The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO) has come under some criticism from a few local residents for its plans to expand its runway 800’, but the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors seemed willing to re-affirm its support the project at its regular meeting today, offering to put a resolution on its consent agenda next week.
“I had two meetings with the [Federal Aviation Administration] and the Virginia Aviation Board in the past 45 days,” said CHO executive director Barbara Hutchinson, “and one of the questions was, ‘Is there community support for this project?’ because they’re making a commitment of $55 million in order for us to move forward, with zero dollars coming from either Albemarle County or the City of Charlottesville. I believe that such a resolution would be very helpful.”
Hutchinson argued that the extension is necessary because regional jets can’t land fully loaded on the current runway at times because of atmospheric pressure (i.e., our humidity). The runway extension would keep affected flights from having to cut five to eight passengers. Delta has already announced it is cutting the Charlottesville/Cincinnati route in September.
The extension project is currently at the top of the state’s list, said Hutchinson, though that could change if community support isn’t there. “If our application has to be deferred for any reason, we lose the ability to be considered and we have to be reconsidered at a later date.”
Earlier in the Board meeting, two residents raised concerns about the CHO project, citing possible stream contamination that could affect nearby Chris Greene Lake. The airport still has some issues to work out with county staff about the erosion and sediment control plan for the runway extension and must get approval by August 20, according to Hutchinson, to satisfy the Virginia Aviation Board.
“I have to speak for the airport, they’ve been a very good steward” in two previous projects, said Mark Graham, the county’s director of community development. “We only wish that a lot of the other people would show the same care as they did.”