DeKalb commissioners defer Sky Harbor hangar proposal at PDK after residents cite noise, safety and study gaps

DeKalb County commissioners voted Oct. 28 to defer consideration of RFP 22-500625 — the Eastside Aviation Development proposal led by Sky Harbor — so the county can further review safety, noise and environmental impacts cited by residents and experts.

The motion to defer, made by Commissioner Davis Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Patrick, carried after public commenters described increased jet traffic and a perceived lack of completed data from a $1.45 million environmental study the county commissioned for Peachtree DeKalb Airport (PDK).

Why it matters: Speakers said PDK already has high rates of runway incursions, and that adding larger aircraft — including Gulfstream and Falcon business jets — could worsen community noise and safety risks. Several speakers urged the board not to approve a 50-year sole-source lease or related contract until the county and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-recommended safety assessments and the county’s environmental study are complete.

What speakers said - “It is already difficult enough as it is being on the approach path,” Oak Grove resident Steve Racine told commissioners, describing aircraft descending at roughly 1,000–1,500 feet over homes near Oak Grove Elementary and Lakeside High School. He said a 50-year sole-source contract is atypical and should not be approved without competition. - John Brooks, a physician and epidemiologist who worked at the CDC, told the board he reviewed FAA data showing PDK had a high number of runway incursions and that "this is not a statistical outlier, it's a persistent pattern that suggests the airport may be operating at or beyond its current safety capacity." Brooks recommended the board seek a full FAA surface-safety assessment before approving expansion. - Larry Foster, a 48-year DeKalb resident and civic activist, requested the board not "short circuit" a $1,450,000 environmental study by approving the Sky Harbor arrangement prematurely; he said the independent report is expected to be completed by June 2026. - Norma Hurd said she and neighbors had expected public release of environmental-study data and urged the board to wait to see that material before making decisions about PDK.

Board action and next steps Commissioner Davis Johnson moved to defer the item to the Nov. 10 board meeting with a prior stop in the Operations Committee; Commissioner Patrick seconded. The motion passed. The deferral leaves time for staff and the board to review the county’s environmental study progress, any FAA safety assessments, and additional technical materials referenced by public commenters.

What was not decided The board did not approve or reject the Sky Harbor proposal or execute any lease or contract at the Oct. 28 meeting. No final vote on lease terms, tax projections, or other contract provisions was taken. The record shows concerns about runway incursions and noise, and callers asked for documented results of the county’s environmental review before any approval.

Provenance: Public comments opposing the Sky Harbor/PDK proposal began at the clerk’s call for public comment, when resident Steve Racine spoke (00:53:02). The board later took the procedural vote to defer consideration of RFP 22-500625 at 02:53:41.