Residents Against Arrowhead Air Park
Air Park Proposal Is Unprecedented. Time to Speak Up
Update: February 27, 2024
In July 2022, the Arrowhead Air Park submitted an application to Cass County to incorporate as a village, so they can make up their own laws, and potentially exercise eminent domain and annex surrounding properties.
In the face of public backlash, the Air Park withdrew their application. The public hearing was canceled, and no public hearing has happened yet (probably their goal, they really don't seem to want to hear the opinions of neighbors and local residents).
In the Summer of 2023, the Air Park installed a modular home on the property. This was likely part of their strategy. Initially, they wanted to incorporate an empty soybean field as a town, which is absurd. A town has people in it. So now, with a modular home there, they can claim there are people on the land, even though it has no functional plumbing.
On February 27, 2024, Cass County held a hearing about the application for a septic permit for the modular home on the Air Park property. No decision was made at the time, but THANK YOU to the many residents who attended the hearing to object. This hearing was not about the Air Park itself, but it let the Cass County Commissioners know that basically no local residents are in support of this ridiculous idea.
Fox 4 News Coverage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sfmO6l5FeQ
Overview:
Marketing materials indicate Arrowhead wants a gated community with a private airstrip and ONE HUNDRED (100) airplane hangars (plus possibly helicopters and drones).
A development this size is unprecedented in the KC Metro; there is nothing else like it.
What's even stranger, the LLC behind Arrowhead is asking for a bean field to be considered a village, which can make its own laws, and avoid certain taxes and regulations.
Local residents believe this will be a disaster for our neighborhoods. Please sign the petition:
What Kind of Planes?
The Arrowhead promotional materials suggest that owning a plane will likely be a requirement to buy a home there. They are planning on 50 homes and 100 hangars. Some residents may have more than one plane, and some residents may decide to park their planes outside of hangars - so the development is not necessarily limited to 100 planes. As a private airstrip in a gated community, "outsiders" will likely not have access.
Arrowhead has provided no concrete details about what types of planes will be allowed. Their marketing materials suggest "most" homeowners will have single engine planes. However,
(1) The proposed airstrip more than 3x larger than a single engine Cessna would need;
(2) No size restrictions were mentioned for visiting planes;
(3) The Arrowhead promotional materials suggest the airfield will be modeled after the Bourland Field Airstrip in Texas, which boasts: "big enough for jets".
(4) Most importantly, HOA covenants are not set in stone! Today they may promise restrictions on larger planes. But once you grant approval for something like this, you're opening Pandora's Box, and who knows what it could look like 5 years from now. And the rest of us will have no vote.
Below are some examples of planes that would be able to fit on the proposed Arrowhead air strip - you may be surprised how large some of these planes are:
Noise: More Than Just a Nuisance
Studies show that living near airplane noise is more than just a nuisance – it can significantly affect your personal health:
(1) Will Planes Be Buzzing 100 Feet Above Rooftops?
Yes they will, according to an analysis of the proposed Arrowhead Airpark. Due to the topography and angle of approach, the approaching aircraft would be "within 500 feet" of one home, and "possibly below 100 feet above (other) building tops". The report recommended Arrowhead Airpark find a different location to build their airstrip.
Source: "Assessment of Potential Wildlife Hazards to Aircraft at Proposed Arrowhead Airpark, Cass County Missouri", March 2022, Russel DeFusco PhD, USAF (ret)
(2) A 2018 study found that animals exposed to aircraft noise experienced increased blood pressure, endothelial dysfunction, and other cardiovascular outcomes.
Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, February 2018, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109717419309
(3) A 2019 study found that traffic noise ("air-traffic noise in particular”), causes loss of sleep, elevated stress hormone levels, oxidative stress, can promote the development of vascular dysfunction and high blood pressure, all of which elevate cardiovascular risk.
Source: Journal of the German Medical Association, April 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6541745/
(4) The Arrowhead developers have claimed that some smaller aircraft are no noisier than a motorcycle. This is an extremely disingenuous claim:
(a) Most Belton residents wouldn't want a motocross track built down the street, either.
