Houston City Council puts hold on airport resolution, giving more time for Airport Committee to explore options

Tensions were brewing as residents of Willow attended the Houston City Council meeting on August 8, in which a resolution to accept land chosen by the Airport Committee for a future airport in the City of Houston that would support a long-term municipal airport with up to a 10,000-foot runway was expected to be vote on.

Brian Grenier, who was appointed by the Willow Alaska Community Organization (WACO) to lead a committee of Willow residents to look further into the airport project, asked the council to reject the resolution, saying that aside from the soil not being acceptable for an airport, there is no public support for the project from Willow.

“You also have the state parks to deal with, and I am told unofficially that they are not in favor of this.” Grenier also noted that a Willow resident whose property is adjacent to one of the parcels that was discussed, was upset at the apparent lack of notification

“They have spent their lifetime building it. They wanted peace.”

Robert Kelly, who owns 160 acres of agricultural land very near the land that the Airport committee is looking at, spoke out in opposition of the proposal as well.

“I just want to say that I don’t know of any land around there that is really suitable. We really enjoy the solitude of the area…I really question the wisdom of a project this size for the area. I just can’t stress that enough.” Kelly then asked that landowners be involved and receive notifications when the Airport committee meets.

Other residents expressed concern over the possibility in the future for expansion that could open up the opportunity for large cargo aircraft and jet aircraft to land, increasing the noise and traffic into the areas while not having the resources to support such an operation.

Still others were concerned over what they perceived as a lack of public process, saying that the resolution leaped over the Planning and Zoning Commission and urged the council to move the resolution there while the Airport Committee continues to work on it. Starla Brewer, who previously lived in Houston and now calls Willow home, called out the lack of public process, specifically the prospect of using Willow land for an airport without talking to residents.

“You may be able to strong arm your council, but that is not the way to get anything done when you’re talking about taking over lands from neighboring communities, imposing large projects on your neighbors.” She said that she has not heard from one person in Willow that was in favor of the airport, in large part, she says, because Willow has been left out of the conversations.

“You’ve caused a huge rift, especially from the residents in Willow. I’ve not spoken to one person who is in favor of this at all, because of the way you’ve handled it.”

Doyle Holmes, who previously served on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly, spoke as a resident of Willow, also urged the council to reject the airport.

“I urge you to really considering abandoning this fantasy airport idea. You’ve started a conversation and stirred up a hornets’ nest.” Holmes said that as he has spoken with other communities, he hasn’t heard anything positive, especially tied to the cost.

“I urge you to look seriously at spending Houston taxpayers’ money on something like this. There’s much better, projects that you should be worried about-mainly the roads.”

Mayor Carter Cole has been in favor of expanding commerce opportunities in Houston and has long viewed an airport as a part of that. “The fact is (that) our citizens are at quite a disadvantage without an airport. Going forward, there’s going to be double the air traffic there is now. So, at some point, we have to give our airport (committee) some latitude to try and put something together.”

Cole then defended the assessment that the property near Nancy Lake was the best piece of property at the lowest cost to the city, saying, “I, for one, am in favor of letting them see what they can come up with.” He also noted that this is very early in the process and he is hoping to lay the groundwork for future generations

“The ideal thing for planning is get a master plan so that the future generations that come behind us will have unrestricted issues for putting an airport together in the long term.”

Cole then asked the council to let the airport committee have time to work with Willow and other neighboring communities to come up a plan for developing an airport, and what the capabilities of the Willow location could provide.

“We have to acknowledge the concerns that we’re hearing,” said Deputy Mayor David Childs. “I don’t believe our neighbors are trying to deprive us of having an airport. They are asking for more information,” saying that Willow residents have a valid concern, even if an airport is not built in the immediate future.

“Although we might not be alive when this is done, their children and grandchildren will be, so they have a valid concern and understanding that this could grow into something that they don’t necessarily want.”

Childs went on to say that Houston, as he understands it, is starting to explore possibilities as they look to the future.

“It’s our job to grow commerce and to grow our city, as Willow does with their airport, and Big Lake does with their airport. So we’re exploring this. I don’t see anything written that says this is going to manifest overnight or that we’re trying to sneak into Willow’s backyard.” He said that the city doesn’t want to be that neighbor or be perceived as one.

Robert Hall, the Chairman of the Airport committee, is the only member who is not a pilot, gave a report at the start of the meeting.

“We were tasked with the assignment of selecting two potential sites…we went as far as we could before we thought we should come back to the city council and see what you wanted us to do.”

Hall said that some factors that the committee is looking at when developing an airport include having a nearby floatplane lake, a pilot-friendly airport, and runways long enough for various aircraft to land, and room for future expansion.

After much discussion among the council, the decision was made to put the resolution to the Planning and Zoning Committee, with future plans to host a Town Hall meeting and inviting WACO and the public to be a part of that. Mayor Cole asked that the airport be discussed in early 2025.

“This is the right way to go,” agreed Hall, adding that there is more work to do.