Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Connecticut : Burlington Officials Hear From Residents On Helicopter Launch

After hearing a final round of comments for and against a town man's plan to launch a helicopter from his back yard the board of selectmen Tuesday night passed the matter on to the planning and zoning commission.

"All of you that are here tonight, this is shifting over to planning and zoning," Selectman Ted Shafer told meeting attendees, who overflowed the selectmen's conference room.

At issue is whether Paul Blanchette, who used his helicopter without neighbor complaints for six years at his former home on Daniel Trace, should be allowed to continue to do so at his new home, 12 Ventres Way. The town lacks rules governing flight activity in residential areas, and a group of residents has asked the selectmen to regulate it.

The discussion was tabled at the prior selectmen's meeting and continued Tuesday, where officials quickly decided that land use commissioners should weigh in on whether the town would be best served with an ordinance, a regulation, or by continuing simply to defer to the Federal Aviation Administration's residential guideline allowing 36 take offs and landings annually.

Blanchette was denied town permission to build a helipad at his former home but was able to take off and land there under FAA rules.

Some residents expressed concerns that, whether or not the town regulates aviation, Blanchette will be grandfathered in as an exception, allowing what they see as the public safety threat they seek to avoid.

Others said that creating regulations for something that has not caused a problem is overreacting.

"He hasn't done anything offensive to anybody in the past six years," said Jennifer Jankoski, who lives on the street opposite Blanchette's new home.

First Selectman Catherine Bergstrom said that uses not mentioned by town regulations are not permitted so the fact that the town has never dictated residential aviation does not mean it's allowed here.

http://www.courant.com

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