Town attorney outlines Airpark Mixed Use Zone rewrite; overlay to follow only with easements or ownership

Town Attorney Brad Christopherson gave an extended presentation on March 9 proposing to repeal and replace the current Airpark Zone with an Airpark Mixed Use Zone (AMUZ) and to add an Airpark Overlay Zone.

Brad told commissioners the draft aims to provide clearer rules for future development and to address operational issues at the airpark. He emphasized that impacts from airport operations are the responsibility of the airpark, not the Town of Fairfield, and that the town will not assume liability for those operational impacts. Brad also stated the town missed a December 31, 2025 statutory deadline; as a consequence, property owners in affected areas will need to negotiate easements with the airpark at fair market value where appropriate.

Commissioner David Riet raised concerns about the airparks practice of purchasing land and effectively expanding its influence without formal rezoning; Brad acknowledged the issue and said the updated zoning map will clearly identify properties included in the AMUZ to prevent unapproved expansion. The proposed table of uses would treat some accessory structures as conditional uses (for example fuel tanks) and would prohibit accessory dwelling units in the airpark zone because of safety concerns related to proximity to aircraft operations. The commission also discussed prohibiting short-term rentals in the zone because of traffic and unfamiliar-user safety considerations.

Draft development standards in the proposal require confirmation of water availability, soil testing, and septic feasibility studies before approval of projects. Safety measures include required avigation easements over hangar homes so owners are informed and to limit future complaints about aircraft proximity, and a requirement that buyers be notified of airpark operations when purchasing property in designated areas.

Brad requested commissioner feedback ahead of a public hearing and said he would work to provide revised drafts and a clear revision-numbering system before the hearing. Commissioners set a public hearing for March 19, 2026, and asked staff to distribute the revisions when complete.