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Resident tells Caldwell council airport hangar uses, proposed venue may conflict with FAA funding rules
Summary
At the Dec. 1 council meeting, Jean Kreidbring told the council she believes hangars at the Caldwell airport — including a proposed venue called Vertical Ventures — may not meet FAA hangar-use rules for federally funded airports and could put future federal grant funding at risk.
Jean Kreidbring told the Caldwell City Council on Dec. 1 that she believes at least one hangar at the Caldwell airport is ‘‘openly violating’’ Federal Aviation Administration rules and that a proposed event venue, Vertical Ventures, does not appear to be an aeronautical use.
Kreidbring said the city’s receipt of FAA funding for Caldwell Executive Airport brings obligations that ‘‘their primary use must be for aeronautical activities such as storing active aircraft, maintenance and aircraft building’’ and that ‘‘non-aeronautical uses like using a hangar as a residence or for a non-aeronautical business’’ are prohibited where they interfere with aeronautical purpose. She asked the council to investigate how a venue advertising a 12,000-square-foot climate-controlled event space with a bounce house received approval for operations at the airport.
‘‘They could end up costing the city of Caldwell future funding, imposed civil penalties, or revocation of certification,’’ Kreidbring said, urging staff to check required hangar inspections and to confirm whether proposed uses are consistent with FAA rules.
Mayor (unnamed) thanked Kreidbring and asked her to email the city with the name(s) and details so staff could review the matter. No staff or council member provided a substantive legal or policy response at the meeting beyond requesting the information for follow-up.
Background: The FAA conditions certain grant-funded airports on uses that preserve fair access and aeronautical functions. Kreidbring’s remarks raise a potential compliance concern the council asked staff to look into; the meeting record shows no final determination or action on the question at this session.
