Tumalo-area man seeks Deschutes County approval – again – for private airstrip for his 2 planes
(Update: Adding video, details)
TUMALO, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A Deschutes County hearings officer takes testimony at 6 p.m. Tuesday on a request by a Tumalo-area man to use a private airstrip for his own two aircraft.
The proposed airstrip is called the "Flying Alpaca Airport," a private airfield as of now, located at 20925 Harper Road, north of Bend. The airstrip has no surrounding structures nearby.
While the airstrip has already won county approval previously, the state Land Use of Board Appeals has sent the proposal back to the county (a remand) to determine if the airstrip is compatible with activity on surrounding properties.
Deschutes County Primary Planner Anthony Raguine has investigated whether the airstrip meets requirements LUBA laid out.
In an interview with NewsChannel 21, Raguine explained, "The statute requires that the owner of the airstrip also own and control both of the aircraft, and the courts (LUBA) felt like additional information should be needed before a decision should be issued."
The man who owns the airstrip, Alex Polvi, sent us a photo of where he wants to build it, off Harper Road on his estate. The airport has been approved by the FAA and as a result, is listed as a destination in Apple Maps.
According to Raguine, the airstrip would be about 75 feet wide and 200 feet in length, with no structures proposed or any paving, gravel or other improvements to the airstrip. Find more information about the proposal here.
Polvi, in a phone call with us, explained he owns both aircraft that he plans to use on the airstrip, including having LLCs (limited liability corporations) for each aircraft. During the already two-year process at this point, Polvi says no immediate have neighbors expressed any opposition. But recently, concerns about impacts on nature and noise were raised by residents four miles away.
Raguine said, "The county needs to determine whether or not the airstrip will have impacts on a golden eagle's nest that may be close to the subject property where the airstrip will have its aircraft operations, takeoffs and landings."
Even if the airstrip gets approval after Tuesday's hearing, it likely won't be the final step in the process.
"The process at this point Is just the hearing before the hearings officer," Raguine said, "and then there could be appeals that then allow it to continue further."
If the airstrip eventually wins final approval, the conditions as drafted say Polvi would be limited to just six takeoffs and landings a week from his personal airstrip.
