City considers ban on helicopter landing pads

Whitefish City Council will decide Monday if it wants to ban helicopter pads within residential neighborhoods.

The city received several complaints this summer about private helicopters landing in town. One incident on Dakota Avenue in August prompted some neighbors to call police complaining about the noise during takeoff and landing.

To allow the city to govern private aircraft in town, the planning department is proposing a code amendment that allows permanent heliports and helipads only in agricultural areas, but not in other zoning districts.

Whitefish agricultural zones already allow airports and landing strips as a conditional use. The 15-acre minimum lot size in the agricultural zone makes it the most appropriate district for any type of aircraft because of the buffering from neighboring properties, according to the planning department.

All heliports and helipads would be required to meet the safety and design standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration. The code amendment would not impact emergency aircraft landing in the city.

Even if the code change is approved, the city would have limited authority in regulating helicopters landing in fields on private property.

It is uncertain how effectively the planning department could realistically enforce regulations on helicopters landing outside of approved helipads or heliports, the staff report notes. The city could amend its noise ordinance to regulate helicopters, which would be enforced by police.