Airport to issue permit for ITC grid power poles west of facility
BRANCH COUNTY — Joe Best, manager of Branch County Memorial Airport, will issue ITC a notice of compliance with the airport zoning ordinance, reversing a May decision.
International Transmission Company plans to construct a new 345-kilovolt interstate transmission line from Indiana across Branch County to a new substation near Olivet in Calhoun County.
ITC had agreed to move the grid towers west of the airport outside the glide path approaches for the airport after a discussion with Best and board members.
ITC area manager Gary Kirsh said power line towers are 100 to 110 feet, not the maximum 150 feet which board members expected.
Kirsch said if ITC moved towers further away, the route would impact residential areas.
ITC needs airport zoning approval to file a final application for the project expected for construction in 2030.
Prior story ITC to move power grid line poles but airport board not satisfied
Last month, the board opposed the location of the power lines because they felt the lines were too close and too high for any future airport expansion.
The board changed its position after discussions with consultants and the Michigan Department of Transportation Aviation staff.
Chairman Mike Kelly said consultants told them there is little likelihood of any federal or state money to expand the airport since the focus now is on expanding larger regional facilities like Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.
Kelly said a major Branch County expansion would require the removal of 11 homes at the west end of the runway, which would be very expensive.
Best said, "Going up the next-size runway is just never going to happen. We have to focus on maintaining what we've got because this could still sustain a decent-sized freight operation."
The 5,200-foot runway can be extended to 6,000 feet, but it is still not long enough for larger jets.
ITC grid tower location would not impact that expansion, board member Ethan Kosachuk said after reviewing maps.
In 2023, Branch County Memorial Airport reported 13,566 take-offs and landings with 48 planes based on the property just west of Coldwater, south of U.S. 12.
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The airport completed a $710,000 apron expansion last year with 95% state and federal money to improve the airport's use by the growing business jet traffic.
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Airport to issue permit for ITC grid power poles west of airport
