St. Joe's airport breaks ground May 2006

[pmd8]

Let's see, the current airport operates at 50% of its capacity; large jets are able to land there but jet service was discontinued because of lack of demand. Vice President Cheney's jet recently landed there, a 737 I believe.
The proposed airport will destroy large areas of wetlands,is next to a state forest and its estimated cost will be 250 to 300 million dollars. St. Joe is planning to build 16,000 houses in the area and was kind enough to donate the land for the new airport. At least we're not moving five miles of Hwy 98 inland like they are in Franklin County. St. Joe is making sure there will be two access points for us crackers in those five miles.

Glad your commute will be shortened.

 

[TooFarTampa]

Let's see, the current airport operates at 50% of its capacity; large jets are able to land there but jet service was discontinued because of lack of demand. Vice President Cheney's jet recently landed there, a 737 I believe.
The proposed airport will destroy large areas of wetlands,is next to a state forest and its estimated cost will be 250 to 300 million dollars. St. Joe is planning to build 16,000 houses in the area and was kind enough to donate the land for the new airport. At least we're not moving five miles of Hwy 98 inland like they are in Franklin County. St. Joe is making sure there will be two access points for us crackers in those five miles.

Glad your commute will be shortened.

I would be happy to read about any info regarding studies or theories relating to the environmental impact of this airport, without sarcasm if possible. I think most people here are interested in protecting our environment while dealing with the fact that the state of Florida's population is growing and will only continue to do so. Given what we know about what has happened in the rest of the state, and the relatively low population in the Panhandle with so much developable land, we have an opportunity to think things through and make smart decisions that will hold up 20, 50 years from now. It may not be possible but it's an ideal to strive for.

So what more do you have to add?

 

[Smiling JOe]

Let's see, the current airport operates at 50% of its capacity; large jets are able to land there but jet service was discontinued because of lack of demand. Vice President Cheney's jet recently landed there, a 737 I believe.
The proposed airport will destroy large areas of wetlands,is next to a state forest and its estimated cost will be 250 to 300 million dollars. St. Joe is planning to build 16,000 houses in the area and was kind enough to donate the land for the new airport. At least we're not moving five miles of Hwy 98 inland like they are in Franklin County. St. Joe is making sure there will be two access points for us crackers in those five miles.

Glad your commute will be shortened.

Somewhere I read that the new Airport is being built based on projected use 10+years from now, so I guess it does not matter what the use is today. I know the new Airport will bring in new visitors to the area, and St Joe will have a captured audience because they own most of the land between the new airport location and SoWal. They really know how to feed the gov't.

 

[pmd8]

My recommendation would be to extend the current runways. It won't be nearly as expensive and would be on land already degraded.

A majority of Bay County residents voted against the new airport, but that didn't counteract the power of St. Joe.

Interestingly, the Bay County Property Appraiser's website shows that in 2001 St. Joe sold 73 acres to BH & B, Inc. for $165,100 on 4-01-2002. In 2004 this property (parcel number 05932-030-000) was sold for $1,100,100.

What is BH & B? If you check the Florida Division of Corporations, the officers are Bill Hutto, the former city attorney, Charles Bodiford, chairman of the Bay County Planning and Zoning Board, and Larry Bodiford, a judge.

Also check out parcel number 11893-020-000, which appears to show the generosity of St. Joe to BH & B. Or check out parcel number 11740-020-000,which is owned by Bay County's own Property Appraiser, Rick Barnett. While land around this latter parcel were going for $250,000 an acre, Rick managed to purchase 2.4 acres for $21,400.

I realize that the population in this area is going to rise dramatically. We need long term planning. I just don't like it when the public is ignored in favor of a private company.

 

[Smiling JOe]

 

[Miss Kitty]

I'd like fake butter on mine please.

 

[TooFarTampa]

My recommendation would be to extend the current runways. It won't be nearly as expensive and would be on land already degraded.

A majority of Bay County residents voted against the new airport, but that didn't counteract the power of St. Joe.

Interestingly, the Bay County Property Appraiser's website shows that in 2001 St. Joe sold 73 acres to BH & B, Inc. for $165,100 on 4-01-2002. In 2004 this property (parcel number 05932-030-000) was sold for $1,100,100.

What is BH & B? If you check the Florida Division of Corporations, the officers are Bill Hutto, the former city attorney, Charles Bodiford, chairman of the Bay County Planning and Zoning Board, and Larry Bodiford, a judge.

Also check out parcel number 11893-020-000, which appears to show the generosity of St. Joe to BH & B. Or check out parcel number 11740-020-000,which is owned by Bay County's own Property Appraiser, Rick Barnett. While land around this latter parcel were going for $250,000 an acre, Rick managed to purchase 2.4 acres for $21,400.

I realize that the population in this area is going to rise dramatically. We need long term planning. I just don't like it when the public is ignored in favor of a private company.

This is serious -- or at least eyebrow-raising -- information. I hope it has not been saved for discussion among like-minded people and message boards. I hope that someone has tried to bring it to the attention of people that matter.

By people that matter, I mean folks in Tallahassee (who will likely ignore it unless a stink is made) and the media, which can make a stink. There may be individual reporters in the Panhandle who are worth their salt, but the newspapers in general are fairly useless. Personally, if it were me and I were concerned about major ethics violations by my local government officials I would forward this info to the St. Petersburg Times, which just completed a two-part series on Florida wetlands permitting and has also written many lengthy stories about Panhandle development issues. They do a good job covering major scandals or stories from around the state and are always interested in environmental issues. Three options for you:

Robert Trigeaux, business columnist, has written about St. Joe. Trigeaux@sptimes.com

Craig Pittman, environmental reporter. He wrote the wetlands stories which included a brief reference to the airport, and has written about St. Joe in the past. craig@sptimes.com

Lucy Morgan, legendary Tallahassee reporter, knows everybody: morgan@sptimes.com

Pittman might be your best bet.

Meantime, I still think the airport makes sense in the long term. I think that big companies can do a lot of good but get disgusted with the inside dealing/political crap. The only thing I don't have much understanding of is the wetlands issue and how it relates to that particular airport land.

Meantime, pass the popcorn.

 

[Dabell]

And far more expensive

Why do you think that? PNS I can get a rt for about 220-250 and VPS is around 275-350

 

[Rudyjohn]

Why do you think that? PNS I can get a rt for about 220-250 and VPS is around 275-350

That's almost the exact rates for us to fly from O'hare. But I actually like flying in to P'cola and then shop at local boutiques, art galleries, etc. Much more to offer than PC. If you search around or know the area, you can find the good stuff and totally bypass the chain stores.

 

[SHELLY]

Why do you think that? PNS I can get a rt for about 220-250 and VPS is around 275-350

I would say VPS costing more than PNS has something to do with its proximity to SoWal (and the big bucks). I suspect once St Joe Airport opens one will be paying a premium price to fly into there compared to the other two.