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Vermont CEO's 900-foot private runway sparks neighbour's $300,000 legal fight

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The proposed grass airstrip has received conditional backing from the Federal Aviation Administration for daytime use alongside clearance from the Vermont Transportation Board. Opponents, including a neighboring horse farm owner who has committed substantial financial resources to fight the plan, maintain that government agencies overlooked critical safety and geographic hazards. Active appeals have now been lodged before both the Vermont Supreme Court and a federal appeals court to block operations.

Key points

  • Local residents are appealing to the Vermont Supreme Court and a federal appeals court to…: Local residents are appealing to the Vermont Supreme Court and a federal appeals court to halt the runway project.
  • The Vermont Transportation Board approved the airstrip on October 8 based on written corr…: The Vermont Transportation Board approved the airstrip on October 8 based on written correspondence without an in-person public hearing.
  • Aviation consultant Lee Moak identified nine additional safety and topography requirement…: Aviation consultant Lee Moak identified nine additional safety and topography requirements that challengers argue regulators neglected.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Community spirit has turned to a lengthy court fight at a private airstrip in a quiet Vermont mountain town where neighbors used to welcome new residents with homemade casseroles and offers of riding lessons. A wealthy aviation entrepreneur who wants to fly direct from his estate and a neighbour who is determined to stop the runway changing the character of the surrounding countryside are at the heart of the issue. The project has been approved by several authorities but is still the subject of appeals, with both sides defending their cases.

Private airstrip divides mountain community

The Boston Globe reported that the feud is between Beta Technologies electric aircraft maker chief executive Kyle Clark and his wife, Katie Clark, who bought a 130-acre property in Lincoln, Vermont, in 2021. Clark wanted to construct a 900-foot grass runway on their estate so he could fly small, gas-powered planes right from home.

The proposal immediately raised hackles among nearby residents, notably Marilyn Ganahl, who owns a 105-acre horse farm and nature preserve next door. Ganahl has estimated she has spent about $300,000,…

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