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Hanover supervisors recommend airport master plan to FAA after lengthy public outreach
Summary
After two years of study and repeated public outreach, the Hanover County Board of Supervisors voted to recommend its 20-year airport master plan to the Federal Aviation Administration for review; the plan maps phased projects, environmental reviews and a five-year CIP to preserve federal funding eligibility.
The Hanover County Board of Supervisors voted to recommend submission of a 20-year airport master plan to the Federal Aviation Administration on voice vote, marking a key step toward securing federal and state grant eligibility for future airport projects.
The recommendation, moved by Supervisor Pritchard and seconded by a fellow supervisor, follows more than two years of study by county staff, consultants from Parrish & Partners and an unusually large citizen outreach group assembled to shape the plan. The plan packages an inventory of existing conditions, aviation activity forecasts, alternatives analyses, environmental reviews and an implementation schedule including rough cost estimates.
John McCallman, the airport consultant, summarized the document as “a roadmap for development of the airport,” explaining that projects must be listed in the master plan to qualify for FAA or state grant funding. Consultant Hillary Crawford and airport manager Chuck Sabrito reviewed the preferred alternative, phased projects (5-, 10- and 20-year horizons) and required airport layout drawings the FAA will use for funding decisions.
Board members who served on the airport advisory group and the citizen outreach team said public questions shaped revisions to make the plan more palatable to nearby residents. Supervisor Pritchard noted the outreach process included citizens from adjacent neighborhoods and business owners and said the recommended plan balances economic-development opportunities with protections for surrounding neighborhoods.
The master plan includes design and cost estimates for runway, taxiway and ramp improvements, hangar and general aviation facility alternatives, and an environmental overview used to flag potential showstoppers before projects advance. The consultants stressed that the plan itself does not “bring” projects or change operations; rather, it documents likely needs so the airport and county are ready if demand materializes.
The board’s vote sends the draft to the FAA for technical review; if returned as approvable, the county will sign and formally adopt the document so future airport projects can access federal and state funding. The board took no immediate, binding action to authorize any particular construction or expenditure at this meeting.
