Seaplane Base proposed for Lake Apopka

The Hensch family has operated seaplanes and seaplane bases for 35 years. For the past several years their operation, Florida Seaplanes, has been based on Lake Prairie in Altamonte Springs. Lake Prairie is located about a mile southeast of the Altamonte Mall.

The Henschs have filed a preliminary plan with Orange County to operate a new seaplane base located at 3812 Walker Road. Their plan requires Orange County to approve a change in zoning from C-2 (Retail Commercial) & R-2 (Single Family Residential) to P-D (Planned Development).

The preliminary plan was presented and discussed at a community meeting on Monday night at Wheatley Elementary school. Approximately 60 people attended the meeting.

Michael Harding is the engineer for the project. He provided the background and explained the proposal. Steve McCaughey, the Executive Director of the Seaplane Pilots Association, provide additional information about seaplane operations and environmental impacts.

Harding opened the meeting by explaining that seaplanes have operated on Lake Apopka for more than 30 years and that it is a very popular location because of its 35,000 acre size.

The Orlando Seaplane Base plan requests authority to operate a full service Seaplane Base (SPB). Activities would include:

1. Docking and Ramping of Seaplanes

2. Fueling Seaplanes

3. Maintenance, storage and servicing of Seaplanes

4. Providing rides and tours in Seaplanes for hire

5. Providing ground, air and water instruction in Seaplanes

6. Operation of Seaplanes

The Henschs plan to use an existing 800 square foot building on the 1.24 acre property and build a new, 15,000 square foot hanger to store and maintain seaplanes.

Use this link to read the full text of the preliminary proposal.

Use this link to see a drawing of the property with proposed set-backs.

There were several questions and concerns raised at the meeting.

Several residents were concerned about noise. Harding and McCaughey expaning that, unlike airboats which generally operate at high RPMs without mufflers, seaplanes engines are muffled. They also described the operation of seaplanes. According to McCaughey seaplanes operate at idle until they are more than a quarter of a mile from shore. The takeoff period normally takes less than than one minute.

Other residents were concerned about contaminating the lake with spilt aviation fuel. Harding and McCaughey stated that the aviation fuel storage tank would be state-certified, double-walled and above-ground. In addition a containment structure would be built. They said there would not be a floating fuel dock.

One resident declared the meeting to be "illegal" due to the short (less than 15-days), notice. Jason Sorensen from Orange County explained that "Community meetings" like this one were not considered "public meetings" and the 15-day notice did not apply. He went on to say that detailed plans would need to be submitted and pass through three different approvals before being implemented; Development Review, Planning and Zoning and the County Board of Commissioners.

The Development Review Committee meetings are open to the public. The Planning and Zoning and County Board meetings are public hearings.