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Denton council hears airport master plan outlining $421 million in potential projects
Summary
Denton Enterprise Airport staff and consultants presented a 20‑year facilities master plan proposing 61 possible projects totaling about $421 million, emphasizing FAA eligibility (up to 90% grant share) and a demand‑driven, phased approach. Council asked staff to provide declined development proposals and to coordinate funding priorities with TxDOT and FAA.
Consultants and airport staff presented a draft Denton Enterprise Airport master plan at Tuesday—s council meeting that lays out 61 potential projects the city could pursue over the next 20 years, with an aggregate program cost roughly estimated at $421,000,000.
Ryan Adams, Denton Enterprise Airport, introduced the study and said the plan is a facilities plan focused on infrastructure eligibility for FAA funding rather than a strategic economic plan. "This is a menu of potential projects," Adams said, noting that inclusion in the plan enables projects to be eligible for federal grants that can cover up to 90% of eligible costs.
Kauffman Associates consultant Eric Pfeiffer said the plan is demand driven and structured in short‑term (5 years), intermediate (10 years) and long‑term (20 years) phases. Highlights included minor safety enhancements, additional taxiway exits, redevelopment of apron and hangar areas to better accommodate larger business jets, and a 1,000‑foot extension proposed for the secondary runway to support growth on the airport—s west side. Pfeiffer also described a placeholder designation for a vertiport to accommodate emerging electric vertical takeoff and landing operations.
Council members questioned staff and consultants about runway design standards and how the airport would support temporary reconstruction work. Pfeiffer explained federal funding rules typically support a single runway to the highest design standard at a small general‑aviation airport and that the parallel runway would continue to serve smaller general aviation traffic. Ryan Adams recalled the airport—s 2023 full‑depth runway reconstruction and said most aircraft were able to operate temporarily on the parallel runway during the work.
Adams and Pfeiffer emphasized that many of the plan—s projects are conceptual and that demand and funding will dictate which projects move forward. Council members requested a list of development proposals that the airport had declined or not accepted and asked staff to provide that information to better evaluate near‑term options.
The plan will be submitted to TxDOT and the FAA for review after council direction; staff said annual updates to the project list will be needed as market conditions and priorities change.
