Abilene Regional Airport staff told the airport development board on Thursday that a 1973 federal grant tied to land in “Area B” creates a permanent federal interest and requires a formal Federal Aviation Administration land‑release process before the city can pursue non‑aeronautical development there.

The discovery, described by airport staff as unexpected, means the city must engage a consultant to shepherd a land‑release application with the FAA rather than use the simpler process staff had anticipated. Airport staff said the additional steps could add weeks or months to plans for commercial uses such as a convenience store on airport property.

Don Dawn, airport staff, said during the meeting: “Found out during that process that a grant for about $100,000 was taken by the city in 1973 to reimburse the city for purchase of some of that land. So that stopped our simple process and is now gonna trigger a little bit more involved process, with the FAA, and we'll have to get a consultant to help out with that.”

Dawn and other speakers explained that because federal money was used, the grant assurances tied to that funding create a continuing federal interest in the land unless the FAA formally releases it. Dawn told the board the city may not need to repay the original $100,000 in full and that any required repayment would reflect the grant match at the time the money was awarded.

Board members and staff discussed timing and scope. Dawn said congressional streamlining in 2018 could shorten the work and estimated the process could take roughly three months in the best case, though he cautioned the timeline was not fixed. “Because of what Congress's streamlining of the process, it probably would be more like a 3 month process for us,” he said.

Cindy Haley, a board member, asked whether a developer could reimburse the federal interest to speed a project; Dawn responded that FAA must release the federal obligation first and that repayment is not the same as a release. Dawn also said staff had found the 1973 grant paperwork in a city file; FAA officials did not have an electronic record of the grant, he said, which complicated the review but did not remove the obligation.

Dawn told the board staff will draft a scope of work for a consultant and bring an update to the board at its November meeting. He said staff wants the land releases ready in advance so the airport can act quickly on development opportunities in Areas A, B and C without delay.

The board did not take formal action on the land‑release issue at the meeting; staff described the next step as engaging a consultant and returning with a plan and recommended contract for board and possible council review.

The discovery affects the airport’s plans for non‑aeronautical revenue and for how quickly private developers might begin projects on airport property. Staff said aviation uses already remain possible under current federal obligations, and only the non‑aeronautical changes require the release.