Jeff Marcu, Reporter
First Coast News,
August 2, 2012
Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport has learned plans for a new runway extension will not go through after a judge dismissed a lawsuit.
There are limits on the size of planes that the airport can accommodate because of the size of the runways.
Neighbor Mary Ladislas explained: "It's not a whole lot of noise. You do seem them, you can hear them some times."
Ladislas is a part of a vocal group that wants operations at the airport to remain the same. "I don't want to live where there's a whole lot of noise. That's why I live where I live," she said.
But not everyone is against expansion. Some say bigger is better, especially when it comes to their bottom line. Restaurant owner Albert Yu said, "Well the possibilities. It would benefit my restaurant."
Yu has run his small neighborhood restaurant across from the airport for five years. He believes the bigger these runways get, the better it is for everyone.
"I've been thinking that it would progress the income of the City, the State. More income for me, more tax for them," he told us.
That leaves a bad taste in the mouth of people like Ladislas, who said it's not about money, it's about lifestyle.
"That's a lot of noise. I think that's why we have a big airport," Ladislas said.
We contacted the two groups that want to expand the runways. Spence Edwards of Sky Harbor Corporation tells us they disagree with the judge's decision. He says they will be meeting with the aviation authority next week to look at other options.
A representative from Craig Air Center told us they had no comment.
Source: http://fcnews.tv/Nqhv2X
