Leesburg airport commissioners begin scoping West Side business plan; consultant search targeted this summer

At its June 11 meeting, the Leesburg Airport Commission opened a formal scoping discussion for a strategic business plan for development of the airport’s West Side and agreed to pursue hiring a consultant, with funding available July 1 and a prescoping meeting targeted for August.

The plan’s stated purpose is to produce a demand analysis and road map for phased development of the West Side parcel, aligning any new build-out with the airport master plan, the town plan and council direction. Commission members and staff emphasized early stakeholder outreach, a market-driven demand analysis, and identification of next technical steps—wetlands delineation, geotechnical borings and phasing—needed to make the site ready for private investment or public–private partnership offers.

Scott said the objectives include stimulating private and public investment, improving the airport’s financial performance and ensuring the West Side project does not “bankrupt us.” Scott and other speakers…