Increasing Land Value Concern To Those Who Call Airparks Home

Ah, spring. As the snow melts and the mud firms up (that wonderful season between winter and spring, "Mud Season"), fair-weather flying takes center stage to those whose true love has spent many long, dark months ensconced in hangars.

However, those who call rural airparks home, even as they walk just a few minutes to their hangars, have major concerns in addition to flying on their minds.

Land development plays a significant role in that worry, reports the Everett (WA) Herald, and that can impact how much longer they can depend on their current lifestyle.

Once example of that is Frontier Air Park, a 600-acre neighborhood encircling a 2,600-foot runway, has some homes that date back 20 years. Frontier Air Park resident and pilot Beau Walker bases his Citabria there, and can walk from his home to go flying in mere minutes.

"Some of the prettiest flying is early in the morning," said Walker, who is retired from the computer industry. "The air is very still, the sun is coming up. It's very pleasant to take off and fly up toward the mountains. Everything is brand new again."

However, Frontier residents are not unaware of the tension among neighborhoods surrounding airplane noise at both Paine Field and Sea-Tac. And as land values climb, development is not far to follow... which can ultimately change the character of rural life that drew many residents.

The land Frontier is on is becoming premium real estate. More than $10 million in homes and land in the air park has "turned over" in the past two years, according to a Herald computer analysis. The county assessor's office states the highest sales price yet was $800,000 a year ago.

A $1 million house is on the market inside the airpark, proof again of rising home and property values in the county, residents said.

"Every time someone sells, the price goes up and attracts a different buyer," Walker said.

Air park homes, hangars, and land have an assessed value of about $40 million, according to the analysis.

Future air park development is currently restricted by wetlands, septic tanks, and access to well water, said owners association president Miriam Rorig-Low. Even so, urban development brings water and sewer lines closer and closer.

Outside the airpark, hundreds of homes are being proposed and approved under county rules allowing clusters of homes on rural land.

Hank Robinett, the park's builder, is optimistic about the park's future, however.

"I think it'll survive," Robinett said. "It'll be a very pricey place to live in the future, because it will be very difficult to ever replace it. There is going to be value there, like waterfront or view property. It hasn't come into its total appreciated value yet.

"The prices will continue to go up there because of the location and the ability to own your own aircraft. General aviation is coming back."

FMI: www.frontierairpark.org