Two 'posh' Grand Lake homes to be demolished

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Two lavish Grand Lake homes are set to be demolished because Delaware County commissioners say the homes'

airplane hangars are too close to the local airport.

Last week, the county commissioners approved the removal of the homes near the Grand Lake Regional Airport on Monkey Island.

The airport was part of Shangri-La Resort. When the resort was sold, the new owners did not want the airport and it has since went unused.

In September, the Federal Aviation Administration notified the Monkey Island Development Authority -- which operates the airport -- that the houses are in violation of FAA regulations because they are in clear air space.

The authority claims that plans for the development were approved by the FAA in 1997, in 1998 and again this year. In addition to the approval, the authority claims that the FAA inspected the construction site twice this year and reported no problems.

"There are other alternatives to the mitigation plan other than tearing down these houses," said Sam Stone, attorney for the Monkey Island Development Authority.

Some other alternatives include lighting the roof of the structure that is in FAA violation and acquiring the property outside the control of the authority.

The airport reopened in 1996 with Paul Staten as general manager and operator.

Staten lives in one of the homes scheduled for demolition.

"It's just one big circle," Staten said. "The commissioners won't sign off on the FAA report, and the FAA won't look at the report until the commissioners sign off."

As economic development increased around Grand Lake, a strip mall, car wash and bank were added at the airport. About $2.5 million is invested in the airport project, with another $25 million anticipated.

Plans call for 26 additional homes, each equipped with its own aircraft hangar, and a 148-slip marina in the cove at the end of the runway.