(b) Motorcycles don't fly over your house. Vehicles on the ground have trees and buildings to help muffle sound, whereas airplanes do not.
(c) The proposed airstrip is more than 3x larger than a Cessna would require - indicating that they may be planning for larger planes and jets.
(5) Sound Proofing
The cost to add noise insulation to a standard 1,500 square foot home could easily exceed $30,000. This includes noise-dampening exterior doors, specialty windows, and soundproof insulation in ceilings and exterior walls. These measures obviously do not soundproof the outside of your home – your porch, shed, garage, yard, etc
Source: https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-soundproofing-cost.htm
Safety Concerns: Assessment Finds "Extreme Risks" in Proposal. Crashes Are Inevitable.
When you think if airplane safety, many of us think of commercial flights at a large airport, which are statistically very safe. But small aircraft are a completely different story. When it comes to small airports and airstrips, accidents and crashes are all but guaranteed.
(1) Wildlife Assessment: Proposed Arrowhead Airpark Poses “Extreme Risk” To Planes, Neighbors
A wildlife study of the proposed airpark identified an "extreme risk of bird strikes with various species of waterfowl and the highly unlikely possibility that privately-owned and well-established ponds nearest the proposed airpark could be drained or otherwise mitigated would lead to the consideration of finding an alternate location for the airpark to avoid these risks.”
Source: "Assessment of Potential Wildlife Hazards to Aircraft at Proposed Arrowhead Airpark, Cass County Missouri", March 2022, Russel DeFusco PhD, USAF (ret)
(2) Small Aircraft - Up to Five Accidents Per Day
"NTSB statistics from 2013 reveal that in contrast to the safety record of commercial airplanes, small private planes average five accidents per day, accounting for nearly 500 American deaths in small planes each year."
Source: https://www.robbrobb.com/airplane-crashes
(3) Surrounding Neighborhoods Assume All the Risk
56% of all aircraft accidents happen at takeoff or landing. That means, the people most at risk for injury, death, or property damage, are the surrounding neighborhoods, schools, and businesses. See photos below of aircraft that crashed into schools and residential homes, or click here to see videos.
Source: https://www.aviationdisasterlaw.com/airport-runway-defects-and-their-role-in-aviation-accidents/
(4) Drunk Flying - Easier to Get Away With in Small Airplanes
According to New England Journal of Medicine, between 10-30% of pilots involved in fatal crashes had measurable alcohol concentrations, and about half of them were above the legal alcohol limit for driving.
Just a few weeks ago, a Prarie Village man crash landed his small plane on I-70 near Grain Valley, and was immediately arrested for drunk flying. Pilots are people too. As long as drunk driving exists, so will drunk flying.
Source: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199008163230706#t=article, & https://www.kmbc.com/article/plane-makes-emergency-landing-on-interstate-70-near-grain-valley-missouri/40621666
(5) Not Just Birds - Deer, Coyotes, Other Wildlife
An FAA study found 200,000 incidents of aircraft hitting wildlife over a 30 year period, mostly involving small planes. A 2017 investigation by Atlantic found over 1,000 incidents of planes hitting deer during takeoff or landing, and we all know how common deer are out here.
An analysis of the proposed Arrowhead Airpark found that "deer, coyotes, feral dogs, and other species [common] in the area [could] cause wildlife collision issues". The analysis strongly recommended special wildlife exclusion fencing, which has not been mentioned at all in Arrowhead's published plans, and may be cost prohibitive, unsightly, and impractical at the proposed site.
Source: "Assessment of Potential Wildlife Hazards to Aircraft at Proposed Arrowhead Airpark, Cass County Missouri", March 2022, Russel DeFusco PhD, USAF (ret), & https://executiveflyers.com/are-small-planes-safe, & https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/what-happens-when-an-airplane-hits-a-deer/516951/
(6) A pilot certificate requires fewer hours than a driver's license!
In Missouri, you must be 18 years old with 40 hours of driving practice to get a full drivers licence.
