Business Request Goes To Cape Canaveral City Council Without A Recommendation

A business proposal presented to the Cape Canaveral Zoning and Planning Board will go to the City Council without a recommendation after the board split its votes at a meeting Wednesday night.

Florida Biplanes and Helicopters hopes to expand its air tours over the area known as Florida's Space Coast, operating from vacant land adjacent to an office park near the city's cruise ship terminal on highway A1A. But the proposal drew the expected complaints about noise from nearby businesses and residents, who say it would make it difficult to work and erode property values in the area.

Mark Grainger, the owner of Florida Biplanes and Helicopters, already offers aerial tours of the area from the local airport, but hopes to build his business by locating on the road that leads to and from the cruise ship terminal, generating impulse buys from the passengers. During a flight demonstration last month, the sound from the helicopter was measured from the nearest business at 98.4 decibels ... or about that of a nearby lawn mower. Prolonged exposure to sound levels above 85-90 decibels can cause hearing loss.

Cable news outlet CFNews 13 in Central Florida reports that the tie vote by the zoning and planning board means the proposal will go to the City Council with no recommendation.

FMI: www.cityofcapecanaveral.org