Chelan plans airport fencing after runway near-misses

CHELAN — Animals entering the Lake Chelan Airport runway have forced pilots to abort takeoffs and prompted the city to add partial fencing to its airport capital improvement plan.

The Chelan City Council approved the updated plan Sept. 22 for submission to the Federal Aviation Administration. It lists $152,223 for fence design and construction in 2027, targeting the areas where animals have most frequently entered the runway.

“We’ve had several near-misses this summer,” City Administrator and Airport Manager Laura McAloon told the council. She said the incursions have led the airport to issue notices to pilots and have caused some aborted takeoffs.

Councilmember Shane Collins asked whether airport personnel had helped identify the problem areas. McAloon said the airport’s on-site operations staff had been working with neighboring property owners and orchard workers and had heard directly from pilots about the incursions.

Councilmember Agustin Benegas asked whether the $152,223 estimate included materials and how much of the airport would be fenced. McAloon said it covered both design and construction, but the barrier would go only where animal activity has been most frequent.

“This is not a full fencing of the airport,” McAloon said. She said perimeter fencing is common at airports, though a fence around all of Lake Chelan Airport is likely much farther in the future.

Newly appointed Councilmember Dan Boon asked whether federal funds could cover projects in the plan. McAloon said the city receives annual airport improvement funds and can seek additional FAA grants, but a project must be included in the capital plan before the city can request that funding.

The plan also moves improvements to the airport’s automated weather observation system higher on the funding list. McAloon said the system has reported clear conditions when smoke limited visibility at the airport. The plan lists design and bidding for the weather system in 2028 and construction in 2030.

It removes design and engineering work for a relocated runway and incorporates an update to the airport layout plan under FAA guidance.

Council approval of the capital plan does not, by itself, commit the city to the listed expenditures.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media