Can You Land a Helicopter at Your Lake Home? The East Gull Lake Case

Can you land a helicopter at your lake home? The question sounds like a joke until a six-year legal fight in East Gull Lake makes it real. In March 2026 a Ninth Judicial District judge ruled for the city, barring lakeshore owner Doug Schieffer from using his property at 10974 Scenic Drive on Gull Lake as an airport, including landing, taking off, taxiing, and aircraft services such as storage. Schieffer said he planned to appeal.

How the Dispute Started

The city issued zoning-violation notices claiming that the takeoffs, landings, taxiing, and storage on the residential property amounted to an unpermitted airport under the city's zoning ordinances. Neighbors had complained about noise. Schieffer sued the city in November 2024, arguing that the water in front of his property was a public seaplane base and that he had been told he could operate the helicopter.

What the Court Decided

On March 29, 2026, Judge Jana M. Austad ruled in favor of the city, barring Schieffer from using the Scenic Drive property as an airport, which includes landing, taking off, taxiing, and aircraft services, including storage. It was the latest chapter in a dispute that has run for roughly six years, and the appeal means the question may not be fully settled yet.

What Lakeshore Owners Should Take From It

**Zoning applies to aircraft too.** A residential lot is zoned for residential use, and the court said running an airport from it was not a permitted use.

**The water is not a free zone.** The argument that the lake itself was a public seaplane base did not carry the day, which matters for anyone assuming the waterline changes the rules.

**Ask before you assume.** The case is a reminder to verify unusual uses with the city before relying on them, whether that is aircraft, docks, or any other structure on the shoreline.

The Honest Read

This is an unusual case, and most lake-home buyers will never think about helicopters again after reading it. But it is a useful window into how seriously lakeshore communities take their zoning. East Gull Lake's guide covers the lakes, the shoreline rules, and the community behind the headlines, and the honest advice is the same as the court's: know the rules before you build your plans around them.

Thinking about East Gull Lake? Schedule a conversation or start with our buying guide. Cheers!