WESTFIELD – The Airport Commission voted Wednesday night to approve a 50-year lease to Whip City Aviation, LLC, which plans to rehabilitate existing structures and develop new facilities over the next 10 years.
The lease of 16 acres of land on the airport was the subject of an executive session held by the commission Monday night. Whip City Aviation is also scheduled to appear before the Planning Board at its Dec. 17 session and the City Council on Dec. 19.
The City Council is required to approve all leases over 20 year in duration. Most of the airport leases are for terms longer than the 20 year limit.
The Planning Board will conduct a public hearing on a special permit, site plan and stormwater permit originally filed with that board on June 18, 2013. The public hearings were continued while the lease agreement was negotiated, but the Planning Board notified the parties that the continuance granted at the Nov. 19 meeting would be the last and if the public hearing was not conducted, the applicant would have to initiate a new petition process.
City Advancement Officer Jeff Daley said the lease both provides additional income to the airport and has a cost avoidance benefit, as well.
“The 16 acres of dirt now has T-hangars that are in deplorable condition,” Daley said. “Under the terms of the lease they will be responsible for the maintenance of those hangars and will have to invest in bringing up the present facilities.
“There will be additional investment in new facility construction over the next 10 years,” Daley said. “That could be construction of additional T-hangars or corporate aviation facilities. There will be some serious capital investment.”
Daley said that the current T-hangars are now the responsibility of the city.
“If this deal does not go through, (Airport Manager) Brian Barnes and I will be going to the City Council in the spring for funding because something has to be done quickly,” Daley said.
“Both of the principals are pilots. Both have a passion for aviation. Both are successful business owners who have the capital needed for this kind of investment,” Daley said. “They want to bring a sense of community back to the general aviation population at Barnes.”
