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Council discusses Lago Vista Airport options as negotiations with POA and FAA remain unresolved
Summary
Council members and the Airport Advisory Board discussed several options after months of stalled talks over a maintenance and funding agreement for Lago Vista Airport, including pursuing FAA grandfathering, transferring ownership, or asking the POA to assume operations. The advisory board requested a joint meeting and a new liaison appointment.
Lago Vista council members and the Airport Advisory Board discussed the city’s relationship with Lago Vista Airport after negotiations with the property owners’ association (POA) stalled.
Mayor and staff reviewed the options presented by staff and the Airport Advisory Board: (1) pursue FAA relief or a grandfathering exemption (the transcript references “section 185” and related FAA setback issues), (2) explore turning the airport back to the POA under CC&Rs, (3) seek another public entity such as Travis County to take ownership, or (4) pursue a new path to bring the facility into long‑term compliance with federal standards.
Airport Advisory Board Chair Rob Peck said the board is frustrated with slow progress and urged a joint work session with council and the AAB so members can review engineering findings, FAA and TxDOT feedback and the CC&Rs that were recorded in 1990 and affected the city acquisition in 1994. Peck asked council to consider changing the council liaison to the Airport Advisory Board; several council members signaled willingness to discuss a liaison change at the next council meeting. Peck also said the board will present a resolution at the next council meeting asking that the AAB chair and council liaison be the city’s formal representatives to FAA/TxDOT on airport matters.
Staff and councilors discussed whether pursuing FAA grandfathering under the cited regulatory sections would resolve setbacks and pavement‑structural issues. Several participants said FAA relief would not solve base‑failure issues on the runway and that full compliance might require property buyouts or significant pavement reconstruction; staff also said TxDOT/FAA engineers advised that some runway reconstruction would require adherence to modern setback standards. Council members asked staff to ask bond counsel and airport legal advisors whether certain bond‑funded projects could be reallocated among CO/bond proceeds.
Ending: Council agreed to schedule a sectionalized follow‑up: the Airport Advisory Board will bring a formal recommendation and a resolution to the next council meeting, staff will seek legal clarification about bond covenants and deed language, and council will consider a liaison change after the AAB’s March 6 presentation.
