airtwardo 6 #1 August 19, 2005 Wednesday, August 17, 2005 Township blocks sky show The event slated for Ray Twp. Kunstman Airstrip moves to Tecumseh because of safety concerns. By George Hunter / The Detroit News RAY TOWNSHIP -- A skydiving show that was scheduled to kick off today has been moved after township officials obtained a court order to block it, citing safety concerns. The Kunstman Airstrip, a small private strip on 29 Mile, was scheduled to host its "Homegrown Boogie," in which dozens of skydivers from across the country were to participate. The show, which was to be put on by Midwest Free Fall, a skydiving company that rents a hangar at the Kunstman Strip, was scheduled to run until Sunday. A similar, but smaller, show was held last year at the airstrip. But Township Supervisor Charles Bohm on Monday was granted a temporary restraining order by Macomb Circuit Judge Kenneth Sanborn to stop the skydiving show because of safety concerns. The show has since been moved to an airport in Tecumseh in southern Michigan. The problem, Bohm said, is that the Kunstman Airstrip is unsafe and operating in violation of local zoning ordinances. "They're zoned for residential, but they're operating a commercial business out of there," Bohm said. "They don't have the proper safeguards in place to run a commercial operation. For instance, they have no facilities for parking, and there is no fence to keep people from wandering onto the airstrip." Laurie Diener, whose family has owned the airfield since the 1940s, said there is a hidden agenda driving the efforts to shut down commercial operations there. "The real reason they're hassling us is, the state wants to turn the (nearby) Romeo Airport over to Macomb County," Diener said. "The county has formed a task force to figure out how to make the airport profitable. Obviously, if I'm making profits here, that would cut into profits there." The Michigan Department of Transportation bought the Romeo Airport in 1998 for $5 million to keep it from being sold to developers. The state has invested another $2.8 million in improvements, including lengthening the main runway from 4,000 to 4,300 feet. The Macomb County Board of Commissioners last week selected consulting firm C&S Engineers of New Boston to prepare a feasibility study on the county taking over the airport. Bohm insists safety issues are driving his concerns. He said MDOT's Aeronautics Division recently denied an application by Kunstman's owners to become a public airport in part because of trees that are too close to the runway. You can reach George Hunter at (586) 468-7396 or [email protected]. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #2 August 19, 2005 Hi AT I'm sure if you & yours were doing the demo it would be good to go Wonder how much it cost them to get the court order R.I.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #3 August 19, 2005 Hi AT *** Hey Slug! Just another case of trying to screw over the 'little guy... ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 232 #4 August 19, 2005 QuoteThe Kunstman Airstrip, a small private strip... HAHAHAHAHA!!!"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
