There’s a very good article in the Star Tribune today about the issues involved in establishing a Joint Airport Zoning Board (JAZB) for Holman Field in St. Paul. You can read the story here: “Holman Field: What Can Be Built In The Flight Path?”
The article is about the establishment of discussions between the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and the City of St. Paul, but the same issue is going on right here in Eden Prairie with creating a JAZB for Flying Cloud Airport. Earlier this year the City received an invitation from MAC to create a JAZB in Eden Prairie. The JAZB for Flying Cloud would also include representatives from the cities of Chanhassen, Bloomington and Shakopee. The Eden Prairie City Council agreed to participate in the Flying Cloud JAZB at their April 21 meeting. The Council appointed Council Members Brad Aho and Jon Duckstad to represent the City on the JAZB.
As the article explains, the JAZB will be influential in deciding how the land around Flying Cloud might be developed. The JAZB will establish runway safety zones that will prevent development in some places, but may decrease development restrictions in other areas. It’s too early to predict what’s going to change, but it’s safe to say that there will be change in the development of land around the airport in the future.
The Flying Cloud JAZB hasn’t started meeting yet. It will be convened by the MAC when they’re ready to get the effort started later this year.
