Fri, Jun 13, 2003
AOPA To Host Pilot Meeting To Discuss Options
AOPA will be in Pompano Beach, Fla., next week to
discuss with pilots a serious threat to Pompano Beach Airpark
(PMP). The city of Pompano Beach is supporting construction of two
high-rise condominium buildings that will create a hazard to air
navigation.
AOPA Vice President of Regional Affairs Bill Dunn and Florida
Regional Representative Nelson Rhodes will meet with pilots at 7:30
p.m. on Wednesday, June 18. They will explain why none of the
"mitigation" measures drawn up by a past FAA acting administrator
on behalf of developer Geroge Rethati and the Beach Colony
Corporation are acceptable.
"This development, if built, will hurt the airport and restrict
pilots' access to it," said Dunn. "It is vital that we, and more
importantly, the city, hear directly from our members what they
think about this proposal."
The battle over the Ocean Heights development project has been
simmering for months. In January, AOPA sent a strongly worded
letter to Pompano Beach City Manager C. William Hargett, Jr.,
reminding him that the city has no choice but to oppose the
development because of deed obligations undertaken when the city
acquired the airport from the federal government after World War
II. The deed states in part that Pompano Beach "shall adequately
clear and protect the aerial approaches to the airport by removing,
lowering, relocating, marking, or lighting or otherwise mitigating
existing airport hazards, and by preventing the establishment or
creation of future hazards."
Instead, the city has chosen to support the
project by suggesting mitigating measures such as changing the
traffic pattern, limitations to runway access, and even elimination
of some departure procedures. "Pompano Beach Airpark is home to
more than 245 based aircraft and handled roughly 200,000 operations
last year," said Dunn. "The city must understand the negative
impact that the Ocean Heights development will have on the airport.
I urge any pilot who can attend next Wednesday's meeting to be
there."
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