ADRIAN — Lenawee County may expand its airport zoning ordinance to include five additional public-use airfields. The proposal was presented on June 10 to the Airport Zoning Board as a way to address new FAA regulations and development risks.
Consultant Stephanie Ward from Mead & Hunt outlined a plan to extend zoning coverage beyond the Lenawee County Airport to other active airfields in the region. She said updated regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration call for defined zoning surfaces to prevent the construction of tall structures that could interfere with air traffic.
The recommendation includes adding zoning protections around Blissfield-Betz Airport, Tecumseh-Al Meyers Airport, Tecumseh-Mills Airport, Tecumseh-Merillat Airport, and Van Camp’s Heliport. If implemented, each site would have height-limiting zones extending up to 10 miles, using FAA Part 77 standards to restrict towers, wind turbines, and other obstructions.
No formal vote was taken. Commissioners said they would consider the expansion as part of a broader zoning ordinance update.
If approved, the ordinance changes would involve coordination with more than a dozen townships and cities. Public meetings and legal reviews are expected later this year.