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Kootenai County commissioners approve tower support fee for Coeur d'Alene Airport

KAYE THORNBRUGH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 6 months AGO
by KAYE THORNBRUGH
Kaye Thornbrugh is a second-generation Kootenai County resident who has been with the Coeur d’Alene Press for six years. She primarily covers Kootenai County’s government, as well as law enforcement, the legal system and North Idaho College. | May 7, 2025 1:00 AM

COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners approved a landing fee to support the year-round air traffic control tower at the Coeur d’Alene Airport.

The $10 tower support fee will be billed per landing on aircraft weighing 8,000 pounds or more. There are no other changes to the existing landing fee rates. Aircraft that qualify for existing exemptions and fire suppression aircraft in active firefighting status won’t be billed the tower support fee. 

Commissioners unanimously approved the fee during a brief public hearing Tuesday afternoon. 

“I think it’s reasonable,” said Commissioner Leslie Duncan. 

No community members spoke in favor or against the fee, which is a continuation of a fee approved by commissioners last May. When the $10 landing fee was first implemented, it was to be billed May 1 through Oct. 31 because the control tower operated seasonally. 

The fee that commissioners approved this week reflects that the control tower now operates year-round.

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