Commission approves Van Dam helicopter lease, awards terminal contract and forms airport zoning and master-plan groups

The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners on March 3 approved a ground lease with Van Dam Helicopters, awarded a construction contract for a new terminal at Flagler Executive Airport and set up two local bodies to oversee airport land use and future planning.

The board voted 3–1 to approve a ground lease allowing Van Dam to build a maintenance hangar and operate at the airport. According to Roy Seager, director of Flagler Executive Airport, Van Dam plans to invest about $1.5 million to $2 million to construct a metal hangar and to perform maintenance and limited flight testing on decommissioned military helicopters they convert for civilian uses. Seager said the company expects to bring roughly 20–30 employees initially and as many as 40–45 permanent jobs over time.

“They’re gonna put in about a million and a half to $2,000,000 to build this hangar,” Seager said, adding that the company could expand and that “at the end of 30 years…the improvement becomes property of Flagler County.” The lease framework discussed at the meeting ties the lease length to the private investment: a $1 million improvement would qualify for a 30‑year lease, larger investments can extend the lease up to 50 years (the FAA cap cited by staff).

The board also voted 3–1 to enter a contract with Sauer Construction to build the airport terminal. Eric Richley, director of preconstruction at Sauer, told commissioners the company is family‑owned, well capitalized and experienced in large aviation and aerospace projects. He warned commissioners that delays could increase costs: “the longer you wait, the more expensive it could possibly get,” Richley said.

County staff said virtually all of the terminal funding comes from Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) grants and a recent legislative allocation; the county’s portion will be reimbursed through those grants. Staff confirmed construction engineering and inspection (CEI) services will be presented to the board at a subsequent meeting.

To provide local land‑use oversight, commissioners unanimously designated the Flagler County Planning and Development Board as the Airport Zoning Commission under Florida Statute 333.05. County Attorney Heidi Petito recommended using the existing planning board instead of creating a new body, saying state statute and FDOT guidance favor the county’s land‑use board for the technical zoning review.

Commissioners also approved, unanimously and with an amendment, creation of an Airport Master Plan Update Working Group and its bylaws. The working group will advise the county’s consultant on a 20‑year update to the airport master plan; commissioners amended the bylaws to allow an odd number of members up to seven. Staff said the working group will likely meet quarterly and will include members with aviation experience, economic development or infrastructure backgrounds.

Public comment reflected the meeting’s split. Several nearby residents urged commissioners to pause or add protections, citing noise, safety and housing concerns. Darlene Shelley, a Palm Coast resident, told the board: “We have enough of a serious issue from excessive training flight aircraft circling over our city and our county over 500 times a day.”

Supporters argued the airport is an economic asset. Greg Blasey, a Palm Coast resident and local business leader, said airport‑side investment would create jobs and pad‑ready sites for industry: “This is part of the plan…to attract jobs and diversify our economy.” Tom Albano, an airport tenant, called the new fixed‑base operator terminal a “huge asset” and praised airport staff for attracting tenants.

Staff and commissioners emphasized operational limits. Seager and staff representatives said Van Dam’s work will be maintenance, testing and occasional flight checks rather than pilot training; Seager said test flights generally remain close to the ground during hover checks. Staff also noted federal grant assurances and FAA rules constrain county decisions about aircraft operations and tower procedures.

Actions and next steps: Van Dam’s lease requires a final meets‑and‑bounds survey before rent is set; staff said aviation acreage rents are calculated at about 30¢ per square foot (about $1,089 per month per acre under the county’s current rate table) though actual lease terms will be based on the parcel and improvements. The Sauer contract execution will proceed immediately; staff said FDOT reimbursement grants are in place. The airport zoning commission and the working group will begin meeting according to statutory notice requirements and the county will advertise openings for the working group’s membership.

The airport items were the most contentious section of a full agenda that included a conservation land purchase and other business; commissioners said they will continue workshops with cities and stakeholders on airport and other issues as the projects proceed.