Written by More news about Boeing solving our problems at the Renton Airport! Yay! The Boeing team are local heroes once again. Good-bye jet center…we hardly knew ya, but you seemed to have troubles making friends….
Thursday, October 4, 2007 – Page updated at 01:05 AM
Boeing may expand at Renton airport
By Amy Roe
Seattle Times Eastside bureau
Boeing is considering expanding operations at the Renton Municipal Airport, a move that could ground a controversial proposal to create an executive jet center there.
Preeti Shridhar, spokeswoman for the city of Renton, said word that Boeing may want additional space to test planes from its Next-Generation 737 group was a “welcome surprise” to Renton officials, who had been exploring a plan to build a center for executive jets there instead.
The jet-center idea will soon be history, said City Councilman Randy Corman. The airport doesn’t have room for both.
City Councilman Don Persson said he prefers Boeing use the space — “and frankly, so will our residents.”
Many in Renton and Mercer Island have opposed a jet center, fearing the small executive planes would create too much noise over their neighborhoods.
Renton officials learned of Boeing’s interest Monday at a regular meeting between company and city officials.
Boeing spokeswoman Cristina McHugh confirmed the company is studying the possibility of using apron B at the Renton Municipal Airport to test planes in its 737 group and has asked Renton if the space is available.
Boeing currently leases apron A at the airport. The company previously leased aprons B and C as well but did not renew the lease last year, McHugh said.
But in an e-mail to city staff, airport manager Ryan Zulauf said Boeing made “a request to permanently release all five aircraft positions” on apron B and that the city of Renton intends to accommodate that request, adding, “We all know how well the 737 is selling and it is important to support that program.”
The Next-Generation 737 is the best-selling single-aisle jetliner, with more than 4,000 airplanes ordered and 2,300 deliveries, McHugh said.
Renton civic leaders came up with the idea of a jet center a few years ago as a way to make use of space that would be freed up at the airport when Boeing and other tenants did not renew their leases.
The idea didn’t fly with everyone. Earlier this year, angry residents packed community meetings on the proposal, arguing against it.
advertising
In March, Renton agreed to ease up on its jet-center plans and join Mercer Island in funding a $130,000 noise study.
Shridhar, the Renton spokeswoman, said the noise study will proceed, though the scope of it could change.
The airport, which handles small-aircraft traffic, is self-sustaining but is not a major source of revenue for the city.
In 1947, the federal government signed surplus land along the shores of Lake Washington over to the city for $1, with the stipulation that Renton would operate an airport in perpetuity. If it fails to do so, the FAA can reclaim the airport and hand it over to another jurisdiction to operate.
In recent years, Renton Municipal Airport has been operating below capacity, with about 85,000 takeoffs and landings per year, mostly recreational flights, compared with more than 200,000 takeoffs and landings per year in the 1970s.
Amy Roe: 206-464-3347 or aroe@seattletimes.com
SE Living reporter Karen Johnson contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
Why is Renton proceeding with the noise study? The Airport Layout Plans should be revised first, to include Boeing, and then the noise study could be looked at again. It is absurd to waste $130,000 on a noise study with out-of-date layout plans (and if they are changed, there should be a public process on them, and on a revised noise study, before anything is done).
I agree with this comment. I feel we should have more review and another public hearing before we spend the rest of the money on this study. We should determine what elements may still be useful, and which are no longer required. And we should look at how to get the most value out of what we have done so far, if we can get anything at all. But yes, the scope of this study should be revisited before we spend all this money. I will do what I can to make this point with the council.
Kenmore Air??
Lack of honesty is an ongoing issue apparently with our city government. Is this the trickle down from Kathy? Randy, I’m going to hold you to giving an honest answer here and not political no-speak. I was just reviewing various meeting agendas for the city and see that at the upcoming RAAC meeting, there will be a presentation regarding Kenmore Air and the scale drawing appears to show what looks like a facility for Kenmore Air flight business from Renton Airport. Initially there was apparently a year long discussion between the airport manager and Kenmore about arranging a lease. When this hit the Transportation Committee, the extended lease time requested was turned down. There was considerable discussion about what Kenmore’s plans were if they leased space. Citizens of Renton were told Kenmore Air would just lease space for a maintenance facility. There would be no flight activity by Kenmore Air out of Renton Airport. From looking at the scale drawing it appears there is a facility being discussed for flight activity by Kenmore Air out of Renton Airport after only having a lease for maintenance activity for a few months.
