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Neighbors press Granite County commissioners to limit new airport beacon after loud public outcry
Summary
Dozens of residents urged commissioners to keep Riddick Field a daytime airport and restrict or modify a newly installed LED beacon after tests sent bright light into nearby homes; commissioners said the beacon was funded through a Montana Department of Transportation grant and deferred a final decision pending FAA guidance and further information.
A lengthy public hearing at the Granite County commissioners’ Dec. 16 meeting focused on a recently installed LED beacon at Riddick Field and the airport board’s broader planning work.
Residents who said they witnessed test operations described bright light shining through blackout curtains and windows. “It was super intrusive,” said Elena Baumberger, who said the beacon’s light shone through fully drawn shades. Several speakers asked that the airport be limited to daytime operations or that the beacon be modified so it is not on 24/7.
Donlon Jones, identified by the commissioners as chair of the airport board, and Donovan (airport manager) told the commission the current goal is runway repair rather than expansion and that they are not proposing immediate enlargement of the airport. Donovan said the beacon was installed under a state aviation grant intended for beacon installation and related work; airport board members said they are awaiting formal FAA guidance about operational flexibility and potential variances.
Speakers pressed two related points: whether federal or state grant conditions require the beacon to operate at night and whether the county needs to accept additional federal funds that would trigger more stringent FAA sponsor assurances. Jen Walters, a local property owner, said she found the grant paperwork and the Montana Aeronautics Division confirmed the $65,000 award was state funding, not federal. Donovan and county staff said the county’s discussions with the FAA and Montana DOT are ongoing and that some airport improvements previously accepted used federal entitlements but that any future federal acceptance would be a county decision.
Public-safety and emergency-service perspectives were mixed. Robert Littlebaum of the Phillipsburg Volunteer Ambulance said LifeFlight personnel reported the beacon would not change their ability to land at the airport because they are not authorized to use it routinely and because other weather and procedural requirements exist; other EMS and pilot commenters noted the beacon can assist some aircraft in poor visibility but stressed it should not encourage routine night operations given wildlife, runway condition and nearby residences.
Commissioners heard repeated requests for more public outreach, clear documentation of which grants have been accepted and what conditions attach, and to know the cost of returning or modifying the beacon if the county later decides to restrict nighttime use. Several residents asked for a follow-up evening meeting so those who work daytime hours can attend. The board agreed to gather written FAA guidance on beacon operation, the exact sponsor‑assurance obligations tied to prior grants, cost estimates for shielding/modification, and the status of any airport engineering studies, then revisit the issue at a scheduled follow‑up meeting.
