KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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Tuesday afternoon, residents in rural Belton, Missouri, sent me a text notifying me that the Arrowhead Airpark developer withdrew its special use permit application.
RELATED | Cass County Commission reviews final proposal on Arrowhead Airpark Development, residents respond
The privately funded development sought to house 3,000-foot paved runways and approximately 90 airplane hangar homes, which would run adjacent to that runway.
Residents who live nearby visited with me and my colleagues at our Let's Talk Belton event over a month ago. They expressed their concerns about the development.
Prior to the event, I had knocked on doors, canvassing the area to gather their interest in a story as KSHB 41's Cass County reporter.
"This would be an odd place to want to put an airport," neighbor Vanessa Porembski told me at the end of August.
The proposed development was to sit at 203rd and South Prospect, about 300 feet from the front door of Jason and Julie Walker.
"We just pray that we can stay here and not be forced out," Julie Walker told me as she wiped tears from her eyes. "It’s not fair that we put all our savings into this home, and someone comes in and thinks what they want to do is more important."
The Cass County Commission held a meeting in early August to hear from the developer and residents. The resolution of that meeting was to implement a continuance and revisit the application for a vote on Thursday, Oct. 2.
"Due to withdrawal of Applications ZP3142 & ZP3143, the meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 2, 2025 at 6:00pm ... has been canceled," the county wrote in a notice on its website.
RELATED | Cass County Commission schedules Oct. 2 vote for Arrowhead Airpark development
Three residents reached out to notify me of the county's online notice over text.
"When faced with the facts brought by the residents of Cass County, they didn't have a choice," one neighbor wrote.
I've reached out to the Arrowhead Airpark developer a few times since the early August meeting and haven't been able to receive an official response.
Tuesday afternoon, I left the developer a voicemail and an additional message seeking clarity on the next steps in the process. I haven't heard back.
I also reached out to the Cass County Building Codes and Department for more clarity on how the developer withdrew its application. This week, I plan to follow up with the residents and the developer to hear their reaction to the news.
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