Planes but not gliders will fly again at Woodbine Airfield.

The county's longest zoning battle -- which has dragged through six presidencies, numerous attorneys and weeks of testimony -- ended another round yesterday with the Board of Zoning Appeals granting Michael R. Harrison permission to run an airport on his South Carroll farm.

Since the 1970s, neighbors of the grass airstrip northeast of Mount Airy have fought to close the airfield, noting numerous fatalities and accidents involving sky-diving, gliders and aircraft.

The three-member board anguished over arguments for more than three hours yesterday before voting unanimously to allow the airfield to reopen -- with a long list of restrictions.

At the top of that list is a prohibition against gliders.

Pub Date: 11/20/98