Randy, who lied and is lying to the Citizens of Renton regarding plans for Kenmore Air at Renton Airport? This isn’t just a plan for a maintenance facility. Who lied — Ryan? Peter? Greg? What is the role of the members on the Transportation Committee in this? Why is there discussion in private again regarding the airport, much like what happened with the jet center discussions? Is Marcie still overseeing the Transportation Committee and a member of RAAC?
And what is the status of the joint noise study between Renton and Mercer Island?
Re: Kenmore Air??
So many very good and appropriate questions. I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to all of these questions, because I have been kept a bit in the dark myself. I don’t think Marcie Palmer could answer all these questions either, as neither of us spends full-time at city hall or the airport.
However, the transportation committee aims to get a lot more information quickly and to get a meaningful leasing policy in place soon.
In recent months it has become apparent that potential airport tenants have taken different paths to get the attention of the city, and to get evaluation of their leasing proposals. The transportation committee may or may not hear about each of these, and it can happen in any stage of the proposal. The situation has gotten significantly worse over the last year or two, with the competition for new land that appeared to be available. And the general chilling of communication between the administration and council has worsened things.
At the last Transportation Committee meeting, last Wednesday (Oct 24th) it seemed to the council that our hired airport consultants were still evaluating our proposed new leasing policy, even though the Transportation Committee had decided we were ready to go forward with it. We clarified to everyone present that we were going to implement the policy as it is, pending a review by an aviation attorney (which we are in the process of selecting).
It’s extremely important to me that all airport leasing decisions be made in public, so that citizens and other possible applicants are not left guessing as to who is doing what. I made this point at the last meeting, and both Don Persson and Marcie Palmer strongly agreed with me. So you will hopefully get more insight in coming months…and I hope I do to!
Hopefully, I can have more answers soon.
Randy
Re: Kenmore Air??
Weren’t Ryan and Peter also involved in pushing for the jet center, without adequate community involvement or environmental impact studies or noise studies? And this resulted in community uproar not only in Renton but also on Mercer Island? Who do Ryan and Peter report to in the city? Is it true that Kenmore Air is now a voting member of RAAC? Who arranged that? What is Marcie doing about any of this?
Re: Kenmore Air??
Can’t we just put the lease for the available property out for bid and if Boeing has the deeper pockets, then they’ll get to lease it… if another company (which is compatible with the community’s vision) can make a higher bid, then they’d have it?
Re: Kenmore Air??
If property is put out to bid it should be put out to bid to developers who could make better use of waterfront property for hotels, apartments, restaurants, etc., and generate a good financial return to the City. The Renton Airport is now surrounded by housing in Renton and negatively impacts these residents as well as those of Mercer Island. It’s time to look for a better use of this land than for seaplanes, etc. Boeing brings solid employment to our City. The property should remain open for Boeing’s needs. Otherwise, shut down the airport and realize the land’s real value.
Re: Kenmore Air??
What is Marcie Palmer’s position on Kenmore Air having scheduled flight service out of Renton Airport when they said they just wanted a maintenance facility? Is there a place where Marcie has posted her thoughts on what specifics (not political fluff talk) she has in mind for the Renton Airport? She’s up for re-election and it is critical that she be upfront about the airport so citizens can decide if she should remain on the council or not.
Re: Kenmore Air??
According to Marcie’s website, below is all the comment there is regarding issues…. (not very informative)
Marcie welcomes your comments and concerns regarding issues we face every day. Please take a moment to let Marcie know your feelings on any of these, or other, subjects:
Traffic
Growth
Crime
Parks
Schools
Highlands Revitalization
Clayton Scott Field (Renton Airport)
At the Renton Airport Advisory Committee (RAAC) meeting this week, we all were told by Marcie Palmer and Peter Hahn that “the jet center is dead.” Since Boeing is taking more space at the airport, there is no longer room for a corporate jet center, and the Council (esp. Marcie, Don & Randy on the Council Aviation Committee) doesn’t want to hear about it anymore. Yes, there will still be some private jets coming and going, but not in the quantities that a big jet center would have attracted. Hopefully the primary jet center advocate will be out of a job next Tuesday (ex-mayor Kathy). Thanks so much to Randy, Don and Marcie for listening to the residents and for their help on this and other airport issues.
Mark Hancock
Kennydale