Residents press Meade County commissioners on drainage, safety and notice for Infinity Landing airport proposal

Residents who live near the proposed Infinity Landing development told the Meade County Board of Commissioners that they were not adequately notified about the project and that the proposed private airstrip and accompanying housing may worsen drainage and safety problems.

The comments came during the public-comment period of a county commission meeting. Dave Kinzer, who said he lives on Fourth Place, said neighbors collected roughly 50 signatures over drainage concerns and about 35 signatures on environmental-impact concerns. Kinzer said he watched a prior meeting online and quoted the project presenter: “The man doing the project said you guys ask him, is there any opposition? He said, no. This room would be full if there was.” Kinzer said he expects more residents to attend the commission’s May 13 hearing.

Why it matters: the Infinity Landing plan touches section lines and established subdivisions around an existing airstrip, which residents and the highway superintendent said raises statutory and safety questions as well as potential impacts on drainage, property values and children’s exposure to aviation fuel.

Several neighbors expanded on Kinzer’s points. Phil Smith, who said he lives across from the Infinity Landing subdivision, told commissioners he did not receive mailed notice and that the county planning office’s responses were “vague.” Smith said he contacted the Federal Aviation Administration and was told “there’s nothing they can do about it because it’s private. It’s not a commercial airport.”

Michelle Marshall said she rides horses near the site and described concerns about aviation fuel and noise: “Ab gas is still lead based, and it is proven that Ab gas is very toxic to children,” she said. Marshall also expressed concern about noise, soil contamination and potential reductions in property values.

Troy Eastman, Meade County highway superintendent, said he visited the site, photographed recent earth-moving and that work appears to be affecting a section line. Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Ken Clubbred told the board the county does not have an administrative cease-and-desist power to shut down work on a section line; stopping unlawful work typically requires a court injunction, Clubbred said, though the county can issue tickets under its ordinances (Class 2 offense, up to $500 and 30 days in jail per day/violation).

The board said it shares residents’ drainage concerns and will require a full drainage study on the preliminary plat before final plat approval. Commissioners scheduled a hearing for the next meeting, May 13, specifically to examine the section-line activity and directed county staff to follow up: Eastman will keep the commission updated on site activity, and the county attorney said he would look up and report back the specific state statute that governs section-line work.

The board did not take a policy-level action on the project's overall approval during the meeting; commissioners limited the immediate response to investigation and the scheduled hearing.

Ending: The board asked residents to provide documentation and photographs and invited people to attend the May 13 hearing, which commissioners said will focus on the section-line disturbance rather than the entire development.