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Mayor offers compromise on Albert Whitted Airport
By BRYAN GILMER, Times Staff Writer
While pilots and plane owners sought to expand the airport, others had grand visions of new homes and shops, saying the airport was a waste of prime waterfront property and should be shut down. On Friday, Mayor Rick Baker proposed a compromise. Baker recommended a hybrid plan that would close one of the airport's two runways, sell off acres of land for development and pack a smaller airport with improvements. The proposal would not require general tax revenue and would need approval from the City Council and the Federal Aviation Administration. St. Petersburg voters also would have to approve the sale of the public property. "Every side wins in this plan if they really study it," Baker said. As the debate over the airport's future accelerated over the past 18 months, the mayor remained neutral as his staff studied the options. On Friday, he offered a preview of his proposal to activists on both sides, then announced it at an afternoon news conference. Supporters and opponents of the airport said they are willing to study the idea. Baker's plan would close the runway that runs east-west. That would free 28.5 acres closest to downtown to be sold for private development and add property to the tax rolls. Seven acres on the northern edge of the peninsula behind the Bayfront Center would become a new waterfront park. Baker said the new park would be about the combined size of North and South Straub parks that grace St. Petersburg's downtown waterfront a few blocks to the north. Under Baker's proposal, planes no longer would take off and land over the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, Bayfront Medical Center and All Children's Hospital. Baker considers those flight paths to be unsafe, and institutions under those paths now can't construct buildings taller than three stories. All Children's and USF would like to build taller buildings. Baker said the city would use the money from selling some of the airport land and probably some federal grants to create essentially a new airport around the remaining north-south runway. That runway would be extended by filling in part of Tampa Bay north toward the Pier. The 736-foot extension would make it about the same length as the closed runway, 3,600 feet. A breakwater already runs the length of the proposed extension, and Baker hopes that would make it easier to get environmental permits for filling. Next to the remaining runway, the city would build a broad concrete apron with extra outdoor plane parking. It also would build a terminal with a restaurant. Baker also would add about 70,000 square feet of new commercial hangar space. "We're significantly increasing that, because that's where your economic impact is," Baker said. The proposal steers around two big obstacles to closing the entire airport. The FAA has a contract with the city to keep an airport for 20 years in exchange for giving St. Petersburg grant money. Baker hopes the FAA would support upgrading one runway while closing the other, though he is not sure he could get permission to close the whole airport. Baker's plan also would leave one of the city's four sewage treatment plants on the smaller airport property. To create a new neighborhood covering the entire airport peninsula, city officials considered tearing down the treatment plant. A consultant estimated that tearing it down and sending the sewage to other plants would cost the city $55-million to $65-million. Jack Tunstill, one of the most prominent supporters of preserving the airport, said the Airport Advisory Committee he serves on will study the plan. But the committee "is happy to see that Mayor Baker is committed to continued operation of Albert Whitted Airport," Tunstill said. "It is an interesting plan." The City Council will discuss Albert Whitted's future Nov. 12. Ron Methot operates Bay Air Flying Service, a business on the airport that sells fuel and provides services to pilots. Baker said he had already been thinking of a one-runway plan when Methot recently came to him with a version of the idea. "There are several benefits for airport users," he said. "The plan requires a significant amount of federal, state and city dollars to implement. We end up with virtually a new airport. It kind of guarantees we're going to be here for a long time." Tim Clemmons, an architect who has proposed redeveloping the whole airport property as a new residential neighborhood, also said the plan is interesting. "What I like about it is that it puts out an idea that will open up discussion," Clemmons said, adding that he feared the Nov. 12 council meeting could have cut off discussion about changing the airport. But Clemmons wonders whether the land Baker would sell is big enough or valuable enough to pay for all the airport improvements he proposes. "On first blush, this land doesn't seem nearly as desirable for residential use," Clemmons said, noting that an active airport and sewage treatment plant would remain as neighbors. Baker said that modern soundproofing and upgrades to the treatment plant to reduce odors could help. City Council members, including staunch airport supporters, said they look forward to debating the plan. "Now here's something to work from," council member John Bryan said. "I bet 80 percent of the small airports in this country are one-runway airports. Nobody's under any (runway) approaches any more. Every side wins in this plan." Q&AQ: What did Mayor Rick Baker propose for Albert Whitted Airport? A: Baker would close one of two runways and sell off part of the land to private developers. He would add a new terminal and hangars next to the remaining runway, which would be extended. * * * Q: Why did Baker propose a compromise, instead of keeping the entire airport open or closing it? A: Baker said he felt he needed broad community support either to improve the airport or to close it. But the community was sharply divided. He said he crafted a plan to address the concerns of both factions and build a consensus. * * * Q: Will this plan cost city taxpayers any money? A: Baker says no. His idea is to finance the airport improvements through the sale of airport land and grants or federal appropriations. * * * Q: What must happen for this plan, or a version of it, to become a reality? A: The City Council must endorse it. City staffers must formulate projections for revenue from the sale of land and for costs of improving the airport near the remaining runway. The city must find grants to cover any shortfall. Voters must approve the land sale in a referendum. The Federal Aviation Administration must approve the airport modifications. The city must get environmental permits to fill part of Tampa Bay for the runway extension. * * * Q: How soon could all this happen? A: If the idea receives broad community support, Baker believes construction could begin in three to five years.
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