This Florida airport wants to expand — but just ran into a big problem with the FAA

Federal government officials may have thrown a wrench into Sarasota Bradenton International Airport’s long-term expansion plans.

In a recent letter to airport leaders, the Federal Aviation Administration said it does not approve of a sale agreement between SRQ and New College.

Under the agreement, the airport authority would have sold nearly 31 acres of airport property that the neighboring college leases. The airport authority would also have reclaimed 3.88 acres of leased land north of General Spaatz Boulevard that it needs as a buffer for a possible future concourse.

All of the property is east of U.S. 41 and north and south of General Spaatz Boulevard. New College began leasing the property for $108,000 a year in 1957 as part of a 99-year lease agreement.

The rent arrangement is also well below the current market price. New College’s lease on the airport property isn’t set to end until 2056.

The portion of the property that the airport authority planned to sell to New College is south of General Spaatz Boulevard.

Why FAA is blocking Florida airport land deal

But in an April 10 letter, Rebecca Henry, acting manager of the Southern Region Orlando Airports District Office, said the FAA could not sign off on the deal.

“Based on information reviewed by the agency, it appears the land leased to New College was converted from aeronautical use to nonaeronautical educational/residential use without FAA consent,” Henry said in the letter to Rick Piccolo, SRQ’s president and CEO.

In an email on Monday, Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, offered a statement in response to the FAA decision.

“The FAA has notified the airport that the FAA has declined to approve the request to release the land for sale to New College. The airport does not agree with this initial determination and will pursue further discussions on this matter,” Piccolo said.

“I will need time to review and respond to their notification,” said Piccolo, who was out of the country on business when the FAA sent its letter.

New College land swap has issues, officials say

According to the FAA, there are several problems with the proposal.

“The area has been zoned as property for medical, charitable and institutional development, which could include office space and meeting space, but residential and recreational use is not necessarily specified. It should be noted that FAA guidance requires all airport properties to be zoned airport/light industrial, consistent with federal grant assurances,” Henry said.

New College improvements to the property include residential student and/or staff dormitories, recreational game fields, a swimming pool, and other structures.

“The sponsor requests the FAA allow for a retroactive release of the property’s aeronautical use provision, allowing for them to dispose of the property so it may remain as a college. The college contains elements that likely are incompatible with airport operations, such as residential, educational, recreational, and water retention areas that could attract wildlife, which may pose a risk to aviation safety,” Henry’s letter said.

Educational institution land uses are only compatible when they are post-secondary schools that include an aeronautical component. The FAA does not find New College to be a compatible land use with SRQ, the letter said.

The FAA regional office also said that the lease agreement does not allow for an appropriate rental rate and appears to allow a continuance of unlawful airport revenue diversion in the form of extremely low rent.

The lease agreement signed between the airport and New College in 1957 predates the creation of the FAA in August 1958.

Florida airport expansion plans

SRQ is in the midst of a $200 million expansion project, due for completion by the end of the year to accommodate record passenger business.

In March, 553,521 passengers passed through the terminal at SRQ, a 7.5% increase compared to 514,889 passengers in March 2023.

It was the second time in SRQ history that the airport has exceeded 500,000 passengers in a single month.