Gwinnett County should set aside for now the debate over whether to bring commercial passenger service to Briscoe Field and instead should consider privatizing it as a general aviation airport, a consultant told the County Commission Tuesday.
The recommendation by Infrastructure Management Group Inc. would allow Gwinnett to sell or lease the airport near Lawrenceville to a private company willing to operate it much as it is now -- an airfield serving small private aircraft. But it would leave open the possibility of launching commercial passenger service in the future at the county’s discretion.
The proposal appears to point the way to a possible compromise between commissioners who oppose commercial flights and those who want to explore that option further.
“I think that makes sense,” Commissioner Mike Beaudreau said of IMG’s plan. He’s one of three commissioners who don’t want to rule out commercial flights.
“Hopefully we’ll get a common sheet of music to sing off of here,” said Commissioner John Heard, who opposes commercial flights.
The fate of Briscoe Field has become a divisive political issue in metro Atlanta’s second-largest county.
Last year the Federal Aviation Administration approved Gwinnett’s preliminary application to a program that would allow the county to privatize Briscoe Field. County officials later solicited qualifications from firms interested in running the airport.
Currently Briscoe Field serves small aircraft and corporate jets seating up to 19 passengers. But one of three firms that expressed interest in the airport has said it wants to launch commercial passenger service on jets seating up to 140 passengers.
That proposal sparked protests from area residents who fear an expanded airport could generate more noise, lower property values and cause other problems. In recent months the commission twice has voted -- by a 3-2 margin -- to proceed with requesting specific proposals from the interested firms.
The commissioners spent more than two hours Tuesday discussing Briscoe Field with consultant IMG while dozens of people -- most opposed to commercial flights -- watched.
The consultant recommended the commissioners set aside the divisive issue of commercial flights for now. Instead, it recommended soliciting proposals from companies interested in continuing to operate Briscoe Field as a general aviation airport.
IMG also recommended allowing the firms that respond to lay out their long-term visions for the airport -- visions that might include commercial flights. But Gwinnett would be under no obligation to accept those long-term plans, IMG Chairman Steve Steckler said.
Steckler said privatizing Briscoe as a general aviation airport would be simpler and faster than adding commercial passenger service at the same time. He said the county could retain the right to pursue commercial flights in the future.
In the next few weeks IMG will submit a preliminary request for proposals to county officials for further consideration. Though the consultant’s plan would set aside the idea of commercial flights for now, it would not resolve the issue.
Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash, who opposes commercial flights, wasn’t ready to embrace the IMG proposal. She’s concerned that keeping the door open to commercial flights leaves local residents hanging.
Some other opponents also expressed concern. Sabrina Smith, chairwoman of Gwinnett Citizens for Responsible Government, said the lingering possibility of commercial flights is a “black cloud hanging over the Lawrenceville-Dacula area.”
“I think everybody is waiting to see what the commissioners do next,” Smith said after Tuesday’s briefing.
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