CAA: GA News, "Mayor offers compromise on Florida's Albert Whitted Airport"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Saturday, October 19, 2002 

Mayor offers compromise on Albert Whitted Airport
By BRYAN GILMER
The St. Petersburg (FL) Times


ST. PETERSBURG -- A subject of unrelenting debate, Albert Whitted
Airport has operated for decades from a thin peninsula jutting into
Tampa Bay, catering to a tight community of small-plane users. 

While pilots and plane owners sought to expand the airport, others had
grand visions of new homes and shops, saying the airport was a waste of
prime waterfront property and should be shut down. 

On Friday, Mayor Rick Baker proposed a compromise. 

Baker recommended a hybrid plan that would close one of the airport's
two runways, sell off acres of land for development and pack a smaller
airport with improvements. The proposal would not require general tax
revenue and would need approval from the City Council and the Federal
Aviation Administration. St. Petersburg voters also would have to
approve the sale of the public property. 

"Every side wins in this plan if they really study it," Baker said. 

As the debate over the airport's future accelerated over the past 18
months, the mayor remained neutral as his staff studied the options. 

On Friday, he offered a preview of his proposal to activists on both
sides, then announced it at an afternoon news conference. Supporters and
opponents of the airport said they are willing to study the idea. 

Baker's plan would close the runway that runs east-west. That would free
28.5 acres closest to downtown to be sold for private development and
add property to the tax rolls. 

Seven acres on the northern edge of the peninsula behind the Bayfront
Center would become a new waterfront park. Baker said the new park would
be about the combined size of North and South Straub parks that grace
St. Petersburg's downtown waterfront a few blocks to the north. 

Under Baker's proposal, planes no longer would take off and land over
the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, Bayfront Medical Center
and All Children's Hospital. Baker considers those flight paths to be
unsafe, and institutions under those paths now can't construct buildings
taller than three stories. All Children's and USF would like to build
taller buildings. 

Baker said the city would use the money from selling some of the airport
land and probably some federal grants to create essentially a new
airport around the remaining north-south runway. 

That runway would be extended by filling in part of Tampa Bay north
toward the Pier. The 736-foot extension would make it about the same
length as the closed runway, 3,600 feet. A breakwater already runs the
length of the proposed extension, and Baker hopes that would make it
easier to get environmental permits for filling. 

Next to the remaining runway, the city would build a broad concrete
apron with extra outdoor plane parking. It also would build a terminal
with a restaurant. Baker also would add about 70,000 square feet of new
commercial hangar space. 

"We're significantly increasing that, because that's where your economic
impact is," Baker said. 

The proposal steers around two big obstacles to closing the entire
airport. The FAA has a contract with the city to keep an airport for 20
years in exchange for giving St. Petersburg grant money. Baker hopes the
FAA would support upgrading one runway while closing the other, though
he is not sure he could get permission to close the whole airport. 

Baker's plan also would leave one of the city's four sewage treatment
plants on the smaller airport property. 

To create a new neighborhood covering the entire airport peninsula, city
officials considered tearing down the treatment plant. A consultant
estimated that tearing it down and sending the sewage to other plants
would cost the city $55-million to $65-million. 

Jack Tunstill, one of the most prominent supporters of preserving the
airport, said the Airport Advisory Committee he serves on will study the
plan. 

But the committee "is happy to see that Mayor Baker is committed to
continued operation of Albert Whitted Airport," Tunstill said. "It is an
interesting plan." 

The City Council will discuss Albert Whitted's future Nov. 12. 

Ron Methot operates Bay Air Flying Service, a business on the airport
that sells fuel and provides services to pilots. Baker said he had
already been thinking of a one-runway plan when Methot recently came to
him with a version of the idea. 

"There are several benefits for airport users," he said. "The plan
requires a significant amount of federal, state and city dollars to
implement. We end up with virtually a new airport. It kind of guarantees
we're going to be here for a long time." 

Tim Clemmons, an architect who has proposed redeveloping the whole
airport property as a new residential neighborhood, also said the plan
is interesting. 

"What I like about it is that it puts out an idea that will open up
discussion," Clemmons said, adding that he feared the Nov. 12 council
meeting could have cut off discussion about changing the airport. 

But Clemmons wonders whether the land Baker would sell is big enough or
valuable enough to pay for all the airport improvements he proposes. 

"On first blush, this land doesn't seem nearly as desirable for
residential use," Clemmons said, noting that an active airport and
sewage treatment plant would remain as neighbors. 

Baker said that modern soundproofing and upgrades to the treatment plant
to reduce odors could help. 

City Council members, including staunch airport supporters, said they
look forward to debating the plan. 

"Now here's something to work from," council member John Bryan said. "I
bet 80 percent of the small airports in this country are one-runway
airports. Nobody's under any (runway) approaches any more. Every side
wins in this plan." 

Q&A
Q: What did Mayor Rick Baker propose for Albert Whitted Airport? 

A: Baker would close one of two runways and sell off part of the land to
private developers. He would add a new terminal and hangars next to the
remaining runway, which would be extended. 

* * *

Q: Why did Baker propose a compromise, instead of keeping the entire
airport open or closing it? 

A: Baker said he felt he needed broad community support either to
improve the airport or to close it. But the community was sharply
divided. He said he crafted a plan to address the concerns of both
factions and build a consensus. 

* * *

Q: Will this plan cost city taxpayers any money? 

A: Baker says no. His idea is to finance the airport improvements
through the sale of airport land and grants or federal appropriations. 

* * *

Q: What must happen for this plan, or a version of it, to become a
reality? 

A: The City Council must endorse it. City staffers must formulate
projections for revenue from the sale of land and for costs of improving
the airport near the remaining runway. The city must find grants to
cover any shortfall. Voters must approve the land sale in a referendum.
The Federal Aviation Administration must approve the airport
modifications. The city must get environmental permits to fill part of
Tampa Bay for the runway extension. 

* * *

Q: How soon could all this happen? 

A: If the idea receives broad community support, Baker believes
construction could begin in three to five years.

Attached Photo/Graphic:

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker's proposal calls for selling part of
Albert Whitted Airport for development, and extending one runway into
Tampa Bay.

Map: Whitted airport redevelopment proposal.

whitted.jpg

Whitted-change.jpg