- November 14, 2024
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The city of Ormond Beach is moving ahead with the extension of Runway 9/27 and Taxiway Alpha at its municipal airport, but the project has been reduced in scope.
Originally, the extension was meant to increase the runway by 1,000 feet, to measure a total of 5,005 feet long.
“However, due to the city’s inability to meet a grant condition to require either easements or fee titles to that portion of runway protection zone that was not on airport property, the FAA engaged us in a conversation about alternative plans in which we could still utilize the grant to extend the runway,” said Brian Rademacher, the city’s Economic Development director.
He explained that the city made an effort to obtain easements on five acres of private land to the west but that the property owners were not interested.
One of those was Karin Augat, who said she didn’t like how the city went about attempting to obtain an easement. It lacked transparency, she said, and she and her husband sought legal counsel to navigate the situation.
“I was thrilled when it didn’t go through, and I thought it was over,” Augat said.
The city now intends to extend the runway by 600 feet to measure 4,605 feet, a suggestion found in the 2015 Airport Master Plan. A future phase could extend the runway 400 feet to the east as well, according to the plan.
The shortened extension won’t put the runway protection zone on private land, but Augat worries about their property on Pineland Trail. If there are jets in the air, there will be an impact, she said.
As the airport is most often utilized by flight training schools, Airport Manager Steven Lichliter said the longer runway will allow the smaller aircrafts to take off further to the west, which will hopefully decrease noise for the neighborhoods east of the airport.
“I think it’s one of the most visible benefit of the runway extension that we’re looking forward to,” Lichliter said.
Rademacher said the extension would also provide safety improvements for the airport’s tenants.
The city is currently completing a Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the project, and once completed, documents will be submitted to the FAA. A public meeting may be held sometime in October for the project, and the city hopes to begin construction in January 2022.
According to data released from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Ormond Beach’s unemployment rate was 3.9% in April 2021.
This is about a 7% percent decrease from March’s unemployment rate of 4.2%. January and February both reported similar rates, according to data shared by the city. This is a significant recovery from April 2020’s 15.2% unemployment rate.
Employment is also trending up, with 339 more people employed since January. It’s to be noted that the city’s labor force has increased by 291 since January.
ABB Installation Products is making a multimillion-dollar investment this year to expand its production capabilities in its Ormond Beach facility, in addition to filling over 25 full-time positions, according to a press release.
ABB — a manufacturer of products that aid with electrical power in the industrial, construction and utility sectors — opened in 1972 at 12 Southland Road. It currently employs over 300 employees.
According to a press release, the integration of new design technology and employees is expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter of 2021. The company states this will help boost production of its products.
