Proposed zoning regulations around Whiteman have some property owners concerned

Implementation of a recent state bill has pitted the interests of protecting Whiteman Air Force Base against the rights of property owners.

The Johnson County Airport Zoning Commission is about to recommend a comprehensive plan and zoning regulations for the area surrounding Whiteman. The commission will meet Sept. 24 before sending their final plan to the Johnson County Commission for consideration. Zoning regulations would go into effect immediately, once approved by the County Commission.

Carol Warner and her husband, Aaron, own 200 acres of farmland inside the zoning perimeter near the base. The Warners have no plans to sell their farmland. They hope to pass the property down to their children. But, Carol Warner said property owners inside the zoning area will have a loss of options for use of the land and should be compensated.

Several property owners asked questions last week during a public hearing before the Airport Zoning Commission. Some asked questions about an announcement in June regarding National Defense appropriations of $5.5 million for land acquisitions at the north and south base boundaries.  

Warner is worried that zoning regulations will lower her property values because the land use will be limited. She anticipates that Whiteman will want to buy the land when its value drops.

“There are better ways to protect the future expansion of Whiteman, or the current expansion of Whiteman, besides clearing the path to take what they want at the price that they want,” Warner said.

Property owner Cullen Davidson is investing money in an effort to get quail to nest on his property. He said at the meeting he wouldn’t mind if the base bought his property, but he would like to know soon.

“I sure don’t want to put a lot of money, time and effort into a program if they are just going to” buy the land, Davidson said.

Nobody at the airport commission zoning meeting could speak to Whiteman’s intentions about buying land. However, should the base extend its boundaries the zoning area would shift outward to encompass the 3,000-foot zone from the new perimeter.  

“People will be affected who don’t even realize it, and who won’t even have a say so,” Warner said.

A state law adopted in 2007 called for the creation of the commission to develop zoning regulations 3,000 feet around the base perimeter and the accident potential zones in order to protect the base from encroachment. At that time, the base was being reviewed, along with all the other military installations in the country, by the base closure and realignment commission (BRAC).

Encroachment was identified as one of Whiteman’s weaknesses, and the legislation was passed to keep the base from being cut during the BRAC proceedings.

Chuck Copper, chairman of the Airport Zoning Commission, said at a public meeting Thursday night in Knob Noster that he remembers seeing Barksdale Air Force Base’s fence perimeter in Shreveport, La., back up to backyards.

“The whole idea is to not have that happen” here, Copper said.

However, Johnson County voters have rejected countywide zoning regulations several times. One of Warner’s concerns is that state-mandated zoning surrounding the base goes against the wishes of the voters.

“It’s very frustrating to have someone lay that out in such a manner that you don’t have a choice anymore,” she said.

The airport commission has based its zoning regulations largely on the current uses of the property. A few properties that will fail to comply with the new zoning regulations will become grandfathered uses. Property owners would like to use their land for something other than how it is zoned will have to obtain a variance from the airport commission.

Warner knows there isn’t a lot she, or others, can do to prevent the zoning regulations.

“Once that House bill passed it was done for,” she said.

But, she does think people should be educated on what is happening to the property owners around the base.