"Big Bear Airport board won't rush on decision"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Airport board won't rush on decision 
By BRIAN CHARLES 
The Big Bear (CA) Grizzly

 
The Big Bear Airport board decided the best action was no action at its
April 4 board meeting. The board didn't vote and didn't give instruction to
staff on the possible Bear City Park purchase.

The airport board faced a crowd of more than 30 people, most of whom
attended the meeting to hear if and when the airport would move forward with
the park purchase. Bear Valley Recreation and Park District Director Reese
Troublefield said the Park District is still waiting on an appraisal by San
Bernardino County. Troublefield also mentioned the possibility the park
could be purchased by a benefactor who wished to remain anonymous.

Board member Gary Steube said he wants to see the appraisal by the county
before moving on with the process. Steube also said he was interested in
hearing from the Federal Aviation Administration before the airport board
takes any action. The FAA may have oversight on any land exchange since most
of the park is within a runway protection zone. The FAA seeks to control
runway protection zones and discourages group activities within the limits
of those zones.

The airport board expressed interest in acquiring an FAA grant to purchase
the park property. If the land is purchased with FAA grant funds, the Big
Bear Valley Historical Society Museum would have to move, said airport
general manager Garry Dokter. Although the Historical Museum sits outside
the runway protection zone, the FAA only allows aviation compatible uses on
lands purchased with grant money. Aviation compatible uses are limited to
agriculture.

Bear City Park is made up of four parcels. Troublefield suggested that the
benefactor could purchase the parcel of land the Historical Museum sits on.
Airport board president Jay Obernolte said the he would like to hear more
from the benefactor and the FAA before any decision is made. FAA Los Angeles
District Program Manager Chuck McCormick has been invited to the May 9
airport board meeting, Dokter said.
 
The airport board was approached by the park district to purchase the
property in February. Former park district director Kathy Campbell called
the airport "the logical owner" of the property since only
aviation-compatible activities can occur on the property. The FAA encourages
airports to purchase property within runway protection zones to prevent
development of the land. If the airport purchases the property from the park
district, the money from the sale would go to developing a new park in Big
Bear City, according to park district officials. The airport has not applied
for an FAA grant to purchase the land.

   Post your opinion on this story in the CAA General Aviation Forum
http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php

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