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 described prior attempts at a master development agreement as broad and unsuccessful, and they said a refreshed, executable strategy is needed given costs tied to wetlands, fill and infrastructure.

Staff and commissioners listed scope elements they expect the consultant to cover: stakeholder identification and interviews (FBOs, hangar owners, flight schools, transient users and prospective developers), a demand analysis and market assessment, identification of buildable acreage and phasing priorities, an evaluation of likely funding sources and grant pathways, and a strategy for aligning town and airport objectives.

Karen said the plan should educate town councilors and the public about feasibility, costs and likely funding strategies. She said stakeholder outreach and “what is feasible” are early, essential deliverables to help the council and commission find common ground.

Commissioners and staff noted the commission already has partial technical information: a phasing plan drafted last summer, preliminary wetland mapping and initial fill-volume estimates. Karen said the group lacks finished geotechnical borings and full wetlands delineation; the strategic plan would identify those technical next steps.

Speakers discussed the trade-offs between short-term opportunities and long-term infrastructure needs. One commissioner urged study of when airport growth becomes a disincentive for certain users, and Scott and others said that analysis—how increased operations or development affect different user groups—should be part of the consultant scope.

The commission agreed to seek consultants whose qualifications match the study’s mix of strategic planning, market analysis and technical coordination. Staff said they have candidate examples and expect to schedule a prescoping meeting with interested firms in August after the July 1 funding date. The commission asked staff and potential consultants to prepare a draft scope of work and to return for further direction before a consultant contract is executed.

Next steps identified at the meeting: compile background materials (previous master-development work, the town plan and the airport’s whiteboard notes), finalize a scope and request qualifications, and hold a prescoping session with shortlisted consultants in August. Several commissioners also suggested interviewing leaders from other airports that have navigated similar development to inform the scope.

The West Side discussion was one of the meeting’s lengthier agenda items; commissioners spent substantial time debating alignment with town priorities, cost-sharing and technical constraints. Staff emphasized the plan’s role in identifying the smallest practicable first phase so the airport can begin work without assuming immediate full build-out.

The commission did not make any final development commitments at the June 11 meeting; members directed staff to prepare the consultant procurement materials and return with a recommended process and timeline.