Panama City Airport on hold

[30A Skunkape]

I don't know all the details, but I hear a Federal Court in New York has issued an order to stop construction. A group of pilots opposed to the project brought the case to the court. Somebody who knows more can fill in the blanks.

 

[30aWebDesign]

Here's a link to the brief news item below.

http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/11950631.html



Federal Court Stops Local Airport Project, at Least Temporarily


Newschannel Seven has learned that a Federal Appeals Court in New York has put the new airport project, for Bay County, on hold...at least temporarily.
Reporters first learned of the developments this afternoon.
A spokeswoman for the Natural Resources Defense Council and the attorney for local opponents of the project both confirmed for us that a temporary stay had been issued late this afternoon by the Federal 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York.
The N-R-D-C and the local group, the Friends of P-F-N had sued the Federal Aviation Administration trying to stop the 330 million dollar local project. They filed a 24 page emergency motion asking for a stay.
That temporary stay has now apparently been granted by the court so it can schedule a hearing in about three weeks to review the case.

 

[Smiling JOe]

From what I hear, the hearing won't delay the applications and permitting process, only the construction commencement.

 

[jamnolfin]

I live on the Bay-Walton line and spend as much time in PC as Destin. Panama City has always fought any kind of growth. The current airport is an eyesore. The company that built Rosemary wants to buy the old airport, which Im sure would make it more aesthetically pleasing. This airport is a win-win situation but the rednecks will fight tooth and nail, and I do mean tooth as in 1.

 

[TreeFrog]

I live on the Bay-Walton line and spend as much time in PC as Destin. Panama City has always fought any kind of growth. The current airport is an eyesore. The company that built Rosemary wants to buy the old airport, which Im sure would make it more aesthetically pleasing. This airport is a win-win situation but the rednecks will fight tooth and nail, and I do mean tooth as in 1.

I guess that depends on what you call an eyesore. It's not exactly in the same category as a run-down house trailer with a couple of dead pickups in the yard.

As a frequent flyer, I LIKE the old PC airport. It's small and handy, no need to arrive 2 hours before scheduled departure to clear security. During peak travel times, there could be a little more parking, but other than that I'm going to hate to see it go. Beats the toot out of, say, Atlanta or Orlando. "Progress" isn't always better for everyone.

BTW, I've still got all my teeth.

 

[jamnolfin]

Its not just the airport but all the land going into conservation, the audubon park. I dont have a map of all the land involved but Ive seen it and its quite impressive. I fly out of VPS and PFN, whichever is cheaper. Vps wins 99% of the time. They are giving the land away if airport is built, it doesnt make sense to say no thanks. If you dont think this area not going to explode in the near future you havent been paying attention. St. Joe could break that land up into huge parcels and sell it to lord knows what.

 

[pmd8]

I live on the Bay-Walton line and spend as much time in PC as Destin. Panama City has always fought any kind of growth. The current airport is an eyesore. The company that built Rosemary wants to buy the old airport, which Im sure would make it more aesthetically pleasing. This airport is a win-win situation but the rednecks will fight tooth and nail, and I do mean tooth as in 1.

On the contrary, Bay County consistently favors developers over the interest of its citizens and without regard to the impact unregulated growth has on the environment. Drive down Front Beach Road. Either there's no beach, or there's ugly "renourished" brown sand which would not have been needed had there been proper setback lines.

Moving the airport despite the fact that the majority of residents voted against it was just another kowtow to St. Joe. So what if it's going to cost $330 million and destroy 4000 acres of wetlands?

Most of the people I know who oppose the new airport are well-educated and well-informed rednecks who are tired of seeing their once beautiful town destroyed. Why is it that everyone thinks growth is good? Go to Miami, Orlando or Atlanta and see the sprawling messes they've become.

I'm assuming from your snide remarks you moved here from somewhere else. My grandparents may have been uneducated sharecroppers with poor dentition, but at least they had manners.

Sorry, but it just burns me up when someone who can't even punctuate denigrates a whole class of people.

 

[pmd8]

Its not just the airport but all the land going into conservation, the audubon park...... St. Joe could break that land up into huge parcels and sell it to lord knows what.

If you've ever driven down the logging roads, it's mostly swamp. If you've ever tried approaching the land by boat (and I'm talking about an 18-foot boat), you run aground about 200 feet out. Then as you're poling yourself out, you are inundated by dog flies.

I've no doubt St. Joe could still get the county to approve filling in everything and dredging the bay so that the McMansion owners could get their boats docked.

 

[Little Fish]

PMD:

Regarding PCB, you said "Either there's no beach, or there's ugly "renourished" brown sand..." Which beach have you visited in PCB that has either of these characteristics? Further, which beach are you using as a standard for comparison?

I find the beaches as white as ever and deeper than they were a couple of years ago.

Little Fish

 

[Chickpea]

I live on the Bay-Walton line and spend as much time in PC as Destin. Panama City has always fought any kind of growth. The current airport is an eyesore. The company that built Rosemary wants to buy the old airport, which Im sure would make it more aesthetically pleasing. This airport is a win-win situation but the rednecks will fight tooth and nail, and I do mean tooth as in 1.

I believe Leukadia has already purchased the old airoprt site for $55 million. Can any realtor confirm this?