A pending decision before the Secretary of Navy requires action by public officials to protect the heart of Whidbey Island. The Navy proposes to increase the annual number of touch-and-go landings dramatically at Coupeville’s Outlying Field from 5,000 to more than 20,000.
When flight events exceed 5,000 annually, an APZ (Accident Potential Zone) must be designated at each end of the runway. Admiral’s Cove Beach Club community with nearly 600 property owners will be in an APZ 1 zone. Coupeville, the country seat for Island County, as well as Seattle Pacific’s Camp Casey, will all be in an APZ 2 zone.
Restrictions in these zones include potential closure of any public meeting areas such as schools, churches, medical facilities and restaurants. The ultimate goal of the APZ 1 designation is to depopulate these zones making property worthless.
A misguided decision made by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. when other options are clearly available is unacceptable. Retaining the number of flights at their current levels with no APZ designations and implementing alternate options is a compromise all can embrace.
Bob and Midge Stiles
Coupeville
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