Airport workshops wrap up

Airport officials are compiling comments obtained at a series of public workshops in preparation for presenting a new ordinance to county commissioners at their Nov. 5 meeting.

The workshops on the revision of the Minden-Tahoe Airport ordinance wrapped up on Tuesday with one of its highest turnouts - eight people.

Assistant County Manager Steve Mokrohisky said the workshop at the airport had a similar turnout. Meetings outside of Carson Valley didn't attract anyone at all.

Airport officials conducted the workshops to tell people about revising the county's ordinance, which they say is unenforceable.

The county has received letters from the Federal Aviation Administration ordering the removal of a note from the federal airport directory that aircraft heavier than 50,000 pounds are prohibited.

The weight limit was first implemented by a ballot initiative in 1982 and revised in 1992.

A state study in 2002 revealed the airport's runway could handle heavier aircraft and prompted the federal government to demand the ban be lifted because it discriminates aircraft heavier than 50,000 pounds.

County officials plan to ask voters in November 2010 to increase the weight limit in some fashion.

Members of the Airport Advisory Committee presented three options to those attending the workshops.

"The people who came in without a vested interest thanked us," he said. "They said they felt like they understood the issue better, and that there is a lot of misinformation out there."

Mokrohisky said the turnout at the meetings might be an indication it's too early or that the issue really does just affect a few people.

He said officials will present their findings to county commissioners Nov. 5.

"They're not going to adopt anything then," he said.

Commissioners are expected to discuss and adopt a ballot measure at their first meeting in December, though Mokrohisky said the issue could be continued to the January meeting and still make the deadline for the ballot.