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HUNTSVILLE — Citing “non-compatible land use,” the Tennessee Aeronautics Division and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have denied Scott County’s request for a through-the-fence taxiway into the developing Big South Fork Airpark residential complex.

Brom Shoemaker, chairman of the Scott County Airport Authority, made that announcement Monday evening in a meeting with County Commission’s Community Development Committee.

But despite the potential loss of federal revenue, the Airport Authority plans to proceed with the project, Shoemaker stated.

Shoemaker informed the committee that neither the FAA, nor the Tennessee Aeronautics Division can tell local communities what they can do at their local airports.

“We just wanted to let you know what’s going on . . . the Airport Authority has approved it. That’s where we stand,” Shoemaker said.

He went on to explain that the benefits of a close working relationship with the Big South Fork Airpark far outweigh the potential loss of revenue from the regulating agencies.

The non-compatible land use policy cited for turning down Scott County’s request was made because the FAA doesn’t believe in residential development in close proximity to airports, Shoemaker told the committee. But he indicated that it shouldn’t be a factor in this case, since the Indian Hills subdivision already violates that policy, and Scott County does not have an ordinance prohibiting such development.

Shoemaker noted that there are two kinds of federal funding that come through the Tennessee Aeronautics Division — entitlement funds, which are “airport specific” and are aimed at improving safety issues, and discretionary funds, which are left up to the state of Tennessee where they will be spent.

He indicated that by proceeding with the through-the-fence plan, it could jeopardize funding (estimated at $150,000 annually), but the multi-million dollar BSF Airpark development is expected to generate $400,000 to $500,000 annually for the county, Shoemaker said.

In a related matter, County Mayor Rick Keeton informed the committee that his office had been notified that a $333,000 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant had been approved for preliminary site work on a 50-acre tract at the Airport Industrial Park.

The grant will be matched by $80,000 in local in-kind contributions, and will be used to “lot-off” several five-to-eight acre lots, construct a road, and install utilities, Mayor Keeton said.

Another ARC grant for Scott County comes in the form of a $250,000 contribution to the Children’s Center of the Cumberlands, Mayor Keeton said.

Grant requests not receiving approval were for T-DOT enhancement funds for projects in Robbins and Helenwood. Still being considered, with major revisions, is an ARC rehabilitation grant for the old Winfield Elementary School, Keeton said.

The committee also voted to approve two contracts related to the Boys & Girls Club project. One is a contract between the county and the Town of Oneida which spells out the equal ownership provisions and the amount owed by Scott County for the cost of construction. The other is a management agreement with the Boys & Girls Club, basically detailing “who does what,” according to Mayor Keeton.

Both contracts were approved on roll-call votes with minor revisions to the wording in each and now go to the full Commission for final approval.

Mayor Keeton provided the committee with an update on the land ownership and usage of the Brimstone property, saying that the property has been divided into two sections. The Lime Timber Co. is buying the entire 42,000 acres in Scott County, with the Natural Conservatory getting a 19,000 to 20,000 acre easement for timber production and the rest will come under the control of the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency and be operated as a Wildlife Management Area.

“Brimstone Recreation will have to negotiate directly with Lime Timber” to determine what type of recreational activities will be allowed, the mayor said. And although there’s going to be a change in the way things are done here, the state’s purchase of property in Morgan County has more of a “drastic impact,” as all that land will be protected and its use restricted, he added.

BUILDING & GROUNDS COMMITTEE

Mayor Keeton provided an update on the progress being made on the Scott County Justice Center construction project ongoing on Scott High Drive, informing the committee that about a week remains on the brick work, the roof is substantially in place, and interior walls are going up.

Second District Commissioner Leonard Bertram said that Mary Etta Neely had expressed interest in some property adjacent to the Robbins Park for a library building which would be built by a private benefactor. Despite the fact that a man is donating the land and the building, Bertram said, he’s personally opposed to the planned location, and asked that the committee “encourage them to use the flat land, where it’s solid” instead of the swampy land across the creek.

After a question was posed by Seventh District Commissioner Willie Boyatt, Attorney John Beaty said that a federal grant was used to purchase the park property and needed to be looked at to determine what can and cannot be done at the site before any action is taken.

The committee tentatively agreed to tour the park and see the property which has been selected for the library building.

Following a request by Mayor Keeton to upgrade the county’s mowing equipment, a motion was approved to ask the Finance Committee to develop specifications and bid a new mowing machine.

Mayor Keeton also asked the committee to establish some guidelines with regard to where smoking can take place outside public buildings. A motion was made to place a 30-foot parameter around public buildings, inside of which smoking would be prohibited.

EMERGENCY SERVICES COMMITTEE

By a unanimous vote, the committee authorized soliciting bids for two new ambulances for the Scott County Ambulance Service to be purchased this year, and to look at photos and specifications of an ATV ambulance-equipped unit to be used to respond to ATV accidents in remote areas of the county.

The committee also asked that Scott County’s Emergency Management Director Wayne Shoemaker provide a list of the projects funded by an estimated $300,000 in Homeland Security Grants the county has received over the last few years.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE

Mayor Keeton informed the committee that St. Mary’s was well into its due diligence work toward its planned assumption of the lease of the Scott County Hospital currently held by Attentus Healthcare, and that officials of St. Mary’s would meet informally with the commission on Tuesday evening to report on the progress being made.

Attorney Beaty said St. Mary’s hopes to soon have “a definitive agreement to proceed” on its takeover of the lease agreement.

The committee voted unanimously to approve a request by Sessions Judge Jamie Cotton to appoint two new judicial magistrates, Daniel Murley and Betty Matthews, to issue warrants in his absence.

Attorney Beaty reported that the county’s appeal to the Town of Huntsville’s successful lawsuit to reclaim sales tax funds in the annexed Helenwood area would be heard in Nashville on Wednesday, October 10 beginning at 9 a.m.