The Airport Exploratory Study recently completed by Martin County clearly shows that Downsizing the Airport is the only acceptable option for our community.

The following steps to downsize the airport were presented in the Airport Exploratory Study.
We have put these steps in the order that we feel makes the most sense.

1) De-Federalize (Stop taking Federal and State Grants)

2) Refrain from entering into new leases with airport users

3) Impose Mandatory Noise Rules

4) Raise Airport Rates and Charges if necessary (fuel flowage fees - landing fees)

5) Impose declared distances (effectively reduce the length of runways)

6) Close one or two runways

7) Reduce Runway Lengths of remaining runways

8) Promote use of alternate airports

9) Sell or Lease (for non-aeronautical uses) or restrict use of Airport Property

10) Become sole provider of aeronautical services

What this means is that the Martin County Airport removes itself from Federal, State and Local welfare and pays its own way. It allows Martin County to regain control of the airport.

If we get no Federal and State grants, where is the money going to come from? Ask yourself - what are the benefits of putting 740 acres of prime real estate on the tax roles? As most of you know, the airport pays NO ad valorem taxes. Also, all profits earned on the airport are required by law to stay on the airport for airport use only. That all changes when the airport is defederalized. How much can we save by putting a Martin County Governmental Complex on the site? An Office Park - High Tech Center? The answer, millions of dollars for the local tax base.  

This is an obvious step. We must stop subsidizing the Airport Business Operators (Corporations) by leasing airport property at bargain basement rates and allowing them to sublease making incredible profits. Some of these operators are making huge profits not from being Fixed Base Operators, but as real-estate landlords, all being subsidized by you the taxpayers of Martin County.

The answer is simple and the reason why our community has had so much grief - Until Martin County De-Federalizes the airport, Mandatory Noise Rules cannot be implemented.

Imposing Mandatory Noise rules will include banning Stage (1) One and Stage Two (2) jets immediately

How do we accomplish the downsizing? The answer - De-Federalize, take control of the airport back from the Feds and make the airport once again, the community friendly general aviation airport that it once was.

The other 7 options recommended by the Airport Exploratory Study can he implemented by the County Commissioners as we move forward in downsizing the airport.

What about the Local Pilots?

Non-jet general aviation pilots will not be negatively affected!
Local Pilots will once again have their airport back. It will cost them less to keep their airplanes at the airport. They will not be controlled by Large Business Corporations (FBO's) as they are now. These FBO's have shown many times that they don't care about local pilots and in fact, we are told that the FBO's are trying to drive local pilots off the airport. FBO's care about the bottom line - profits.

The Air Show ?

We have been asked about the yearly Air Show. Stuart can still have an Air Show if the residents decide that is what they want. Downsizing does not affect the ability of having an Air Show.

Downsizing means at a minimum:

No Commercial Scheduled Operations
No more airplanes flying over your home in the middle of the night - Mandatory Noise Rules
Reducing runways and runway lengths
Getting off Federal - State - Welfare (Grants)
Putting Airport Land on the tax roles to help taxpayers and not be a burden to the local community

It means that the airport will stop growing and consuming the community for the benefit of a few airport business operators. It means returning the airport to the small community friendly airport that once existed in our town.

How ?

Downsizing the Airport can only be done by our County Commissioners - and you the voters decide who those Commissioners will be - which of course means that the next election will be critical in saving our community from the destruction of a growing Commercial Airport in the very heart of our city.