Friday, March 16, 2001
Friday, March 16, 2001 |
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Airport Authority concerned about non-aviation businesses locating on land near Falcon Field
By JOHN
MUNFORD Sparked by a local businessman's plans to build an office-warehouse on land adjacent to Falcon Field, the Peachtree City Airport Authority is looking for ways to insure other nearby land is developed with businesses that are more aviation-related. Mike Rossetti of Jet Limo plans to build the facility, which includes a single hangar, on land near Falcon Field's terminal. The land was originally designed to have nothing but hangar space, said David Rossetti, representing Jet Limo. But fees charged by the authority on off-field businesses using Falcon Field made Jet Limo officials decide to build the office building and warehouse plan, Rossetti said. Land is cheaper near the airport and people are beginning to look to locate non-aviation related businesses there, Rossetti added. The authority discussed the idea of purchasing about 25 acres of land across Echo Drive from the airport to insure that it is developed for aviation-related uses only. The authority has agreed to approach the Federal Aviation Administration to determine the possibility of getting a grant to purchase that property, which will cost an estimated $1 million. Currently, one parcel near the airport is being used to house a gymnastics center. The authority charges businesses using the airport a minimum fee of 10 cents per square foot plus 2 percent of the business's gross income with a cap of 50 cents per square foot maximum, said Airport Manager Jim Savage. The authority may reconsider those charges at its next meeting to possibly encourage development around the airport with aviation-related ventures. The authority has also been asked to give feedback to the Planning Commission on the Jet Limo site plan, which calls for the abandonment of a taxiway easement to the heart of the site that was originally designed back when the Jet Limo parcel was actually two parcels of land. The Planning Commission postponed consideration of the Jet Limo concept plan so it could get the airport authority's comments. Also, the planning commission denied a rezoning for Jet Limo officials, who wanted it to be rezoned to light industrial from general industrial so the buffers would be reduced to create more room for parking. Jet Limo officials plan to leave another easement, at the corner of the property, so other adjacent parcels can have a taxiway access to the airport, Savage said. The authority agreed to draw up a response to the planning commission stating that it wants to make sure of several issues relating to the development of the property, including: That if the property is subdivided in the future, all parcels have access to the airport's taxiway. That Jet Limo's engineers work with the airport's engineers on drainage issues. That Jet Limo be required to enter some type of access agreement with the airport authority.
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