However, a private pilot certificate can be attained at just 16 years old, with only 35 flight hours. To qualify for a light sport pilot certificate (very small aircraft), only 20 hours of flight time is required.
To fly ultralight aircraft, no FAA certification or licensure of any kind is required.
Safety - Chemicals, Runoff, Pollutants
(1) Air Traffic Emissions Easily Enter Nearby Houses
A study found that airport emissions (benzene toluene, ethylbenzene, and other VOC's) penetrated the inside of homes near the airport AT THE SAME LEVELS as on the actual runway.
Common pollutants from air strips includes benzene (in airplane exhaust, carcinogenic to humans and animals), and perfluorochemicals (also called "forever chemicals").
(2) Leaded Airplane Fuel:
Approximately 167,000 small aircraft still use leaded gasoline. Most small airplanes do not use catalytic converters, and their exhaust sprays particulates up to 10 miles away. Exposure to leaded fuel particulates causes heart disease, stroke and cancer. It also affects the development of the human brain, especially harming children, with studies suggesting children exposed to leaded fuel exhaust have lower IQ scores.
(3) One study showed that aircraft traffic can pollute the air up to 10 miles away—a wider area than believed previously.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es5001566
(4) Exhaust From Aircraft Linked to Childhood Leukemia
Benzene emissions near airports were found to be a “statistically significant predictor variable of childhood leukemia”.
(5) Aircraft Emissions Are "Ultra-Ultra Fine", Easily Inhaled, Absorbed
A 2019 study found that homes within 10 miles of an airport were exposed to "ultra-ultrafine" pollution particles that are specific to airline emissions. Previous studies have shown that smaller pollution particles are more likely to be inhaled or absorbed by the body.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1309104215303172
https://deohs.washington.edu/mov-up?_ga=2.198250479.1385829447.1626555167-966827292.1626555167
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20237839/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22002748/
Why So Many flights From KC to Southern Border?
Currently, the closest airport to Western Cass County is the Johnson County Executive Airport. For many years, the FBI noticed a disproportionate number of flights from the Johnson County airport to the Southern Border.
In 2011, as a result of a multi-year, multi-jurisdictional investigation, the FBI seized millions of dollars of cocaine, ecstasy, and guns from a local Cartel using the Johnson County Executive Airport to smuggle contraband from the Southern Border.
Criminals are undoubtedly looking for new, quieter air parks to use for drug smuggling, gun smuggling, human trafficking, and other illegal /elicit activities. An air park in Cass County would be perfect - a gated community, closed to outsiders, no supervision, no oversight, and close to several major highways.
Source: https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/mow/news2011/shakur.sen.html
Small Airstrips: Hotbeds of Criminal Activity
If you're a law abiding citizen, criminal activity using small aircraft may not have even occurred to you.
However, according to every law enforcement agency (FBI, DEA, TSA, BATF, Homeland Security, Interpol, even USPS), small air strips are hotbeds of criminal activity. We're not being paranoid - consider this quote from a retired Homeland Security agent:
"The next time you look up and see [a small aircraft], and wonder to yourself: 'Where’s it going? Where’d it come from, and what’s on board?'
"There’s a good chance it could be carrying illicit narcotics.”
Also consider the following:
(1) FBI Says KC Metro Major Hub for Small Aircraft Smuggling
FBI drug investigator Mike Oyler told The Kansas City Star that the KC Metro is a major hub for drug and gun smuggling, particularly using small aircraft. “Kansas City is a hub. It’s like a trucking business. You have two of the biggest interstates in the country converging here.”
(2) US District Attorney: “So Easy” to Smuggle Drugs with Small Aircraft
In 2020 the Courrier Journal reported on yet another billion dollar drug ring using small planes. Businessman Robert Carlson used a small fleet of small planes to funnel “a billion dollars worth of cartel drugs through smaller airports across the country, exploiting a security blind spot".
Homeland Security said that private planes “fall through the cracks." A U.S. District Attorney further explaied that “"Nobody is scanning your luggage. . .You get on, you fly over, you get off. You move your drugs. That is a huge problem because it's so easy, and it's very difficult to stop, just because of the nature of these small airports."
