Council approves $20,000 hangar‑development planning task order after executive session; vote 6‑1

The Lake Havasu City Council voted 6‑1 on Feb. 11 to approve Task Order No. 10 under the city’s master professional services agreement with CNS Engineering Inc., authorizing $20,000 for hangar‑development planning on the airport’s north apron.

Airport Manager Rob Kane described a multi‑year demand for hangar space and a wait list he said exceeds 100 people, with the first person on the list listed for about 20 years. Kane presented a preliminary concept showing roughly 30 hangars in the north‑apron area (a mix of box hangars and nested T‑hangars) and said the planning task would produce economically feasible, executable options for the council’s consideration.

The task order is intended to provide a planning‑level report and options that will inform future task orders for design and construction if the council elects to proceed. Kane and city staff emphasized the need for a coherent, airport‑wide strategy so north‑end and south‑end development do not work at cross‑purposes.

Public commenters and stakeholders urged a broader, larger‑scale plan rather than piecemeal work. Dante Marinelli of Havasu Air Center said the airport needs a long‑term plan to get ahead of demand rather than small band‑aid projects and urged the council to prioritize a larger South‑End development that could yield more hangars and economies of scale.

Council discussion and executive session Council members questioned whether the consultant’s scope should include the entire airport rather than only the north apron. Councilmember Nancy Campbell and others asked about combining the North and South planning to avoid duplicative work; staff replied CNS has performed larger airport planning work for the city in prior years and that Task Order No. 10 will be focused on the north area while remaining consistent with the larger master plan and ongoing south‑end negotiations. The council briefly adjourned into executive session to receive legal advice related to ongoing contract negotiations; the mayor reopened the meeting and the item moved to a 6‑1 vote in favor of the $20,000 task order.

Motion and vote Councilmember Jim Dolan moved to approve the task order; Councilmember Cameron Moses seconded. The motion carried 6‑1. The transcript does not record the name of the dissenting councilmember.

Next steps Staff said the planning work will include demand validation (a tenant survey), options for hangar types and lease/sale approaches, and coordination with south‑end negotiations; staff also said it will propose implementation options — from city‑built hangars to ground leases with private builders — for council consideration. FAA rules and airport property ownership will govern final leasing and development choices.