Board to enforce FAA grant assurances: tenants warned to use hangars for aviation or face eviction

Airport Manager Bob told the board he has encountered numerous hangars used primarily for self storage rather than aviation purposes and that the airport's rules and regulations manual is decades out of date. "I've got half the tenants that come to me and say, hey, Bob. When are you gonna crack down on the self storage that's going on in the hangars?" he said.

Bob and board members referenced FAA grant assurances that require airport property to be used primarily for aviation-related activities. "The FAA regulation is it should be primarily used for... aviation related purposes," Bob said. He warned that failure to enforce grant assurances could expose the airport to repayment of federal grants.

The board directed staff to prepare a clear letter, signed by the board chair, informing tenants that the airport will inspect hangars, that noncompliance will trigger a 30-day cure period in the lease and that persistent noncompliance could lead to eviction. The chair said the letter should make clear the requirement comes from FAA grant assurances and not from staff alone. Bob said he will wear a camera during inspections to document conditions and conversations.

Why it matters: Grant-assurance violations can create financial risk for publicly funded airports. Board members emphasized fairness and even-handed application of enforcement to avoid perceptions of targeted action.

What happens next: The airport manager, chair and legal staff will draft the tenant notification; the board intends to apply lease provisions consistently. The board asked staff to return with the drafted letter and legal review.