DJ Weimer wins approval for private grass runway after FAA review and neighbor objections

DJ Weimer, the applicant, asked the Henry County Plan Commission to approve a private grass runway on family farmland north of Knightstown and said an FAA airspace study had "no objection" to the proposed airstrip.

Weimer told the commission he obtained a pilot’s license in 2010, keeps a single‑engine Piper Cherokee 6 in Anderson, and intended the strip for private use only. "I grew up here in Henry County," he said, describing a 2,600‑foot by 120‑foot grass strip (about seven acres) and telling commissioners his airplane produces about 80.5 decibels — markedly less than typical lawn and farm equipment, in his comparison.

Why it matters: The plan commission must find that the proposed use fits local zoning and will not permanently injure neighboring property — a standard that prompted detailed questioning from commissioners and staff about safety, hours of operation, storage and FAA conditions.

Neighbors who spoke at the meeting urged denial. Denise Harris (975 West) asked whether Weimer’s plane would be stored at the strip or at Anderson, whether fuels or chemicals would be kept on site, and whether helicopters or other aircraft would use the field. "Will this affect our property value?" she asked, adding, "We like our silence." Lisa Beaver said the airstrip would "fundamentally change the character" of the area and requested denial.

Commissioners and staff pressed the applicant on safety and operations. The applicant said the aircraft is currently kept at Anderson Municipal Airport, that the proposed operations would be day‑use only under visual meteorological conditions (the FAA review describes day/visual operations), and that he intends to build a roughly 60‑by‑60 foot pole‑barn hangar only after securing approval. He also described standard safety practices and the aircraft’s emergency locator transmitter.

Staff noted some FAA recommendations in the analysis are written as "should" and urged the commission to require compliance as a condition. Staff requested, and the commission accepted in discussion, that a windsock be installed as suggested by the FAA.

Action: The commission proceeded through the three required written findings for a commission‑approved use and, according to the meeting record, answered those questions in the affirmative by a majority, moving forward with approval of the commission‑approved use for case 2289. The transcript does not record a clear mover/second or an exact roll‑call tally.

What’s next: The approval is conditioned on the commission’s reading of the file and the FAA‑recommended operational items noted during the meeting (staff asked specifically for a windsock). The applicant and staff discussed possible hangar construction and returning the land to crops if use changes in the future.

Quotes from the meeting:
"My name is DJ Weimer. I'm asking the planning commission to approve a grass runway," Weimer said as he opened his presentation.
"Will this affect our property value? ... We like our silence," Denise Harris told commissioners during public comment.

Clarifying details: Weimer described the strip as 2,600 feet long by 120 feet wide (~7 acres), said his Cherokee 6 produces roughly 80.5 dB, said operations would be day/visual only per FAA guidance, and said an approximate 60x60 hangar was contemplated. The commission discussed and asked staff to make FAA recommendations enforceable (windsock requested). The transcript does not specify exact vote counts or the name of a motion mover/second for the final action.

Ending: After the vote, staff and members confirmed the FAA suggestions and the commission moved on to other agenda business.