A public-use airport in rural Utah is facing an uncertain future after town officials denied renewal of its business license and paused related permits while reconsidering local land-use rules. West Desert Airpark, located in Fairfield in the Cedar Valley southwest of Salt Lake City, has appealed the decision, with a ruling expected in early March. The action comes as the Fairfield Town Council restarts its review of proposed changes to its Airpark Mixed-Use Zone and Airpark Overlay ordinances, which govern airport-related development and surrounding property restrictions.
The airpark began as a private dirt strip in 2002 and became a public-use airport in 2018. It has since added hangars, a flying club, an aircraft repair operation and a flight school. A 5,200-foot-by-60-foot runway built with state grant assistance was completed two years ago, allowing for expanded operations.
Owner and chief flight instructor Matthew Kalm told local Fox 13 News the runway increased traffic and acknowledged the effects on the surrounding area.
“It did increase traffic by about 20% — which is significant,” Kalm said. “There’s airplanes. There’s noise, I completely understand … We want to work with the town. We want to make sure that our users out here are respecting the town. It would be a shame for it to just go away.”
Kalm also addressed the potential consequences of the town’s action on a personal level.
“It could mean I have to shut down my operation, which means I have no way to support my family until I have another means of work,” he said.
Town leaders say the matter centers on land-use compliance and impacts to neighboring property owners as airport activity has grown.
“From the Town’s perspective, this is about being fair to the Airpark and fair to neighbors who are dealing with increased flights overhead, more noise, and safety concerns close to their homes and property,” Fairfield Mayor Hollie McKinney said in a statement. “It’s also about a fair process. When a use grows or changes in a way that affects the people living next door, it needs to go through the Town’s land use process. That’s how we sort out things like increased activity, runway expansion, hours of operation, and how nearby property owners are protected. Those decisions should happen openly, with public input and action by the Town Council, so everyone understands the rules and the expectations going forward.”
During a September 2025 meeting, the council debated whether to immediately adopt revised airpark ordinances or restart the review process to allow additional collaboration. Representatives for West Desert Airpark agreed not to file new land-use applications for 180 days while revisions are considered, and the council voted to issue a new Notice of Pending Ordinance, effectively extending the timeline for further review as the business license appeal proceeds.
0 replies