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Planning commission approves private airstrip near Dragon Winds Way
Summary
The Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a special use authorization allowing a private airstrip for applicant Dave Dodge on a roughly 20‑acre parcel near Dragon Winds Way, with conditions including FAA registration, flight-time limits and coordination with utilities.
The Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve SU26-03, a special use authorization permitting a private airstrip on a roughly 20‑acre parcel near Dragon Winds Way.
Applicant Dave Dodge said he and his wife moved to the Dragoon area with the intention of building a small strip for personal ultralight and short‑takeoff aircraft. "We are very concerned and respectful of our neighbors," Dodge said during his presentation, noting the runway is about 500 feet long and that the applicants have coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Staff presenting the docket, Mr. Taylor, told commissioners the site (parcel 20892013B) is zoned RU‑4, sits in a low‑density rural area and includes several utility easements. Staff reported two responses in favor and one in opposition from the mailed notices and recommended approval with conditions that limit operations to private ultralight and parachute‑powered aircraft, require FAA registration and obstacle‑clearance procedures, and restrict flight times to no earlier than 30 minutes before sunrise and no later than 30 minutes after sunset.
Commission members asked technical questions about grading, the location of nearby residences (about 1,700 feet east and 675 feet west) and coordination with local utility companies to install aerial marker balls on transmission lines. The applicant said he had revised the flight path to increase clearance over power lines and that operations would remain on his property.
The motion to approve carried by roll call (affirmative votes recorded from the commissioners present). The commission’s approval is a special‑use recommendation; individuals dissatisfied with the decision were told they may appeal to the Board of Supervisors within the statutory appeal period.
The commission’s action includes the staff‑recommended conditions; implementation requires the applicant to show compliance with FAA and county permitting requirements before commercial operation.
