Developer seeks to lease public land for airpark homes

One of the most intriguing and interesting residential airpark projects currently underway is the brainchild of Bill Sutterfield of Worthington, OR.

Called “Paerodise,” the residential airpark is being planned for a 40 acre tract of land that is part of Bolton Field in Southwest Columbus.

According to Sutterfield, his proposal envisions 40 homes on half acre tracts with taxiways to the runway. Access to the runway part of the airport property from the residential area would be restricted and residents would have to use an automatic gate opener or some similar device to get from their home to the airport or back.

The unique feature of the entire proposal, however, is the fact that the home site area is on land owned by the airport. The home sites would be leased to individuals for long terms, much like condominium hangars or major commercial structures are built on airports. The homebuilding and financing would be like any other conventional residential development.

Sutterfield has been working on the plan for several years. “There are some publicly owned airports with taxiway access from private residences,” he said, “but I don’t know of any residential airparks on public land with home sites leased to the homeowner. It seems to me that this should be a good approach for both the airport and individuals.”

If anyone knows of any such project, Sutterfield would like to hear about it. He said financing of construction was a question that was being addressed and seemed feasible.

Just recently the Port Columbus airport commission gave its go-ahead on the idea. The approval came after a public hearing on the proposal.

Even with the commission’s OK, Sutterfield isn’t ready to start building homes. He said there are lots of pieces that have to be pulled together now, but the commission approval is a big step in the right direction. Among the things still needed are rezoning of the property from industrial to residential, complete the physical design of the plan, work out “through – the – fence” operations with the FAA and the airport operator and, last but certainly not least, get a marketing plan put together for the 40 home sites.

With about 1,000 general aviation airplanes in the Columbus market area, Sutterfield said he isn’t worried about finding enough people interested in building homes on the sites.

No timetable has been set for the project, but Sutterfield said he’ll be real surprised if dirt is turned in less than a year, but terribly disappointed if nothing is happening within two years.

The wholehearted support and encouragement of the Bolton Airport management has been a big aid in this venture, Sutterfield added. He said Bolton Field Manager Woody Moore has endorsed the idea completely because he feels it will help the airport by having its own support group, additional fuel sales and mechanical work for airport FBOs. Of course, the additional tax income from 40 homes with an average value of about $200,000 would also be nice, the manager said.

More information about Paerodise can be had from: Bill Sutterfield, The Sutterfield Group, 406-G East Wilson Bridge Road, Worthington, OH 43085-2370.