SPRINGDALE -- The Springdale Airport Commission may still be interested in buying land northwest of the airport even though most of it recently sold, according to Wyman Morgan, director of administration and finances for the city.
The commission has eyed more than 13 acres adjacent to the airport since at least 2015 and agreed in August to hire Reed & Associates, a Fayetteville-based real estate appraiser.
Meeting Information
The Springdale Airport Commission’s next meeting will be at 1 p.m. April 19 in the City Council chambers at 201 Spring St.
Source: Staff report
The Federal Aviation Administration requires an independent appraiser review the appraisal, Morgan said.
The review was half finished when the largest tract, about 10 acres, sold, he said. The land is mostly undeveloped except for a single family home on the northwest corner. Marilyn Stevenson sold the 10 acres to 8th & Melissa LLC for $800,000 in January, according to Washington County property records.
The commission discussed at its March 15 meeting whether its objectives could still be accomplished. Meeting minutes weren't finished by midday Monday, according to Morgan.
"We are moving forward, and we feel that we can accomplish what we set out to do without that parcel," Neil Johnson, commission chairman, said Monday.
Commissioners agreed at their meeting last week to have the appraisal review finished.
The land between Baggett Street, the airport property, Emma Avenue and the land that's been sold is about 3 acres, according to property records. There are houses and commercial buildings on those lots.
It would still connect the airport to Emma Avenue and would provide enough room for a new terminal building and a hangar to be built, which is why the commission was interested in the land initially, Morgan said.
Connection from Emma Avenue would provide easier access to the terminal, said James Smith, airport manager. People have to drive through a neighborhood to enter the airport. It's something the commission has been wanting to do for years, he said.
The larger piece of land would have created room for more hangars, commissioners discussed in previous meetings. The airport has 15 hangars with eight to 10 bays in each, Smith said. It also has about five hangars for corporate jets.
"We are pretty well booked right now," he said, adding about 20 planes are on a waiting list.
The commission will have to find a way to buy the land if it wants it after the appraisal is finished, Morgan said.
"They have no idea where they're going to come up with the money," he said of the commission.
There is potential FAA Airport Improvement Grant money, which cities receive annually, but Springdale is putting its share toward runway and taxiway improvements for the next five years, he said.
The commission looked at the three properties at least 17 years ago, but instead bought 13 acres on the airport's southwest end. The last property the airport acquired was 7 acres about nine years ago on the south end of the airport.
NW News on 03/20/2018