On Top of the World is planning to open a new, temporary “drone flying field,” according to documents filed with Marion County officials this week.
The proposal, which seeks to waive landscaping requirements for the new project, was introduced to the Marion County Development Review Committee (DRC) during its regular meeting on Monday, June 29.
The applicant, Colen Built Development, LLC, is hoping to bypass certain regulations laid out in the county’s Land Development Code regarding shade trees and buffers.
Currently, the project consists of plans for a stabilized dirt road, an asphalt runway, an asphalt pad, shade tents, metal sheds, and a dry fly-over area. The site is internal to the On Top of the World Development of Regional Impact and is located 500 feet from any external property lines.
The site is planned for an area near the wastewater treatment plant in the southwest portion of the community.
According to the waiver request form, the temporary drone flying field will include minimal parking and open-air pavilions in lieu of enclosed structures. The applicant also notes that there is no lighting planned and no nighttime activity proposed for the site.
“The preserved trees will satisfy the required shade tree count. Additional landscaping would interfere with the intended drone flying area,” reads the document provided by the developer.
While the waiver requests an exemption from landscape design standards for non-residential development, county staff has raised several concerns during the review process.
According to a submittal summary report attached to the application, the Marion County Fire Marshal is requesting that the fire department access road be stabilized to support the weight of an 87,000-pound fire apparatus. The Fire Marshal is also requiring a third-party soil test to ensure the ground can support the weight.
The county’s Growth Services Planning & Zoning department also noted that the project is directly adjacent to portions of property with Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning intended for single-family residences.
Staff requests that the developer update building locations and show setbacks from the zoning lines, warning that upon development of these adjacent sites, the proposed improvements will still need to meet setback requirements.
The developer has also been asked to provide the number of required and proposed parking spaces, including ADA spaces, and to show those spaces and aisle widths on the site plan.
What are your thoughts on the newly proposed drone flying field? Share them in a comment below or a letter to the editor.