Airport plan lands this fall

The Airport Board may see a new airport master plan in September or October.

Mike Haak, a consultant from Aeroland Planning, who has been helping the board develop a master plan for the airport, said he is aiming to set the third and final Airport Master Plan public hearing for September or October, marking the end of the project.

In April, Haak and other Airport Board members held the second open house meeting for residents to see conceptual ideas for the master plan and share their input.

Haak said he has already inserted most of the information gathered from the meeting into a document which will aid in the completion of the master plan.

Haak shared a written project update, which included tasks that have been completed, upcoming tasks and items to discuss.

According to the progress report, upcoming tasks include, finalizing narratives for facility requirements, developmental alternatives and environmental analysis; adding a “Compliance Plan” element to the report; and holding a third and final workshop for the entire master plan in September or October.

However, before Haak could move forward, he needed the Airport Board to discuss some “lingering items,” namely issues dealing with airspace, approach capabilities and approach visibility.

The current version of the plan talks about the development of a lighting system, which increases visibility for larger aircraft. Haak suggested to the board to either take the concept out of the plan or leave it in as a low-priority project.

“There is no functional advantage of putting them in,” Haak told the board members.

Haak added the only reason to leave them in would be the off chance the town had money within the next 10 years to fund the project.

Board member and Saratoga Town Council representative Steve Wilcoxson said he didn’t see what the harm would be if it was left in the plan.

“If we left it in as a low priority, it wouldn’t have a negative effect on anything we do, would it?” Wilcoxson asked. “It would just allow, in some time in the future, us to put them in.”

Haak said there would be no negative consequences to leaving them in the plan, but also felt getting funding for the system would be unlikely for the airport.

“Knowing the cost, I don’t see it happening,” Haak said. “You would have to foot the bill and I believe they would have to be pushing a million dollar system.”

The board later voted to learn more about the system and write a letter to the FAA asking about minimum lighting requirements for larger aircraft.

Haak said he plans to have various narratives finished by the July meeting.