How did we do it?

HIGHLAND LAKES FLYERS CLUB

FINDING A NEW FLYING SITE FOLLOWING 9/11

On September 11, 2001, the flying site leased by Highland Lakes Flyers Club at LCRA’s (Lower Colorado River Authority) Wirtz Dam near Marble Falls, Texas was closed due to security concerns following the attack on New York Citys World Trade Center. Shortly thereafter, the lease was canceled, and the club initiated a search for a suitable new site.

One club member, with contacts at a local newspaper, arranged for an article to be written, and two club members were interviewed by telephone. The tone of the article was positive and emphasized the family oriented nature of aero modeling and HLF’s effort to involve the areas youth. A front page story, complete with a color photo of one longtime member and a few of his planes, got us some very positive exposure and resulted in a couple of leads on alternate sites.

In lieu of flying, members were seeking leads for R/C flying areas. One member in particular was very persistent. This was Lynn Atkins. Lynn visited with officials in Burnet County and elsewhere. Soon, he zeroed in on a closed Llano County landfill near Kingsland, Texas. Lynn researched land records at the courthouse and developed a clear understanding of the landfills dimensions and ownership. Meanwhile, the clubs Secretary / Treasurer initiated contact with the County Commissioner in the precinct where the landfill was located and told him of our situation. He found a Commissioner willing to consider the clubs needs.

Simultaneously, club officers maintained communications with the general membership. A meeting for the entire membership was called and members appointed a Flying Site Acquisition Task Force to coordinate the clubs efforts. Several meetings with our County Commissioner followed.

We learned that the landfill had been closed in 1991 and was inspected by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) in 1997 and was found to be in compliance with all current regulations. We also learned that the county was not permitted to sell the property sooner than 30 years after closing the landfill. The option of an outright purchase was not feasible, but the 30 year waiting period made it much easier for county officials to consider a long-term lease to our club. During this initial phase of our quest, our commissioner had discussed the clubs interest with the county judge and other commissioners. They were receptive, but wanted more information before proceeding.

The clubs Vice President contacted Wes De Cou at AMA's Flying Site Assistance office. Wes supplied a package of materials, including a pro forma lease agreement, and information about other clubs in Texas that are currently flying on closed public landfill property.

HLFs task force used this information to draft a preliminary lease agreement which was submitted to our Commissioner. He in turn forwarded it to the County Attorney for review, with any changes to be returned within a ten day period. This assured us a place on the Llano County Commissioners Court agenda on December 10, 2001.

The County Attorney made several changes, none of which were onerous. All were quickly and satisfactorily worked out. We agreed on a long term lease arrangement with provision for renewal.

At the Commissioner's Court on December 10^th, the clubs request, number thirteen on the agenda, was moved up to number four, in view of the large number of club members attending the court. Two of our officers made brief remarks on the purpose and goals of our club, and answered questions posed by the commissioners. They were particularly interested in AMAs (Academy of Model Aeronautics) liability insurance coverage for site owners as well as liability coverage for individual members.

Then, the County Judge asked for a motion. Our local Commissioner made a motion to approve the proposed lease. His motion was seconded. There was no further discussion. The judge called for a vote, and club members were elated to see a unanimous vote in favor of the lease.

The County Judge and HLFs Vice President each signed the lease. HLFs Secretary / Treasurer wrote a check to cover the full term of the lease. We thanked the court for its consideration, and left to celebrate with coffee at a nearby restaurant.

Here is a summary of the key elements in the clubs successful effort in finding a new flying site:

• We quickly found a closed landfill site and determined it to be suitable for R/C flying.
• We made acquaintance with the County Commissioner having jurisdiction in the precinct where the site was located. We presented our case and asked for his help. We found him very receptive and he ultimately became our advocate in the county system.
• We made particular efforts to address the safety and responsibility issues concerning use of the site, with particular emphasis on adhering to TNRCC requirements concerning the protective "cap" on the landfill.
• AMA’s liability insurance program proved to be invaluable in providing assurance for financial responsibility.
• The club agreed to work closely with county officials concerning all site development projects.

This story has a happy ending. It could have turned out another way. The club might have been unable to locate a suitable area in a timely way, and the membership might have drifted away. Sometimes things do work out for the better. This was one of those times.

The above text is an edited version of an article submitted to AMA by the clubs then Vice President. The article was subsequently published in AMA’s June 2002 edition of Model Aviation.