July 2004 159
A SUCCESS STORY: I want to share the
following from Dick Pettit, about a dedicated
effort that resulted in a positive result.
The Burlington-Alamance Radio Kontrol
Society (BARKS) in North Carolina obtained
and developed county landfill property into a
very nice flying site known as CopperHead
Field.
The following comes from reports of two
meetings with county commissioners
detailing the acquisition of the landfill and
the lease agreement. The club newsletter,
BARKS News, featured measures the club
needs to continue to take in order to keep the
site.
In our initial proposal to the
commissioners, we were required to submit
information about the club and our intended
use of the site. We needed to provide club
information, proof of insurance, club bylaws,
and financial responsibility. We proposed to
fly during daylight hours only, daily,
weekends, and holidays.
A Statement of Public Approval was
needed so a hearing was scheduled and
results posted.
Listing the improvements we wanted to
make on the property, we submitted to the
commissioners the following:
•We would need a runway, pit area, and
parking lot.
•Red fill dirt and top soil was to be added
to the area. We estimated 40-60 dumptruck
loads of dirt would be needed.
•A licensed contractor would provide all
materials and labor; costs would be paid by
BARKS.
•We would need to level the new topsoil
for a proper base for the proposed runway
and pit area.
•Grass seed and fertilizer would be set out
by BARKS for the runway and pit area.
•Buildings would be added at a later date.
Foundations could be either full concrete pad
or perimeter footings above ground, costs to
be paid by BARKS.
•The existing roadway inside the landfill
will be suitable without further modification
or additions.
•A portable toilet would be installed and
maintained by a licensed professional.
•A barrier between the pit area and
parking lot would need to be installed,
possibly using above-ground uprights with
rope or chain. If allowed, shrubbery could be
planted.
Typical traffic anticipated in the area
would include 10-15 passenger vehicles per
weekday, possibly 20-30 passenger vehicles
per weekend day. During several scheduled
events each year, increased traffic would be a
definite possibility, including passenger cars
with small trailers.
Larger vehicles, such as trucks or tractortrailers,
would need access on a limited basis,
such as fill-dirt delivery or maintenance of
the portable toilet facilities.
We assured the committee of our attention
to potential noise. A standard method of
measurement of the sound produced by the
model airplanes would be used.
We noted that sound level is measured at
25 feet from each model and does not
represent actual sound-pressure levels
measurable at much greater distances from
the proposed flying area. The sound-pressure
level at these distances would be substantially
lower, and in most cases would be low
enough to be immeasurable.
We addressed the issue of security by
announcing that access to site would be
through the existing locked gate located on
Alfred Road, using a series-installed
combination lock. The lock combination
would be given to paid BARKS members and
others such as maintenance personnel as
necessary. Control of access would be
maintained by BARKS club officers.
Policing the area is to be an ongoing
operation by all BARKS members.
August 7, 2003: This was after initial
mowing but before any work was started
on developing the runway.
Our petition to lease the property was
approved in June 2003. During the next eight
months, we prepared the field by cleaning the
property, hauling in topsoil, grading, seeding,
building a shed and safety fence, hauling in
rock, and installing a portable toilet.
CopperHead continues to be a learning
experience. The need to get rules in place to
assure we operate within appropriate
guidelines is obvious. One objective is to
protect BARKS’ relationship with the county
and be good neighbors in the community.
September 12, 2003: Club members are
picking up rocks prior to seeding.
The locked gate is necessary.
Unfortunately, the public does not usually
display good manners or good judgment at
landfills—even if they have been closed for
20 years. If they find the gate open, they will
deposit trash or otherwise vandalize the
property. That has been the county’s problem
in the past; it is now our problem.
The county has imposed some restrictions
that seem a little extreme at first, such as the
matter of not making a practice of roaming
over the entire landfill. If you must go
exploring, make sure you have an airplane to
bring back.
The environment is unusually sensitive
due to the lack of controls at the landfill more
than 20 years back. The state and federal laws
impose strict regulations on the county. The
county cannot have us aggravating those
circumstances. Hopefully, our presence will
help soften those conditions.
November 15, 2003: The shelter is in place
and we are ready to fly.
We have a situation where we seem to
have much latitude with our neighbors. Most
of them expected worse than us when they
moved in the area. We owe it to them to do
the best we can do to be good neighbors.
Having a guest sitting at the gate blowing his
horn would be one example of not being a
good neighbor!
The overall problem is that we find
ourselves in the position where we are very
vulnerable to intentionally malicious acts of
individuals. Hopefully, no one will
intentionally try to ruin our efforts and
deprive us of all we have worked to achieve.
Probably the only defense we have for
dealing with this situation is to put in place a
plan to deal with such an offender before it
happens.
Flying Site Assistance
Joe Beshar
Coordinator,
Eastern Region,
Districts I - VI
198 Merritt Dr.
Oradell NJ 07649
Tel.: (201) 261-1281
Fax: (201) 261-0223
E-mail: [email protected]
Wes De Cou, Coordinator
Western Region
Districts VII - XI
Voice: (480) 460-9466
Cell: (480) 296-9515
Fax: (480) 460-9434
202 W. Desert Flower Ln.
Phoenix AZ 85045
E-mail: [email protected]
Finding—Preserving—Maintaining
04july.qxd 4/22/04 1:45 pm Page 159
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/07
Page Numbers: 159