from staff
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority has indicated it will now begin pursuing efforts to enhance the operational safety at Craig airport, with the long-range goal of still expanding the runway at the Arlington airport.
In a memo to City Council President Daniel Davis, JAA Executive Director/CEO John Clark explained the Authority’s goal now is to complete seven steps within the next 18 months to two years — all designed to eventually garner community support and the proper federal permission to lengthen one of Craig’s two runways. Clark said he has met with the community, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Florida Department of Transportation and other stakeholders and intends to take the information gleaned from those meetings to the JAA board of directors during its Monday meeting.
Those seven steps are:
1. Complete the Craig Airport Master Plan by the end of this month.
2. Submit the master plan to the FAA by the end of the month or the first week of May.
3. Meet with the community early in May to discuss the content of the master plan.
4. Receive approval of the master plan from the FAA by early August.
5. Submit the master plan to the Aviation Authority’s board for adoption by September.
6. Engage a firm to complete an environmental assessment (EA), with FAA approval for runway extension (which will take approximately 18 months to complete).
7. Submit completed EA report to JAA board for adoption and approval. “President Davis, please know that we have every intention to work closely with the surrounding community as we continue our efforts to develop Craig Airport and become a better neighbor,” wrote Clark. “In the meantime, JAA will continue its efforts to mitigate as much as possible the impacts Craig has on the surrounding neighbors.”