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Ex-NBA Star Gets No on Helicopter Pad

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: October 27, 2007

EAST LAKE, Fla. - EAST LAKE, Fla. - Former NBA player Matt Geiger has been denied permission to construct a helipad on his 36-acre property along Keystone Road.

The County Commission voted 5- 2 last week to deny the application, citing concerns of neighboring residents and the lack of being able to enforce mandated conditions.

Paul Cassel, county development review director, said the heliport meets requirements for providing enough space for a helicopter to land.

Geiger, Cassel noted, had agreed to several conditions including limiting the number of trips. County staff recommended approval of the request, he said.

Todd Pressman, a representative for Geiger, said his client modified the helipad request to meet residents' concerns about noise, hours of use and the flight path.

Geiger also moved the proposed location of the landing area on the estate to one more amenable to residents, and agreed to limit its use to four flights per week, daytime use only, Pressman said.

Still, hundreds of residents living near the Geiger estate filed a petition with the county stating the conditions were unenforceable. They voiced concern about noise, the potential of crashes and effect on wildlife.

Commissioner Robert Stewart said just when you think you have heard everything, you get someone asking permission for a helicopter pad.

"This is an unusual request," Stewart said.

Stewart, however, voted to approve the helipad request. Commissioner Calvin Harris cast the only other yes vote.

Stewart said he was amazed by some of the concerns of people opposed to the helipad.

He said he was not concerned voting to approve the land area would set a bad precedent as long as the requests from Geiger met staff's conditions.

Commissioner John Morroni, however, said the helipad would be a quality-of-life issue for Commissioner John Morroni, however, said the helipad would be a quality-of-life issue for Geiger's neighbors and approving it would set a bad precedent.

If Geiger's request were approved, someone would soon be seeking permission to build a runway for fixed-wing aircraft, Morroni predicted.

"This is a neighborhood and the idea of helicopters in neighborhoods doesn't make sense to me," Commissioner Ken Welch said.

Commissioner Susan Latvala said the proposed helipad has caused a ruckus in the neighborhood, and if the community doesn't want it she cannot support it.

In response, Harris said the commission was deciding the issue on emotion rather than science. Helicopters are flying around all the time, he said.

Commission Chairman Ronnie Duncan said he is against the request because it will be difficult to enforce the conditions to which Geiger has agreed.

Duncan said Pinellas County Sheriff's Office officials had advised deputies could only take action if they witnessed an alleged violation of the helipad operating restrictions.

If residents had complained about the helipad and the county had to investigate, the county would have billed Geiger for its costs associated with checking on the complaint, interim County Administrator Fred Marquis said.

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