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SkyPiggie

Skydive San Marcos - Encroachment?

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What's happening with the land surrounding the runway at Skydive San Marcos?

It looks like it's now all for sale, for residential development:
http://www.landsoftexas.com/texas/?detail=&inv_id=958845

If a bunch of houses go up around the runway, that will greatly reduce the amount of safe landing area for skydivers to land on. And worse, in the long run those homeowners will grow to resent the skydiving operations, and eventually will try and run them off, even though the skydivers were there first, for a long time...

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Subdivision restrictions not recorded yet; will have architectural control committee

Pretty important points right there. The way it sounds to me is the land adjacent to the DZ is being sold to people interested in building houses with access to a private strip. The surrounding land is a tossup but I doubt you'll see a sprawling subdivision.

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We've got a similar development near here. No DZ but all the owners have hangers, some are rigging customers, and routinely invite skydivers to their annual BBQ.B|

Probably not too much risk from pilots. Of course rich pilots can be a pain.:)

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

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Why not ask Kapowsin. They actually owned the airport and got run oof be proactive. What happens in MI means shit. I say this and live in MI. If homeowners want us out its teouble. The skydivers should buy all the land. It woiuld sove a multitude of problems.

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What's happening with the land surrounding the runway at Skydive San Marcos?

It looks like it's now all for sale, for residential development:
http://www.landsoftexas.com/texas/?detail=&inv_id=958845

If a bunch of houses go up around the runway, that will greatly reduce the amount of safe landing area for skydivers to land on. And worse, in the long run those homeowners will grow to resent the skydiving operations, and eventually will try and run them off, even though the skydivers were there first, for a long time...



This is nothing new. Steve has been moving towards this for at least 5 years. The owners knew this when they bought the place. He's had electricity run for part of it for years. You can see the transformers when you drive in. There will still be plenty of outs.

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We've got a similar development near here. No DZ but all the owners have hangers, some are rigging customers, and routinely invite skydivers to their annual BBQ.B|

Probably not too much risk from pilots. Of course rich pilots can be a pain.:)



Ask the dzo of Skydive Houston (formerly at Waller, now at Eagle Lake) about this. I bet he has a slightly different take on it! And one of the forces behind the trouble is a pilot/skydiver who used to jump at the dz.
As long as you are happy with yourself ... who cares what the rest of the world thinks?

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...and it's not restricted to small airports, all kinds of new sub-divisions popped up around Houston's Bush intercontinental, and 'now' they seem to realize they're on approach to a huge busy airport and want to whine about it! :S











~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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...and it's not restricted to small airports, all kinds of new sub-divisions popped up around Houston's Bush intercontinental, and 'now' they seem to realize they're on approach to a huge busy airport and want to whine about it! :S



I always found it funny when people would move by an established airport and then complain about the noise....like it happened all of a sudden.

j
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

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>I always found it funny when people would move by an established airport
> and then complain about the noise....like it happened all of a sudden.

When we moved to our last house we had to sign three different forms acknowledging that we were close to Miramar air base. Turns out F-18's are sorta loud. Who woulda thunk it?

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>I always found it funny when people would move by an established airport
> and then complain about the noise....like it happened all of a sudden.

When we moved to our last house we had to sign three different forms acknowledging that we were close to Miramar air base. Turns out F-18's are sorta loud. Who woulda thunk it?




And when I lived in Ocean Beach, new people asking..."is there an airport over the hill?" :ph34r::S










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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This is actually a common and serious practice. At the risk of throwing this into speaker's corner, here goes.
1. Airport surrounded by undeveloped land.
2. Undeveloped land is cheap, because it's near an airport.
3. Developer buys cheap land and develops some of it.
4. Residents complain about airport noise.
5. Residents and developers outnumber pilots and skydivers.
5. Noise restrictions are implemented or, in some cases, small airport is forced to close.
6. Noise level goes down - land around airport becomes more valuable.
7. Profit.

I don't know the particular situation that started this thread, but it sounds familiar. You might want to see if AOPA has anything to say about what's going on at your airport.
You don't have to outrun the bear.

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