NorthLake Park residents say they consider themselves one step closer to getting what they want in their backyards. Last year a group of residents formed the NLP Fuel Farm Task Force to fight plans by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority — the Orlando International Airport’s governing body — to build five million-gallon fuel tanks and a 34-jet hangar on wetlands near their homes.
After tons of pressure from the homeowners, GOAA caved. Last Wednesday GOAA unveiled new plans for the East Airfield, approximately 13,000 acres of land that abuts the NorthLake Park. A 1,200-foot buffer will insulate residents from a much less intense use on the other side. Plans are not certain yet, but possibilities include an aviation training center or airtraffic control building.
The plans were officially altered with the fuel tanks and jet hangar now located on the north end of the East Airfield, about 1,000 feet from State Road 528. “It is as far away from NorthLake Park as it can be,” said Tom Chandler, OIA’s planning consultant and president of Schenkel Shultz Architecture.
“It was moved essentially to the middle of nowhere.” GOAA Executive Director Steve Gardner sent a letter to NLP residents in March stating that these changes would be made, but that the former plans cannot be rescinded until a new plan was in place. Residents were not satisfied with GOAA’s promises until they saw the new plans in writing.
Deborah Moskowitz, NLP homeowner and Fuel Farm Task Force spokeswoman, said the recently unveiled plans are “a good start.” “They addressed some, but not all, of our concerns. We are very glad they are continuing to work with us and we hope they will continue to work with us so we can get this resolved to everyone’s satisfaction,” she said. Moskowitz said residents’ request for the airport to mitigate all water, air and noise pollution that construction might create was not addressed.
“We do not want something on that property that will have an adverse impact on the quality of life we enjoy.We would also like to see a plan that does not require destruction of all wetlands on that property,” she said. “We voiced this to them and they seem to be very determined to destroy the wetlands and we sincerely hope they reconsider that.”
But Chandler said continuing with aviation uses on that property without impacting any wetlands is impossible. “You cannot have wetlands and airport uses in the same area. They just do not mix,” he said. “The fuel farm and its proximity to residents was the residents’ biggest concerns. GOAA has gone above and beyond to address these concerns.”
The Federal Aviation Administration will take one year to complete its environmental assessment of GOAA’s plans for the East Airfield. Chandler estimated that property development could start in about two years, pending approval from other governing bodies including the Orlando City Council, whose members have publically criticized the former plans for that property. “I don’t support this map. It is not compatible with the land use or zoning,”
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer told NLP residents during a town hall meeting a few months ago. “I promise you, whatever is developed on that property will be compatible with your neighborhood because you should be able to be proud of your neighborhood.” Not only does GOAA plan to keep residents abreast of any additional updates for that property, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager Jeff Collins said they intend to conduct community meetings to help residents understand possible environmental and other impacts resulting from the new plan.
Despite existing concerns, Moskowitz said NLP residents are grateful for the plan alterations. “I think that is very positive. We all want the airport to prosper and the city to continue to flourish and experience a robust economy, but we are very blessed to live in Florida and to still have the natural habitat that we do,” she said.
“The airport has done a great job so far of respecting wildlife and I would not like to see them reverse that trend.”