In 2019, the DEA published their “National Drug Threat Assessment”, concluding that: “More and more, traffickers are utilizing private airplanes and secondary airports" (seeking out airstrips with minimal or no security).
(3) Interpol: Organized Crime Using Small Aircraft on the Rise
"Organised crime groups have mainly used small airplanes for trafficking drugs ... light aircraft are also now being used to facilitate illegal immigration, smuggle victims of human trafficking, and to traffic firearms, diamonds and bulk cash shipments for money laundering." Interpol further reports that "the number of suspicious flights is increasing".
(4) Small Rural Airstrip Used to Transport Mercenaries & Hundreds of Millions in Guns, Drugs to/from Central American
Remember the Iran-Contra Affair? The American man (Barry Seal) who smuggled the guns, drugs, and even mercenaries to and from the Nicaraguan Contras ran his entire operation from small air parks in Louisiana (even smaller than the proposed Arrowhead Air Strip). In 1986 the Cartel sent assassins to to gun down Barry Seal with a machine gun at his apartment, next door to a Salvation Army. Fortunately no bystanders were hurt, but it's important to remember that organized crime always spills over into the community.
(5) Arrowhead Air Strip is Dream Location for Criminals
It is our understanding that the Arrowhead application is asking for:
Private airstrip, in a locked, gated community, with no supervision, free from city or county oversight
No tower or air traffic control
No staff to check cargo, passengers, or safety of planes
The developer has stated his intent to restrict flights after 9pm, but without staff, enforcement options are limited, and HOA covenants can be changed
Private/concealed airplane hangars - that nobody has permission to access without a warrant
We're not accusing the developers of anything nefarious, but law enforcement officials might say this is a dream come true for drug and gun smugglers, human traffickers, cartels, and other criminal enterprises.
Sources: https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/cash-diamonds-drugs-firearms-people-smuggled-in-small-airplanes
https://www.joplinglobe.com/news/local_news/report-kansas-city-a-drug-trafficking-hub/article_157948b4-2a3f-503c-bcde-278075f5497f.html
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2020/10/02/us-private-jet-pilots-trafficked-cocaine-meth-sinaloa-cartel/3323172001/
Do the Developers Even Care About Our Local Community? One Revealing Fact - Their Marketing Materials Promote Johnson County, Avoid Mentioning Cass County
The Arrowhead Air Park promotional materials mention that their "upscale development" wil be minutes from Olathe, Overland Park, Leawood, Loch Lloyd, and Lee's Summit.
They do not mention anything in Cass County, including neighboring communities such as Belton, Cleveland, Raymore, etc. Perhaps the developers simply don't know enough about the neighboring communities to mention them. Or, perhaps this is a revealing indication that they do not wish to participate at all with neighbors or local businesses.
They are already asking for special tax exemptions. In addition to avoiding Belton taxes, they may end up giving all their sales tax dollars to Johnson County.
Is there any benefit whatsoever to Cass County and its residents? Do they know anything about this area at all? Or do they just want to buy cheap land here, but avoid participating in or supporting the local community, while draining our local resources and increasing the tax burden of local residents?
Outstanding Questions & Concerns From Residents
Property Taxes
Fire Chief Gerald Wisdom (President, Mount Pleasant Fire Protection District) stated that these plans were a complete surprise to him. Nobody consulted with the Fire Department. He indicated that this proposal would cause a tremendous hike in fire insurance rates, or may even make us un-insurable. All of this could have a huge impact on property taxes.
I don't know many Belton residents who would be happy about a "forced donation" to this Air Park (in the form of a property tax hike). To add insult to injury, property taxes could go up while property values go down. And, even more absurd, the Air Park is hoping to exempt themselves from as many local taxes as possible, shifting the bulk of the tax burden onto existing Belton residents.
Promises Are Meaningless
The developer mentioned some possible restrictions they may include in neighborhood covenants (such as no flights after 9pm). However, HOA covenants can be changed at any time by the homeowners.
The developer also wants to incorporate the “gated community” as a village, so it's considered its own city and not part of Belton. That means things like noise ordinances could not be enforced.
