The Leelanau Township board unanimously approved the costs for a land swap at Woolsey Airport at its regular meeting held Jan. 13. The objective of the swap, which has been in the process for several years, is to address ownership concerns at the airport’s north runway where part of the land is state-owned.
The proposal involved swapping the state-owned portion of land for township-owned land located at the north end of Densmore Road near Mud (Woolsey) Lake. According to the township, the swap “could streamline airport operations and improve safety, while offering the state environmentally significant land.” The unmanned airport terminal has two runaways and four hangars. The East-West runway is 3,663 feet long and is equipped with pilot-activated landing lights and a pilot-activated lighted windsock. The North-South runway is 2,670 feet long.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) land impacting airport runway is approximately 15.32 acres and was appraised at $30,000, while the township land bordering Mud Lake is 14.41 acres and was appraised at $50,000. Land swap costs included the certificate of survey by O’Non Land Surveying at $1,850 and appraisal by Northern Michigan Real Estate Consultants at $3,985.
