The Crookston Airport Commission met on Thursday in the City Hall Conference room.
AIRPORT COMMISSION MEETING RECAP
The commission started the meeting by approving the Airport manager agreement. This agreement was for Lowell Miller, airport manager at the Crookston Municipal Airport. The original contract expired in December 2022. The contract renewal is valid through December of 2025 for Miller.
The Miller Aircraft (a fixed-based operator) allows Lowell Miller to use specific space to repair aircraft that arrive. “They can sell fuel for which he pays a ten-cent per gallon fee to the city,” said City Administrator Corky Reynolds. “But he operates that as a private business, as Miller Aircraft at our airport, but pays the city while doing so.” The commission approved Miller Aircraft.
The airport commission also approved a Commercial Agricultural Hangar lease with Dans Flying Service. “Dan Giest has operated out of our airport for several years,” said Reynolds. “His commercial hangar lease expired, a new one was created, and this was reviewed by the airport commission and found the terms of this to be acceptable.” This lease is a 10-year agreement with Crookston for the municipal use of Dans Flying Service Hangar.
The meeting also included updates on the new AWOS system. AWOS is set to be the latest weather observation system at the Airport, which is currently under procedure. New hangars are being built at Crookston Airport. Now, environmental studies are being done before they are constructed.
Zoning project updates were given at the meeting. “Because we are decommissioning one runway and creating a new runway, we have to rezone around the airport,” said Reynolds. “The rezoning is so certain crops won’t grow around the airport.” The commission mentioned that certain crops, such as sunflowers, have been an issue when growing tall around the current runway zone. The zoning project was initially 70 percent funded by the state, with a city matching 30 percent. With Crookston Airport reportedly receiving more state funding, the state will completely support this project.
JOINT AIRPORT ZONING BOARD KICKOFF
The Joint Airport Zoning Board met Thursday afternoon in the City Hall Council Chambers. This was a rezoning committee meeting for the Crookston Municipal Airport.
Crookston airport is making changes to runways. “We’re making changes to our runways because there are new federal requirements,” said Reynolds. “We have to make changes on how we zone the area to prevent any crops or development that would hinder planes coming in landing or taking off.”
With the Airport adjacent to various townships, townships could send a representative to the meeting. According to Reynolds, a committee has been established between the city, townships, and county, “We discussed the various safety concerns about the airport and established a date on which we will take public comment about a proposed zoning ordinance.” This meeting will occur on September 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the Crookston City Hall council chambers.
New safety zones have been established around the Airport; these distances are measured by how far residential areas are from the runway and by the height of structures on these properties; these zones have been decreased from the 1978 Crookston Airport safety zones. However, residents that have property in these zones since 1978 have been “grandfathered” in, and they are free to build or add on to their property within the height and width requirements that have been placed.
“The zoning board was established today, also the selection of the chairperson and a secretary to be the official spokespeople,” said Reynolds. “The proposed ordinance was established today, but it was not passed because we need to have public input.”
