RC flyers remain grounded

Parks staff begins work on new plan for flying field today

Jason Schroeder spends part of a day off work in March operating his radio-controlled helicopters. Some area residents have become unhappy with the noise of the planes at Joseph Miller RC Park on Rainbow Drive and have hired an attorney to prohibit flying at the city park located near Binder Lake.
Jason Schroeder spends part of a day off work in March operating his radio-controlled helicopters. Some area residents have become unhappy with the noise of the planes at Joseph Miller RC Park on Rainbow Drive and have hired an attorney to prohibit flying at the city park located near Binder Lake.

After almost a year of controversy and an hour of testimony and another of closed door debate, the Jefferson City Parks Commission voted Wednesday to continue the suspension of the Jefferson City Radio-Control Flying Club's activities at Miller Memorial Park until major facilities changes are made and a tougher set of regulations are adopted.

The commission voted to continue temporary closure of the flying field at Miller Park until the Parks Department can reach a new agreement for its operation with the flying club. The details of the agreement are to be written today by Parks director Todd Spalding and J.J. Gates, parks resources and forestry division director.

Associate city counselor Bryan Wolford said the agreement would specify: new hours of operation for the flying club at Miller Park, those who may legally pilot unmanned aircraft at the park, the city permitting process for the pilots, an accountability log, movement of fencing, movement of the on-site pavilion and dissemination of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations governing the hobby to all concerned.

Wolford explained the hours are to be firmly established as between 9 a.m. and sunset. Current city policy allows the planes and helicopters to be flown between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. Wolford also said the flying club would be required to share with the city any expenses incurred in the facility changes and new regulations. In the past, the city and the club shared expenses to accommodate the hobbyists' needs at the park, such as the $10,000 paving of the runway many years ago.

Spalding said his staff would do all it could to follow the lead of the commission and act in the best interest of the both sides in the dispute - club's hobbyist pilots and the residents of the Heritage Hollow neighborhood.

The director said he would notify flying club leader Dr. James Crago of the commission's decision as soon as the proposed new agreement is fashioned.

Under state law, the department has 72 hours to produce the proposed agreement.

State Rep. Jay Barnes, in his role as an attorney in private practice, represented a group of more than 20 Heritage Hollow neighbors who submitted personal testimony about individual and collective conflicts with members of the flying club.

"I'm a true believer in their cause," Barnes said of the neighbors' complaints about the model aircraft and their pilots. "When it comes to home owners vs. hobbyists, the home owners ought to win every time."

The commission heard some 40 minutes of frequently passionate comments from the home owners affected by the high-pitched whining, low-flying and off-course model planes and helicopters and another 15 minutes of data-driven comments from Barnes. As the residents filed out, the commissioners voted to go into executive session.

Much of the testimony reflected deteriorating strained relations between the residents and the members of the flying club, devolving into a confrontation of aggressive pilots and home owners concerned about the physical safety of themselves, their children and grandchildren who live and play in the area.

The multi-pronged proposal was the commission's response to the pleas.

After returning to open session, the commissioners also engaged in a debate over contracting with WNB Architects of Kansas City to provide the department with a parks master plan, one of Spalding's top goals since stepping into his position less than a year ago. The proposal, on a motion from commissioner Cindy Layton, authorizes up to $200,000 for the master plan. Commissioner Bob Weber had suggested the parks staff could produce a master plan and avoid the expenditure.

Spalding said he was sure the commission would be pleased with the plan when it is completed, perhaps within six months. He said it would be a "working document" that would guide the large and growing department's day-to-day operations. "I am very excited about the master plan and feel so strongly that it is the right thing to do," Spalding said. "It will be our road map of how to take the parks department to even greater heights."