Glynn County approves zoning change to allow restaurant at St. Simons Island Airport at McKinnon Field

On May 1, 2025, the Glynn County Board of Commissioners approved an amendment to the St. Simons Airport plan-development (PD) to add a commercial kitchen, restaurant and related uses in Parcel B, update tree-canopy language to comply with federal airport safety standards and revise the PD text to use the full name St. Simons Island Airport at McKinnon Field.

Christopher Carey, Glynn County planning and zoning staff, told the board the request would “add a restaurant as an allowed use, remove the prohibition on banquet facilities” and add commercial-kitchen and catering-commissary language to Track B of the PD. Carey said the island planning commission had unanimously recommended approval.

Robert Burnham, executive director for the Glynn County Airport Commission, described the PD’s parcel layout and security regime, saying some airport parcels are used for non-aeronautical, commercial purposes. He told commissioners the area proposed for the restaurant sits across from the terminal and would be publicly accessible, not limited to airline passengers: “It’d be for anybody. For the public access and from people using the airport,” Burnham said. County staff and airport representatives also noted the PD text needs tree-canopy language changes to conform with Federal Aviation Administration safety requirements.

The public hearing drew no speakers opposed; an airport representative spoke in favor. A commissioner moved to approve ZM25-5 with a condition that the PD text be revised to use the airport’s full name — St. Simons Island Airport at McKinnon Field — throughout. The motion was seconded and the board approved the amendment with no recorded opposition.

The amendment applies to the PD area that includes Parcel B (parcel referenced in staff materials as 04-02922) and removes the prior prohibition on restaurant/catering uses in that track while leaving aviation operations in Parcel A unchanged. Planning staff said Parcel A already permits a restaurant use; the change formally extends that allowance to Parcel B and clarifies PD terminology to reflect FAA safety and naming conventions.

The planning commission’s unanimous recommendation, staff presentation and the airport commission’s support preceded the commissioners’ vote; no additional conditions beyond the name revision were recorded at the meeting. The board did not set an implementation timetable during the session; staff indicated the PD text will be updated to reflect the approved changes.