Lifting the existing weight restrictions for aircraft landing at Minden-Tahoe Airport flies in the face of a voter-approved ordinance and should be rejected, a representative of the Carson Valley Vanguard Coalition said Wednesday.
However, coalition spokeswoman Marion Barritt told members of the Airport Advisory Committee her group would be open to a compromise.
"A compromise solution might be acceptable to the majority of voters if it's accompanied by a master plan," she said. "But don't offend voters with a PPR (prior permission required) test."
In an effort to determine the demand with respect to heavier air traffic, county commissioners Doug Johnson and Jim Baushke are proposing lifting the voter-approved 50,000-pound airport weight restriction for landing aircraft.
The removal of those restrictions, which would be limited to a maximum 12 months, could allow for the collection of more objective data concerning demands, the information used to determine long-range goals, according to Johnson.
A proposal by the Vanguard Coalition includes prohibition of many large commercial airport features, including a control tower, terminal building and precision instrument approaches.
Features found at a smaller airport, including more T-hangars, and landing fees for heavier aircraft, are encouraged in their proposal.
"The community wants regular aviation and soaring," Barritt said.
Douglas County resident and pilot Jim Herd said changing the weight limit for a year would be disrespectful to the voters. The main purpose of the weight ordinance is to deter a major shift in the character of the airport and that sentiment hasn't changed.
"A one-year test won't radically change the habits of people here," he said. "The data wouldn't be useful, even if we did it.
"By doing what is proposed, we're moving a long way from where people want this to end up," he said.
Those who would like to see the restrictions lifted say the information is central to development of the airport's master plan, a process that is expected to continue for the next 12 to 18 months.
Airport Advisory Committee member John Morgan said Douglas County won't run the airport without the funding and we must abide by the assurances promised to the FAA.
Anyone purchasing aviation fuel or a plane ticket pays tax that ends up in a fund to support smaller airports, he said.
"That infrastructure is very important," Morgan said. "We don't want to give up our aviation infrastructure. We need it, just like the roads bringing in trucks.
"If we not get AIP (Federal) funds, our taxes will spent elsewhere," he said. "Think twice before giving up that funding."
The airport's main runway recently underwent a maintenance overlay and according to a consultant study, can now withstand planes weighing up to 110,000 pounds.
The Federal Aviation Administration has funded $17.5 million in airport improvements, some for airport overlays. The federal money came with the requirement that the airport not discriminate against users of any size.
Contrary to that edict is the voter-mandated weight restrictions imposed in 1984, limiting the weight of landing aircraft to 30,000 pounds. Voters approved a revision of the weight restriction in 1992, allowing single-wheel aircraft weighing 30,000 pounds and dual-wheel aircraft weighing 50,000 pounds.
n Susie Vasquez can be reached at svasquez@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 211.
