Councilmembers Hope to Get Tree Removal Questions Answered at Third Bowman Field Meeting

Three Louisville Metro Council members will hold another meeting tonight to give neighbors of Bowman Field another chance to ask questions about controversial new federal regulations.Last year, the Louisville Regional Airport Authority announced the new safety regulations, and told the community that some homeowners may have to allow the airport authority to trim or remove trees to comply.The LRAA has held two meetings with community members, but many have complained their questions still haven’t been answered. So, councilmembers Tom Owen, Brent Ackerson and Tina Ward-Pugh plan to hold another meeting.Ward-Pugh says the authority still hasn’t been able to tell her why trees will be affected by the new Federal Aviation Administration rules, and not electricity poles or tall houses.“It just doesn’t make sense,” she said. “It is illogical that if this is a safety issue, and I believe it could be, don’t get me wrong, it just is illogical that clearing the zone doesn’t really mean clearing the zone.”Ward-Pugh says the council members invited an FAA representative to the meeting, but he had a conflict. She says even so, the meeting is another chance for homeowners to speak their minds on the proposal, as well as to get responses to questions that still haven’t been answered.“The LRAA had their chance or chances to conduct their meetings and set the agenda and set the tone,” she said. “We’ve not been satisfied with that and what that’s produced, and so we’re going to give folks another opportunity.”The meeting is tonight at 7:30 at Douglass Community Center.