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Nearly $1 million needed to buy property easements for tree cutting by Danbury Airport

Nearly $1 million is needed to purchase easements from six property owners in Danbury so that trees on the approach to a Danbury Airport runway can be cut down.  The Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards Division for the New England Region is requiring Danbury Municipal Airport to cut additional trees on the approach to runway 8. 

 

The height of the trees affecting the approach have been reviewed.  Six easements from property owners in Danbury are needed.  The easements from the property owners on Briar Ridge Road, Cel Bret DRive and Miry Brook Road would cost $951,000.  The easements need to be in hand before a grant from the FAA will be issued.  The FAA will pay 90-percent of the total cost.  The state will pick up three-quarters of the balance of the project cost, with the remaining balance falling to the City. 

 

Airport Administrator Paul Estefan says the FAA reviewed their electronics, and are making the approach to the airport wider.  The geometry was also changed by the FAA.  Estefan notes that the FAA is not giving Danbury a lot of time to comply to the changes.

 

Assuming the property owners agree, and no litigation or eminent domain is needed, it could take three to eight months to obtain all of the easements.

 

Estefan says there are some anxious operators because of this issue.  Councilman Paul Rotello questioned on if these trees have had tangible effects on the airport.  Reliant Aircraft does charter work out of Danbury Municipal Airport, and has had to relocate aircraft to other aircraft.  During nighttime flying in inclement weather, the planes have to be rerouted. 

 

In a 30 day, on average, it has cost Reliant $53,000 to reroute the planes, get the people on board to Danbury, park the aircraft and get the pilots home.

On Air Now

Brian Kilmeade

Local Headlines