AUBURN – Airport officials will try to take 8.34 acres south of the airport by condemnation next month to give pilots a clearer runway approach.
The land includes part of Christian Hill, an outcropping that juts about 30 feet into the southern approach of the airport. That needs to come down to meet Federal Aviation Administration standards, Airport Manager John McGonagill said.
“The intention is that in 10 years or so, we’ll have this nice smooth contour out there, and planes will be able to come in at a shallower angle,” he said.
The airport plans to begin selling gravel off the top of the hill to reduce its height. Airport appraisers have valued the land at $180,000.
Auburn city councilors are scheduled to vote to take the land at their April 3 meeting.
The land is on the southwest corner of a 42-acre lot between Hotel and Foster road owned by Neil Crossley.
David Lourie, attorney for Crossley, said he’s prepared to challenge the airport.
“If they go forward, we will be appealing,” Lourie said. Price is the sticking point.
“We don’t have a specific number, but we do feel the airport has severely undervalued the land itself,” Lourie said. “The mineral rights are significant, and their appraisal doesn’t consider them.”
Planes have been directed away from the Auburn airport during cloudy weather because of the steepness of the landing approach.
That has an impact on business travelers that use the airport to visit area companies.
“It might not seem like a big deal, but if a pilot gets redirected to Portland enough times, they may just not bother coming here at all,” McGonagill said. “If we get a reputation and they just don’t bother with Auburn, that’s just another car rental that goes to Portland. And another restaurant visit. And another stay at a hotel there that should have been up here.”
McGonagill said the weather forces pilots away from Auburn between 30 and 50 days each the winter.
Amanda Meter, the attorney representing the airport, said they’ve offered to purchase the land outright.
“We don’t want to eminent domain, but the negotiations have stalled,” she said.
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