Gwinnett County should step back from a contentious debate over the fate of Briscoe Field, take a deep breath and start again, according to a new consultant’s report.
Gwinnett should resolve the question of whether commercial passenger service at the county airport makes sense before deciding whether to sell or lease Briscoe Field to a private company, consultant Infrastructure Management Group Inc. says in a draft report dated Aug. 4. And it should engage the public in that debate, the consultant says.
“Public involvement, including providing time for citizen input, may initially slow the process but will lead to a higher likelihood of success,” the report states.
The report is the latest twist in a debate over Briscoe Field that has roiled Gwinnett politics for years.
The airport near Lawrenceville serves small aircraft and corporate jets. Gwinnett officials announced in November 2009 they were considering selling or leasing Briscoe Field. One firm – New York-based Propeller Investments – wants to bring commercial passenger service to the airport.
Supporters say such service would provide an alternative to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and spark economic development. Opponents fear additional noise and declining property values near the airfield.
A majority of county commissioners have said they haven’t made up their minds about whether to turn the airport over to a private firm, let alone whether to allow commercial passenger service. They say they want to seek specific proposals from companies to start answering key questions.
But opponents have criticized commissioners for proceeding without first seeking public input.
Last year Gwinnett applied for a Federal Aviation Administration privatization program and solicited qualifications from interested companies. Under its original timetable, the commission also would have picked a company and awarded a contract before scheduling public hearings on privatization.
That process came to a halt last fall after opponents convinced commissioners to put privatization on hold. In response to the criticism, commissioners hosted a public hearing in April attended by 800 people. In May they voted 3-2 to seek specific proposals from three interested companies.
The draft consultant’s report recommends Gwinnett resolve the thorny question of whether to seek commercial flights before proceeding with the privatization process.
IMG says it is apparent “the county is not unified on a single direction for the airport.” That would make it difficult to choose and negotiate with a private airport operator, the report says.
Among other things, IMG also recommends studying the financial feasibility and economic and environmental impact of the project.
The report suggests there are significant hurdles to bringing commercial passenger service to Briscoe Field. Among them, there is uncertain airline interest in the project and the likelihood that substantial public funding would be required. The report also underscores the difficulty of successfully completing the FAA’s airport privatization process.
Jim Regan of Lawrenceville, an opponent of commercial flights, said the report confirms his belief that they don’t make sense.
“I took the report to say the outlook for passenger aviation isn’t good because of the cost and the history [of airport privatization] as well as a lack of interest by the industry,” he said.
The report also gives ammunition for supporters. A recent report released by Hartsfield-Jackson concluded Briscoe Field was not suitable to become a second regional airport, suggesting it would take a $2.2 billion investment.
But the Hartsfield-Jackson cost estimate is for a large commercial air operation. IMG says, “There is little doubt that commercial service on a small scale could be instituted at a far lower cost.”
County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash declined to comment on the report Friday. Other county commissioners did not respond to requests for comment.
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