"Community, New Orleans airport goals may clash"

Friday March 19, 2004

Kenner, airport goals may clash 
Aviation panel picks master-plan drafter
By Matt Scallan 
The New Orleans (LA) Times Picayune


Louis Armstrong International Airport's new effort to write a $2 million
master plan will include a look at developing the airport's north side,
a strategy that could put it at odds with Kenner Mayor-elect Phil
Capitano's promise to protect the integrity of neighborhoods there. 

The New Orleans Aviation Board awarded the master plan contract on
Wednesday to a consortium headed by Corgan Associates of Dallas. The
Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, requires that airports
receiving federal money have a master plan for future development and
suggests updating it every five years, but Armstrong hasn't revised its
plan in 13 years, said Mario Rodriguez, the airport's deputy director
for planning and development. 
     
"It's more of a guideline than a hard-and-fast rule, but it helps us
justify our applications for federal grants," he said. 

The estimated cost for the study is $1.5 million to $3 million;
Rodriguez predicted it will be close to $2 million. The FAA will pay up
to 75 percent of the costs. 

Aviation Director Roy Williams said the study will cover a broad range
of issues, including Armstrong's ability to handle more flights. That
could bring the study into conflict with Kenner officials. 

"Once we finish the expansion of Concourse D, there is really nowhere
else to go on the south side without demolishing a lot of things that
are already there," Williams said. "So it's logical that we look at the
north side, for a new passenger terminal." 

The number of people living between the airport's north fence line and
Interstate 10 grew 17 percent, to 5,513, between 1990 and 2000,
according to U.S. census data. Kenner's total population declined 2
percent, to 70,517. 

Capitano said Thursday that he is willing to listen to the plans for the
New Orleans-owned airport, while ensuring that residents are protected.
"As long as it doesn't hurt the neighborhoods, I'm willing to work with
them," he said. 

However, he also said he wants to address long-simmering airport-Kenner
issues such as flight paths for airline pilots, Kenner's representation
on the Aviation Board and requiring an airport liaison to meet with
neighborhood groups. 

"If they can hire somebody to be a liaison in Washington, they can hire
someone to be a liaison with Kenner residents," Capitano said. 

Kenner has been at loggerheads with airport for several years over
Armstrong's plans to widen Aberdeen Street from two lanes to four, to
create a short link between the airport's north side and the Loyola
Drive entrance to Interstate 10. City Councilman Marc Johnson has
blocked the project, saying the airport has reneged on a proposal to
give the city surplus land from the street right of way that could be
used as a buffer between neighborhoods and the expanded street. 

Kenner and the airport have also been in a standoff about how to develop
residential property that the airport bought in the 1990s as part of its
noise-mitigation program. In order for the property to be commercially
viable, it must be consolidated into a large lots, which only Kenner has
the authority to do. 

Kenner officials have balked at consolidation before knowing what the
airport wants to do with the property. Airport officials say no one will
buy the land for commercial development until it is consolidated. 

Capitano said he plans to meet with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to
discuss a number of issues, including those surrounding the buyout
property. Williams contends that north side development is not
incompatible with neighborhoods. 

"There is a lot of low-density development north of the airport. I think
we can show that you could put thousands more housing units in the area
while creating jobs for the people who live there," Williams said. 

Corgan was chosen from nine applicants for the job of writing the master
plan. The contract calls for the consortium to give 30 percent of the
work to businesses certified to be disadvantaged. They are the New
Orleans firms of Billes/Manning Architects, 7 percent; Julien
Engineering, 5 percent; and Collaborative Resources, 2 percent; Creelman
Associates of Paso Robles, Calif., 2 percent; TransSolutions of Fort
Worth, Texas, 7 percent; and Jacobsen/Daniels of Detroit, 7 percent. 

The firm of Kutchins and Groh of Fort Worth also is a subcontractor. Its
partners, George Groh and Brad Kutchins, were formerly employed by The
Mumphrey Group, the airport's former master consultant.


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dc/dcboard.php

*****************************************