Seward amends zoning to allow aviation maintenance; conditional use permit granted for Montag Building

The Seward City Council adopted an ordinance to add “aviation maintenance repair” to the city's commercial use matrix and approved a conditional use permit that allows a rotorcraft maintenance business to operate at the Montag Building, both actions passing by 7-0 votes.

City planning staff introduced the ordinance change as a response to a business proposal to move aviation maintenance into a C-2 commercial zone south of the airport. Tim (planning staff) told the council the code had no clear category for aviation maintenance and that staff created a definition and supplemental use rules to regulate activity near the airport. "We created aviation maintenance repair definition ... we don't want the aircraft under its own power leaving the airport," Tim said, summarizing key safeguards built into the ordinance.

The ordinance (designated Ordinance No. 2025-24) inserts an aviation maintenance repair use into the use matrix and adds related supplemental requirements. Those conditions, discussed by staff and the applicant, include that aircraft be moved to the facility by towing or trailer rather than flying off the airport under their own power; facility access should be from the airport side to avoid highway traffic; no aircraft may be left outdoors after hours; and the facility must be within 1,000 feet of airport property. The planning commission reviewed the proposal and recommended approval by a 5-0 vote.

Steve Hellmanuller, who identified himself as the owner of Cabo Aviation and the applicant, described plans to maintain rotorcraft including Black Hawk-type helicopters and said the operation would draw on local veterans with specialized maintenance experience. "My vision is to tap into this valuable resource, underutilized talent pool and, to build a rotorcraft maintenance site here in the city of Seward at Seward Airport," Hellmanuller said. He said the Montag Building has a large door sufficient for the aircraft footprint and that initial staffing would include two full-time employees.

Jonathan Jenk of the Seward County Chamber Development Partnership spoke in support of the proposal, calling the location suitable and the business a complement to nearby industrial activity. "We'd ask the city council for support with this project," Jenk said.

Staff and the applicant also described approvals that must be obtained outside the council process. The applicant said he had discussed a service road and an access agreement with the airport authority; Tim said the conditional use permit will not be effective until the city has a copy of the required access agreement filed with the permit at the courthouse. The applicant noted the Federal Aviation Administration reviews commercial aviation businesses off the airport and that FAA processes (including a "through the fence" review) would be required before operations begin.

Councilmembers moved to suspend the statutory rule and to adopt the ordinance; both motions carried 7-0. The subsequent conditional use permit for the Montag Building and the applicant was approved by the same 7-0 margin. Tim emphasized that the conditional use permit is personal to the applicant rather than to the property, meaning the permit would end if the approved operator ceased the business.

The approvals create a regulatory pathway for an off-field rotorcraft maintenance facility but leave open several implementation steps: the applicant must secure the access agreement with the airport authority and complete any FAA reviews or approvals noted in the conditional permit conditions. Staff said the access agreement will be filed with the conditional-use record at the courthouse once obtained.

The council did not identify any further changes to the conditions at the meeting. The ordinance and conditional use permit records will show the specific supplemental use regulations and the required access agreement once filed.