Isn't this opening Pandora's Box? Their intent today may be a a small airstrip, but what about the future? Perhaps we should hope for the best, but plan for the worst. For example, what would happen if Amazon wanted to rent space to operate a regional drone delivery center? There are a thousand possible bad outcomes for an Airstrip of this size.
What About Drones?
Drones are the thing of the future. Even if Arrowhead homeowners aren't currently thinking about drones, that doesn't mean they won't shift to drones sometime soon. Drone-based businesses are on the rise - taking aerial photos for Google and Big Tech, data collection, property developers, package deliveries, etc.
Commercial Activities
The developer conceded that he may consider a covenant about restricting training runs (such as operating flight schools from the Air Park). However, there are so many other commercial activities for aircraft that he has not mentioned:
Aerial mapping
Banner flying
Low flying helicopter or plane tours (nature and wildlife tours, or tours of celebrity homes at Loch Lloyd)
Crop dusting
Informal charter flights/ride share
Small plane owners often try to find creative ways to make extra money with their planes, to offset costs of ownership.
Animals & Wildlife
Will an air park affect local farms and ranches (spook horses, negatively impact breeding, etc)?
Will an air park impact hunting in the area?
If aircraft decrease the local hawk populations (via bird strikes & noise) will that mean increased mice, snakes, and other birds? All of these things would be detrimental to farms and gardeners.
Why do we need another airport anyway?
Johnson County Executive Airport, Lee's Summit Airport, and Lawrence Smith Memorial Airport (Harrisonville) are not far from the proposed site.
Stolen Planes – The Community (Not the Plane Owner) Pays the Price
According to law enforcement officials, small planes are vulnerable to theft. Just days ago in Mississippi, someone stole a small plane and threatened to crash it into a Walmart. In cases of stolen planes, the owner gets an insurance check, meanwhile the community pays the price. Why should we be subjected to these kinds of risks?
Source: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2002-01-08-0201080233-story.html
On-Site Fuel
The Arrowhead marketing materials say they "have not made a decision about onsite fuel yet".
Isn't this a major safety factor for the community, that should be known in advance?
Will they be above ground or below ground tanks? How will fuel be delivered? Will it be kerosene-based jet fuel, leaded gasoline, or both? Shouldn't the planning from the very beginning include safety features for large fuel storage tanks? Will the fumes be harmful to nearby residents and wildlife?
In case of accidental spill or fire, do you expect the local fire department to bail you out? Jet fuel and airplane fires cannot be treated with water, they require a special chemical foam called AFFF. Do you know if the local fire department keeps this in stock? Are the local taxpayers expected to pay for it? Do you know the environmental impact of spraying AFFF?
Natural Gas on Site
The Arrowhead marketing materials suggest the homes will have access to natural gas. How will this be delivered? Isn't this a horrible idea to put jet fuel, natural gas, and other chemicals all on the same property? Has a safety expert signed off on this?
Small Airplanes & Social Media
Social media “influencers” are on the rise. More and more, they are doing stunts for clicks. Consider the story below – the FAA determined that a man faked an engine problem and purposely crashed his plane for publicity, posting the video on Youtube. Even if Air Park residents do not engage in dangerous stunts, flying while distracted (carrying a selfie stick, talking into the camera) still increases risks for neighboring communities on the ground.
KC Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes - one of the most famous professional athletes in the country - is reportedly building a home in Loch Lloyd. It might be prudent for Loch Lloyd residents to be concerned about low flying planes and helicopters trying to get a glimpse of Mahomes and his property. It is reasonable to expect Youtube stunts above his property, or even helicopters or other small aircraft landing on his property (which will be a 1/2 football field). Imagine, for example, some Youtuber trying to kick a field goal from a helicopter through Mahomes's private goalposts. If there are drones operating from the Arrowhead Air Park, it's easy to imagine constant drone traffic above Loch Lloyd, taking photos, etc.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/youtuber-jumped-plane-purposefully-caused-crash-record-faa-letter-says-rcna25316