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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — An Afton man is dealing with a number of prices for having an airstrip on his property.
Jeffrey Walker, 57, faces 5 misdemeanor counts in Washington County for violating the town’s restrictions for airstrips.
The airstrip in query is 2,200-feet lengthy and was constructed by Walker himself — just a few hundred yards from his home. Whereas he didn’t need to discuss on digicam, Walker, a licensed pilot, mentioned flying is his passion and he constructed the airstrip in 2003 for private use.
Investigators say Walker included his airfield with the Minnesota Secretary of State underneath the names Walker Subject LLC and Prime Gun Aviation, and it seems on MapQuest and different navigation web sites.
The runway is clearly seen from the air, and prosecutors say it’s listed by the Federal Aviation Administration as a personal airport. Walker believes the FAA recognition offers him the best to have the airfield on his property, however the metropolis disagrees.
The town mentioned Walker is in violation of two Afton ordinances: one prohibits non-public airfields inside metropolis limits, and the opposite prohibits airplanes from taking off and touchdown inside the metropolis.
The town administrator mentioned they’ve obtained a number of complaints from neighbors over the previous yr, citing noise and security issues. In prices filed in Washington County, prosecutors mentioned planes had been witnessed taking off and touchdown in April and once more in early October.
Neighbor Rodney Eggers moved into the neighborhood a yr and a half in the past. He mentioned he’s solely heard the planes a pair instances.
“Each as soon as in an incredible whereas, it’s not prefer it’s each different day or one thing. It’s by no means actually bothered me. He’s acquired sufficient land there. It’s his land. He can do it if he needs,” Eggers mentioned. “It’s just a little loud, however after, you already know, a pair minutes it’s up within the air and that’s it.”
Afton’s metropolis administrator mentioned they obtained complaints about Walker’s airstrip 10 years in the past, as effectively.
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