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A feasibility study for a general aviation airport in Rockbridge County was endorsed Monday by the Board of Supervisors.
The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors on Monday voted 4-1 to support a resolution in favor of a feasibility study that was endorsed unanimously Dec. 20 by the county’s Economic Development Authority. In its resolution of support, the EDA agreed to provide the county’s share of funding for the study.
Brandy Flint, EDA executive director, said the most recent such study undertaken in another Virginia jurisdiction cost less than $200,000, with the locality responsible for paying 20 percent of the costs. If the study in Rockbridge should cost $200,000, the local share would be $40,000, with the county paying 50 percent, or $20,000, and Buena Vista and Lexington pitching in 25 percent each, or $10,000.
See Airport page 3 Supervisor David McDaniel said he had apprised both cities’ mayors of the potential for the study and how the local costs would be divided. The cities have not committed to the funding but officials have been notified of the proposal, he said.
“Why build an airport for private planes?” asked Supervisor Bob Day. Flint responded that it would boost economic development efforts. Buster Lewis, former supervisor and local businessman who is leading efforts to have the study done, said 17 local entities, including the four area colleges, are preparing letters of support for the study.
“The focus of the study,” said Flint in a memorandum to the supervisors, “is to determine if establishing a general aviation airport in the Rockbridge region, designed to cater to a diverse range of non-commercial aviation activities, is viable or not. Non-commercial aviation activities include private piloting, recreational flying, as well as essential services such as medical and agricultural support.”
The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission would undertake the study, according to a provision included in the resolutions of support. “This collaboration between the EDA and CSPDC is a crucial step towards exploring the potential establishment of a general aviation airport in the Rockbridge region,” said Flint. “The unanimous approval of the resolution reflects the EDA’s enthusiasm for this initiative and its recognition of the economic development opportunities that such a project could bring to the region.”
From the research he’s done, Lewis said, it’s his understanding that the local share of the total costs for developing an airport here, including land acquisition and construction, would be no more than 2 percent. The federal government would pay 90 percent and the state would pay 8 percent, he said. Both the federal and state governments have an interest in closing an aeronautical gap in this region, he said.
McDaniel made a motion, seconded by Jay Lewis, to support the resolution calling for a feasibility study of a general aviation airport. The motion passed, with McDaniel, Lewis, Ayers and Dan Lyons supporting it and Day providing the lone dissent. -At the beginning of Monday’s meeting, during citizens comments, two people spoke against the airport study. Steven Hart of Kerrs Creek urged the supervisors to not spend $20,000 for the airport study. If the county needs a study, he said, he’s qualified as an engineer to do it. He said it would take 200 to 300 acres and would impact an area of four to six miles. He asked the supervisors to think about how it would affect someone living at the end of the runway.
Susan Wood of Glasgow said an airport would be counter to what people love about the county – that it’s “primarily rural.” No one wants to hear airplanes taking off and landing all the time, she said. She speculated whether land the county recently purchased near Raphine was for an airport.
