Jul. 25—The Owensboro- Daviess County Regional Airport is making progress on a new master plan that will eventually be unveiled for public review.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires a plan submitted every 10 years but not necessarily a master one that outlines every aspect of the airport's present and future needs.
Tristan Durbin, airport director, said it was a decade ago that a less-involved update called an Airport Layout Plan was done.
"We are now at a point instead of updating another document ... we need a full master plan," Durbin said.
Through a $600,000 FAA grant, a master plan study is being conducted by CHA Consulting, which specializes in aviation design and planning.
The master plan will consider data such as the airport's geographic information system survey, aviation activity forecasts, airport layout plan, property map, solid waste recycling and public involvement program.
Both city and county government officials were given an update of the master plan at a previous meeting.
Mayor Tom Watson said he didn't have any concerns with what he saw, but did express interest in creating a port authority that would combine the airport with the Owensboro Riverport.
The benefit, he said, would allow the airport to become a Foreign-Trade Zone, which would exempt it from many U.S. Customs rules and regulations.
"It would be really cool if we could do a port authority ...," Watson said. "That's the only thing I added to the conversation."
County Commissioner Charlie Castlen, a voting member of the airport board, said the master plan will also help answer whether or not a new terminal is needed.
"Part of the master plan is looking at, 'Do we need a new terminal?' " Castlen said.
Watson said he sees it as the airport board's responsibility to determine if a new terminal is needed.
"That's their job, not our job," he said.
Durbin said the original 14,000-square-foot terminal was built in the early 1950s.
In 2012, the terminal underwent an 8,500-square-foot expansion at a cost of $2.79 million. The project consisted of adding restrooms, expanding the baggage claim area and covering the area where the bags are loaded onto the planes.
When asked if a new terminal is part of the pending master plan, Durbin said, "At this point, no. We are at the very early stages of deficiencies and requirements of the terminal."
Durbin expects the master plan to be ready by the end of the year.
But before sending the master plan to the FAA for its stamp of approval, Durbin said the public will be able to weigh in on it, which is a requirement of the process.
"We intend to have two to three public forums prior to this being submitted to the FAA," Durbin said. "We will not only have public forums but also an option for public comment."
Don Wilkins, [email protected], 270-691-7299
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