Supporters and opponents of expanding commercial passenger flights at Gwinnett County’s Briscoe Field are mobilizing as a county commissioner prepares a resolution that would scrap the idea.
At the commission’s April 19 meeting Commissioner John Heard plans to introduce a measure that would rule out ticketed commercial passenger service at the Lawrenceville airport, which serves small private aircraft and corporate jets.
Heard and other opponents say large commercial jets would mean more noise and declining property values and adversely affect the quality of life of local residents.
“We think it’s going to change the character of Gwinnett County,” Lawrenceville resident Jim Regan said. “I don’t know anybody who moved to Gwinnett County because of its proximity to a regional airport.”
Opponents have tried for months to kill talk of expanding commercial passenger service. Now another group has mounted a campaign to support the idea. Members of Fly Gwinnett Forward have produced a website and online videos touting the economic impact of an expanded airport.
“We have an opportunity at Briscoe Field that could be gone in a few months if we don’t take advantage of it,” Mike Royal of Fly Gwinnett Forward said at a news conference Thursday.
The battle for Briscoe Field has been brewing for more than a year. The 500-acre airport has a single runway that serves aircraft seating up to 19 people.
In November 2009 county officials said they were considering selling or leasing the airport. Last May the Federal Aviation Administration approved Gwinnett’s preliminary application to do so.
In August three firms expressed interest in operating Briscoe Field. One of those firms -- Propeller Investments of New York -- has said it wants to expand the terminal at the airport and bring in up to 20 flights a day on jets seating up to 140 passengers.
Supporters say such flights would create jobs and lure businesses to Gwinnett and would give metro Atlanta residents an alternative to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
County commissioners have repeatedly stressed they have not decided whether to privatize the airport or whether scheduled commercial passenger service would result. They say evaluating proposals could take months or years.
But opponents want to kill the prospect of scheduled passenger flights quickly. They convinced the county to postpone seeking specific proposals from the interested firms until this year. Commissioners have been waiting for the election of a new chairman to take further action.
Chairwoman Charlotte Nash will be sworn in Monday.
And Heard is ready to act. He said he does not oppose selling or leasing Briscoe Field if it continues to serve only small aircraft. But he will introduce a measure ruling out ticketed passenger flights.
Nash has said she will support Heard’s motion. But the other three commissioners say they want to explore all options.
“Before you make a decision on something, you study it,” Commissioner Mike Beaudreau said.
Fly Gwinnett Forward members say commissioners should not rule out expanded commercial passenger service before fully vetting the idea. They want to see formal proposals from the interested firms.
“How can anyone argue with having all the information we need to make an intelligent decision?” Collins Hill resident Paula Hastings said at the news conference.
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