Whiting Aviation Park gets seal of approval
On Tuesday, Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Santa Rosa County received approval authority from the Office of the Assistant Under Secretary of the Navy to enter into a limited use agreement to allow the county to use taxiways and runways located at South Field, NASWF.
This approval comes after six years of negotiations and partnering by the county, NAS Whiting Field, Naval Southeast Command in Jacksonville, and ultimately the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
The approval gives the go-ahead on the planned 260-acre aviation park near NAS Whiting Field.
The facility will be located three miles east of Hwy. 87, 10 miles north of Interstate 10. It is zoned for heavy industry, 30 miles from the nearest port (Pensacola).
Santa Rosa County Commissioner Don Salter says limited access to and use of the runways and taxiways will permit tenants in the proposed Aviation Park to use a 6,000-foot runway to bring aircraft requiring maintenance to and from the park.
“With today’s announcement, the county can begin to work to finalize an agreement with NAS Whiting Field that will make the Whiting Aviation Park a reality and help to bring new, well-paying jobs to the residents of Santa Rosa County,” says Salter.
“As we move forward with finalizing the agreement and eventual construction of the park, the protection of the base’s mission will continue to be our number one priority,” he says.
This announcement marks a major milestone in the relationship that has been developed over the years between NAS Whiting Field and Santa Rosa County.
The TEAM Santa Rosa Economic Development Council continues to look for industry associated with—and benefiting from—being located near a 6,000-foot runway.
Their website seeks to lure prospective businesses by noting, “Test your aircraft right where it is assembled. Manufacture aviation equipment, automotive parts, medical supplies, electronics, and more.
“Repair and overhaul machinery. Perform routine maintenance on a helicopter. Ship your products by air. And do it all surrounded by protected U.S. Navy airspace, whose monitoring equipment is second to none.”
In 2004 the county selected Hatch Mott McDonald to head up the master planning process.
The firm was tasked with designing infrastructure for the entire 269-acre aviation park facility. It included coordinating all related issues with the Navy, such as joint use of the 6,000-foot runway, and county/NAS Whiting Field efforts regarding construction of a new taxiway.
Officials say the runway, one of a few nationwide with clear airspace, will render the park competitive with other aircraft industry sites.
Defense Department officials have identified encroachment as a major factor in Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision-making.
Santa Rosa has been working to find ways to buy land to reduce encroachment for several years.
TEAM Santa Rosa officials noted last year that, “Whiting Aviation Park boasts such benefits as being nestled in the “cradle of naval aviation” on one hand while soaring aside top-notch industry leaders on the other.
“Businesses are far from the only winners. The community at large and the Navy in particular stand to gain greatly. Whiting Aviation Park enhances our number one industry in Santa Rosa County by helping protect the base against residential encroachment.
“Our vision is for both large aviation-related companies and smaller support businesses to reside at the park. This could mean companies whose operations are tied to the repair and maintenance of aircraft.
Appropriations for the project were vetoed when Governor Charlie Crist signed the 71.5 billion dollar 2007-08 budget.
The East Milton Waste Water Treatment Plant and the Whiting Aviation/Commerce Park were amongst many on the 11-page list of items vetoed by the Governor.
