Board considers eminent domain for airport
“Warren County may need to condemn land around its airport to meet a federal mandate.
The Board of Supervisors hopes it can reach agreements with the property owners and avoid the need to condemn the property, County Attorney Blair Mitchell said Wednesday.
Supervisors on Tuesday directed staff to set public hearings for Aug. 19 to begin eminent-domain proceedings to acquire land and easements for avigation and beacon towers for the Front Royal-Warren County Airport as required by the Federal Aviation Administration. The board approved the motion after discussing the matter in closed session.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires that the airport keep trees, towers, utility poles and even crops around the runway below a certain height limit, Mitchell said. The county needs to acquire property and easements in order to cut down trees that encroach the airspace. The county must do this by February.
The county seeks to acquire property and/or easements from Brainard and Rebecca Coffey, James and Julie Curry and Gregory Grigsby.
But the county may not need to hold the hearing.
“We’re continuing to talk with both of them,” Mitchell said, referring to the Coffeys and the Currys. “They actually came into closed session for a portion of the closed session and told the board their concerns.”
Bridges, Alex. NV Daily 16 July 2014.