Helicopter landing in town stirs up complaints

A private helicopter that landed next to Dakota Avenue in Whitefish last month has stirred up a debate about non-emergency aircraft landing in residential areas.

According to a Whitefish Police report, on Friday, Aug. 29, at about 5:40 p.m. a helicopter landed near Dakota Avenue. A neighbor upset about the noise called in the complaint.

Former Whitefish mayor Mike Jenson brought the incident to city council’s attention at their Sept. 2 meeting. Jenson told the Pilot the helicopter landed in a field on the Krummholz Lodge property on the west side of Dakota Avenue.

“Someone could not be troubled to drive to a gathering on Dakota Avenue and flew in with a helicopter,” Jenson wrote in a letter to council. “About 10 p.m., we again got to listen to it warm up and take off.”

The Krummholz property is owned by Joe and Cindy Gregory, and is described on its website as a “gated vacation compound.”

Jenson said last month’s incident is the first that he knows of where a helicopter landed at the Krummholz property, which is within city limits. He told council private helicopters landing in town could become a nuisance if isn’t dealt with soon.

“I would ask the city to explore a ban on non-emergency landing of aircraft in the city limits and try to keep our neighborhoods, streets and residential areas as quiet as possible as we grow into the future,” Jenson said.

“This is not going to be an issue that will just go away. It will grow, perhaps not as fast as some of our problems, but it is already an issue in our neighborhood.”

City attorney Mary VanBuskirk says the Federal Aviation Administration has jurisdiction over the airspace, but the city has jurisdiction over land-use zoning.

Planning director Dave Taylor says the city could regulate permanent landing pads or airports.

“We couldn’t regulate someone flying and landing in a field,” he said. “Zoning typically regulates permanent uses. We wouldn’t regulate somebody’s backyard.”

Mayor John Muhlfeld asked if there were other ways to address the issue.

“Couldn’t we perceive that as an issue of public health and safety?” he asked. “Clearly it’s a nuisance when helicopters are flying into town at 10 p.m. in a residential area.”

Council directed city staff to look further into possible solutions.