The proposed tower may pose a safety hazard for parachuting operations.
5. The elevation of the property on which the tower would be constructed was not discernable from
information provided by the applicant. Therefore, the Airport Advisory Commission could not
determine if the structure would meet Airspace Zoning requirements related to maximum height of
objects near the airport.
6. All efforts to secure an appropriate site on the Century Ave SE water tower have not been exhausted.
Adopted on the 5t' day of September, 2002 by the Hutchinson Airport Advisory Commission
Dave Skaar, Chair
Chuck Brill
Jim Faber
Robert Hantge, liaison with Planning Commission
+HUTCHINSON AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION
Resolution
A resolution relating to provision of utilities to Hutchinson Municipal Airport — Butler Field.
WHEREAS; the airport lies wholly within the City limits of the City of Hutchinson, and;
WHEREAS; the airport is using electricity and gas from vendors other than Hutchinson Utilities,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
HUTCHINSON:
That the Hutchinson Utilities Commission and City Council provide electricity and natural gas to airport property,
with the following understanding:
1. The schedule of installation would be at the convenience of both Hutchinson Utilities and the airport.
2. The Airport Advisory Commission is aware it may be difficult to bring both natural gas and electricity
to the site at one time.
Adopted on the 5t' day of September, 2002 by the Hutchinson Airport Advisory Commission
Dave Skaar, Chair
Chuck Brill
Jim Faber
Robert Hantge, liaison with Planning Commission
September 6, 2002
Raymond J. Rought, Director
Mn/DOT Office of Aeronautics
222 East Plato Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55107 -1618
Dear Mr. Rought:
City of Hutchinson
Hutchinson Municipal Airport — Butler Field
Maintenance Operations
1400 Adams St SE
Hutchinson, MN 55350
Phone (320) 234 -4219 Fax (320) 234 -6971
I write you on behalf of the Hutchinson Airport Advisory Commission (HCD) and Dave Skaar, Chairman. At our
September 5 meeting, the Commission directed me to solicit your support on an issue of import to aviation in
Hutchinson.
The Airport Commission is seeking your assistance in working with the Attorney General's office to expedite an
agreement between Ridgewater College (MNSCU) and Midwest Wireless that would allow construction of a
cellular telephone tower on the City's water tower, which sits on land leased to the City by Ridgewater College.
On August 21, 2002 the City of Hutchinson received a conditional use permit application, filed on behalf of
Midwest Wireless by Midwest Real Estate Services, Inc., for erection of a 140 foot monopole tower just west of the
intersection of Denver Ave SW and Market St SW in Hutchinson on Fairgrounds property. The Fairgrounds are
located just north of the airport.
Commission members feel the proposed tower location may interfere with NDB /GPS IFR approaches and `circle -to-
land' operations on runway 15, HCD. They also feel the tower would pose a potential safety hazard to emergency
helicopter travel and to parachuting operations.
The reason for the request as stated by the applicant included the following statement:
`Alidwest Wireless has determined that no other available structure exists within its search ring that would satisfy
Midwest Wireless coverage objectives. Therefore, Midwest Wireless is requesting a Conditional Use Permit in
order to construct a 140' Tower for wireless communications. One such existing structure is located in the vicinity
(Water Tower). Unfortunately, after one year of effort, Midwest Wireless has been unable to get approval from the
underlying property owner ( Ridgewater College). As such, the only option available to Midwest Wireless is to
construct a new tower.... "
Your help on this matter could eliminate the need for building a 140' tower so close to the airport, hospital, and
skydiving operations.
I would be happy to answer any question you may have about this situation or direct you to the City staff that has
been working on this matter. You may call me at (320) 234 -4473, or at (320) 583 -8145.
Sincerely,
John Olson,
Asst. Public Works Director, Airport Mgr.
cc: Airport Advisory Commission
Planning/Zoning/Building Department, City of Hutchinson