Canadian hangar vs. WoodlandsCounty
Donation protected
This is a legal fight that may affect many aviators across Canada.
An aircraft hangar was built on privately owned land located in an area zoned as "Airport service district- Airside commercial" located within the Whitecourt Airport area. The Whitecourt airport is operated by Woodlands County in Alberta Canada.
The Hangar complies with all required federal regulations.
Aeronautics (including aircraft hangars) is exclusively federal jurisdiction and the hangar does not need to comply with the unrealistic local bylaws and conditions.
The hangar was built on privately owned land against the County of Woodlands wishes.
Their issue was that the hangar position would interfere with neighboring helicopter operations.
A legal battle has since begun.
The County of Woodlands reaction to the initial legal fight was unbelievable. Instead of acknowledging that hangars are under federal jurisdiction, and allowing the hangar to remain, Woodlands County Council unanimously decided to re-write the bylaws and RE-ZONE the airport in an effort to try and place the hangar and private property the hangar is built upon into a zoning district called "Limited Commercial". The Council believes they now have jurisdiction over this development and have the right to issue a removal order.
(excerpted from the Woodlands County Bylaw 490/17 amended June 7 2017)
They also admit in the new bylaws that a development permit is not required in the Airport service district. (but will still to this day not admit that the hangar that was built in the previously zoned "airport service district-airside commercial" does not require a building permit)
Immediately after the bylaw amendment and re-zoning of the airport was unanimously approved by the council, the County issued a stop-work order even though the hangar has been completed and was in place before the new zoning change.
The stop work order ultimately requires that I remove the building completely and return to the previous state before construction began.
I will fight to my last breath to prevent this from happening...
Read this:
local newspaper article regarding re-zoning and legal challenge
The Funding for this campaign will go directly to the legal costs incurred fighting against the blatantly oppressive and conniving Woodlands County Council.
The legal battle is about to get serious when the County of Woodlands attempts to demolish my aircraft hangar.
The Councillors of the Woodlands County are as follows
Jim Rennie
Ron Govenlock
Chad Merrifield
Dale Kluin
Dale McQueen
Daniel Pritchard
Sylvia Bonnett
See their faces here
Feel free to send them an email and let them know how much you donated to the "Save the Hangar" legal fund
I normally enjoy spending my weekends flying kids around at COPA for kids events, or entertaining people at airshows. You may have even met me at one point at Oshkosh, Sun N' Fun, or one of the many airshows or pancake breakfasts across the country. I'm an aviator, just like any one of us, being targeted by a vindictive and egotistical Council who will not be reasoned with.
This legal battle is very demanding of my time and resources.
I have never asked for anything from anyone in my entire life. This is a first for me and humbles me to ask for your help.
I will use the funds raised by this campaign ONLY to pay my legal fees in this legal battle.
If there is to be any excess funds from the campaign, it will be equally split and donated directly to COPA's freedom to fly legal fund and the Whitecourt Flying Club COPA Flight 185.
I will post all legal receipts when this battle is finished.
Imagine your hangar being built like this, and your municipality threatening to tear it down...
Thank you for your interest in this strange story
Jonas Boll
Whitecourt Alberta Canada
An aircraft hangar was built on privately owned land located in an area zoned as "Airport service district- Airside commercial" located within the Whitecourt Airport area. The Whitecourt airport is operated by Woodlands County in Alberta Canada.
The Hangar complies with all required federal regulations.
Aeronautics (including aircraft hangars) is exclusively federal jurisdiction and the hangar does not need to comply with the unrealistic local bylaws and conditions.
The hangar was built on privately owned land against the County of Woodlands wishes.
Their issue was that the hangar position would interfere with neighboring helicopter operations.
A legal battle has since begun.
The County of Woodlands reaction to the initial legal fight was unbelievable. Instead of acknowledging that hangars are under federal jurisdiction, and allowing the hangar to remain, Woodlands County Council unanimously decided to re-write the bylaws and RE-ZONE the airport in an effort to try and place the hangar and private property the hangar is built upon into a zoning district called "Limited Commercial". The Council believes they now have jurisdiction over this development and have the right to issue a removal order.
(excerpted from the Woodlands County Bylaw 490/17 amended June 7 2017)
They also admit in the new bylaws that a development permit is not required in the Airport service district. (but will still to this day not admit that the hangar that was built in the previously zoned "airport service district-airside commercial" does not require a building permit)
Immediately after the bylaw amendment and re-zoning of the airport was unanimously approved by the council, the County issued a stop-work order even though the hangar has been completed and was in place before the new zoning change.
The stop work order ultimately requires that I remove the building completely and return to the previous state before construction began.
I will fight to my last breath to prevent this from happening...
Read this:
local newspaper article regarding re-zoning and legal challenge
The Funding for this campaign will go directly to the legal costs incurred fighting against the blatantly oppressive and conniving Woodlands County Council.
The legal battle is about to get serious when the County of Woodlands attempts to demolish my aircraft hangar.
The Councillors of the Woodlands County are as follows
Jim Rennie
Ron Govenlock
Chad Merrifield
Dale Kluin
Dale McQueen
Daniel Pritchard
Sylvia Bonnett
See their faces here
Feel free to send them an email and let them know how much you donated to the "Save the Hangar" legal fund
I normally enjoy spending my weekends flying kids around at COPA for kids events, or entertaining people at airshows. You may have even met me at one point at Oshkosh, Sun N' Fun, or one of the many airshows or pancake breakfasts across the country. I'm an aviator, just like any one of us, being targeted by a vindictive and egotistical Council who will not be reasoned with.
This legal battle is very demanding of my time and resources.
I have never asked for anything from anyone in my entire life. This is a first for me and humbles me to ask for your help.
I will use the funds raised by this campaign ONLY to pay my legal fees in this legal battle.
If there is to be any excess funds from the campaign, it will be equally split and donated directly to COPA's freedom to fly legal fund and the Whitecourt Flying Club COPA Flight 185.
I will post all legal receipts when this battle is finished.
Imagine your hangar being built like this, and your municipality threatening to tear it down...
Thank you for your interest in this strange story
Jonas Boll
Whitecourt Alberta Canada
Organizer
Jonas Boll
Organizer
Whitecourt, AB
