CAA: GA News, "Business park developer offers to sell Terry Airport"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@cwnet.com>]

Wednesday, May 10, 2000

Business park developer offers to sell Terry Airport
By Welton W. Harris II
The Indianapolis (IN) Star


LEBANON, Ind. -- The developer of the proposed Terry Airport industrial and
business park says he's willing to sell the airport because his commercial
venture there is more important to him.

Ed Espey, managing partner in Terry Airport Developers, made the offer
during a public hearing Tuesday before the Boone County Commissioners. The
hearing drew a crowd of about 250 to the 4-H Fairgrounds.

Many were neighboring property owners concerned about the expansion of the
airport and subsequent increases in air traffic. Others supported the
airport's continued existence.

The commissioners are reviewing the rezoning request by Espey's group to
change the current agricultural land designation of nearly 600 acres for
light industrial and general business purposes. The airport encompasses 400
of those acres.

Espey mentioned the possibility of selling the airport to Boone or Hamilton
counties, or to both as a joint venture of the counties.

His proposal was viewed with optimism Wednesday by the president of the
Hamilton County Board of Aviation Commissioners.

David F. Tudor submitted a letter supporting the rezoning to the County
Commissioners on behalf of the aviation mission.

In response to Espey's proposal, Tudor said a joint aviation commission
between the two counties has been discussed.

After nearly four hours of testimony Tuesday from both sides of the issue,
Garland E. Ferrell, president of the commissioners, recessed the meeting at
10:35 p.m. Ferrell said he was continuing the hearing to Wednesday night
because not everyone had an opportunity to comment.

Last week, the developer asked the commissioners to review the vote of the
Boone County Area Plan Commission.

The planning body gave the project a 7-0 unfavorable recommendation in
February. The period to appeal to the Country Commissioners would have
expired May 14.

Espey told the large crowd, "This isn't about the airport."

He insisted he is more interested in expanding his wholesale lumber
business, operated as J.M. McCormick Inc., than sustaining the airport that
has existed since 1945.

He said if someone, or a public entity, is interested in purchasing the
airport, he would be willing to consider selling the facility.

However, Espey said he could not make that proposal a condition of the
rezoning.

Another Hamilton County aviation commissioner, Tim Tolson, testified that he
concurred with Tudor. Others supporting the project -- Gilbert Viets, of
Zionsville, and Gene Olson, of the aeronautics section of the Indiana
Department of Transportation -- expressed concern about the survival of
airports the size of the Terry operation.

Remonstrators, led by the Boone-Hamilton Property Owners Association, raised
a litany of objections. They ranged from the complaint that the project
represents a variation from the county's master land-use plan to a lack of
public infrastructure to support the development.

Frank Hoffman, of rural Zionsville, asked the County Commissioners to reject
the rezoning to allow the county time to adopt an airport overlay zone.

He said an airport zoning district, similar to those adopted for Metro and
Eagle Creek airports, would provide more restrictive land-use conditions.

Hoffman said that without restrictions, the county will lose any option to
control activities at the airport, which would become subject to the Federal
Aviation Administration.

Jack Lawson, of Fort Wayne, an attorney for the property owners group,
suggested that the rezoning "would drastically effect the resale value of
adjoining airport private properties."

He called the rezoning an "inverse condemnation, which is a taking of land
without compensation." He said that the county could subsequently have to
make financial restitution to landowners.

Lawson said that issue would have to be resolved by the courts, which he
suggested was a likelihood if the commissioners overturned the Plan
Commission vote.


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