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Committee backs exploring year-round float-plane model at Chicory Ridge Park; rules and storage to be developed
Summary
The committee supported exploring a year-round allowance for radio-control float planes at Chicory Ridge Park, directing staff to work with the flying club on draft rules, permits and insurance requirements; the club offered to fund a small retrieval craft and container storage.
The Village of Roscoe Committee of the Whole discussed a request from a radio-control float-plane flying club to designate Chicory Ridge Park’s pond as a year-round flying field for permitted electric float planes and recommended pursuing the idea further.
Staff said the pond and immediate airspace have been used for occasional fly-ins for several years and that an FAA-designated flying area already covers the water for model aircraft operations. The proposed program would mirror the county model for flying fields: pilots would obtain a village permit, show proof of membership in the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and provide evidence of liability insurance (AMA insurance typically includes $1 million liability), and be required to follow a village rule set that limits model weight and fuel type. "We would require AMA membership, insurance and a permit; only permitted pilots would be allowed to fly," staff said.
The club said it would provide volunteer safety boats for retrieval of waterborne models and has offered to fund a small locked container to hold a retrieval dinghy and safety equipment. Staff said liability language, seasonal limits (no flying when ice is present), noise and weight restrictions (electric-only models, weight limits discussed) and an enrollment/permit system would be required. Trustees suggested limiting operations seasonally (e.g., March–November), requiring two-person operation during flights, and setting a cap on concurrent aircraft to reduce crowding.
The committee asked staff to work with the club to draft rules and a permit process and to bring a formal proposal to the Board. The club will provide draft rules for staff review; staff will prepare an implementation plan that includes required insurance and signage and identifies an area for locked container storage.
Why it matters: The proposal would formalize a recurring recreational activity, create a defined permit process, and require safety and insurance safeguards. It offers a new recreational amenity for hobbyists with limited operational impact if rules are enforced.
What’s next: Staff will work with the flying club to produce draft rules, insurance verification procedures, a site plan for storage, and any required permit language for a future Board hearing.
