Prescott Regional Airport wins ADOT matches for six FAA grants; council also approves hangar lease amendment

The Prescott City Council on Sept. 23 approved six Arizona Department of Transportation grants that provide state matching funds for previously awarded Federal Aviation Administration grants and approved an amendment to a hangar lease at Prescott Regional Airport.

Rick Kreider, airport director, told the council the six ADOT grants cover ADOT’s 2.5% share of several FAA-funded projects whose combined value is about $7.63 million; the FAA portion covers about 95% of eligible costs. The ADOT grants allow the city to satisfy state matching requirements so the FAA funds can be drawn down.

Kreider detailed the projects the grants support: a dual-lane taxiway study and related preparations for future unleaded aviation fuels; land-acquisition phases for the North and South Deepwell Ranch parcels; hangar development to address a two-year waiting list for aircraft storage; widening and design work on taxiways (including Taxiway F and Delta) to improve taxi flow and support larger aircraft; and runway 12-30 electrical and lighting improvements.

Kreider said the FAA portion totals roughly $7.25 million, with ADOT and city matches of about $190,000 each. Council approved the ADOT grant applications and acceptance of funds by a 6-0 vote.

Separately, the council approved an amendment to City Contract 1988-142D with MH Properties LLC clarifying ramp and parking maintenance for a cluster of hangars and creating a shared ramp/parking maintenance approach. Under the amendment, ramp and parking maintenance fees are standardized (50 cents per square foot for ramp area and 40 cents per square foot for parking area), and the airport will manage a coordinated rehabilitation project. The amendment passed 6-0.

Why it matters: the grants and lease adjustments support long‑term airport operations and capacity, including hangar availability, taxiway safety and future operations for larger aircraft. Council members noted the airport’s efforts to balance safety, capacity and tenant needs as general aviation activity grows.

Both actions passed without public opposition during the voting meeting.

Council information: Rick Kreider described the projects and matching structure in detail and said design and construction phases are expected to follow the receipt of state and federal funds. The city expects to recover a substantial portion of acquisition costs through the grant reimbursements for land purchases, Kreider said.