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Airport tree removal plan, FAA grant pending; Timberline Helicopters tax incentive approved
Summary
Bonner County Airport Manager Dave Schuck told Sandpoint councilors on March 5 that the county plans to remove trees that have or will penetrate aircraft approach surfaces at Sandpoint Airport and expects an FAA grant later this year to fund the work.
Bonner County Airport Manager Dave Schuck briefed the Sandpoint City Council on March 5 about a planned obstruction removal project at Sandpoint Airport and about how the county plans to protect approach surfaces that aircraft use when landing.
Schuck said the county owns navigation easements purchased in 2021 that give it the right to control airspace over defined approach surfaces, and that tree growth on a hillside southwest of the Schweitzer Cutoff roundabout and in a creek corridor east of Boyer Avenue has encroached or will encroach on those approach surfaces. He said the county has applied for an FAA grant to pay for the clearing work and “we anticipate receiving that grant later this year,” and that, if funded, the work would likely be completed in September after nesting season.
On methods and environmental protection, Schuck said trees in the wetland area east of Boyer will likely be removed by hand crews because the area is a delineated wetland, and that the county will coordinate with city staff on stabilization and replanting of lower‑growing species where appropriate. He estimated roughly 14 days of work for tree removal in the areas discussed and said traffic controls may require single‑lane closures on Boyer Avenue during removals. He also said the county will explore repurposing removed wood for residents who heat with firewood, although he characterized some species as low quality for firewood.
Separately, Mayor Jeremy Grama announced a state incentive for Timberline Helicopters’ airport expansion: the Idaho Economic Advisory Council and Idaho Department of Commerce approved a tax reimbursement incentive tied to Timberline’s expansion at the airport, the mayor said, estimating the project would bring about 24 new jobs (12 A&P mechanic positions) with salaries that “exceed $80,000 per year,” and a new facility valued at about $13,000,000.
Why this matters: clearing obstructions protects aircraft approach safety and affects wetlands and nearby traffic during construction; the Timberline incentive is a major economic development announcement with workforce and facility investment at the airport.
What’s next: county staff will continue coordination with the city on access, wetlands handling, public outreach and construction timing if the FAA grant is awarded; city staff will work separately with Timberline and state agencies as the company advances its expansion.
