Want to own land near Mansfield Lahm Airport? City selling 192 acres
Emily Mills
MANSFIELD - Want to own land near Mansfield Lahm Airport?
The city is selling about 192 acres it owns near the airport to generate revenue for future airport improvements.
"It's important to generate some revenue for improvements at the airport, and this revenue will be very helpful," city engineer Bob Bianchi told Mansfield City Council members on Tuesday night.
Bianchi said the land is currently farmed and generates about $15,000 to $18,000 in revenue for the city per year. It isn't designated as airport property by the Federal Aviation Administration.
He said the sale of the property is projected to fetch between $500,000 to $750,000. The city will solicit bids, and the land will go to the highest bidder.
"We want to get as many bids as we possibly can," Bianchi said.
Bianchi said the city will amend the existing contract with the city's farmer. Currently, 81 acres are farmed, he said.
Mayor Tim Theaker said there are no specific improvements planned at the airport, but the city needs the money available for future projects. Council would have to approve any future projects, he said.
"There's improvements that we want to make because the airport is an asset that we have not really developed as much as we possibly could," he said.
Theaker said it's important the money be used for airport improvements.
"Since it's adjacent to the airport, we definitely want it to be part of the improvement of the airport property and operations out there," he said.
Third-ward councilman Jon Van Harlingen asked if there was infrastructure in the area to allow for future development.
Bianchi said the city's water and sewer lines end at Baird Parkway, and running the lines to the area would be thousands of feet and cost an estimated $9 million to take the utilities to the area and develop the roadway and utilities.
He said the area also includes wetlands, limiting the development area to about 116 acres.
During the council meeting Tuesday, council went into executive session for about 20 minutes to discuss specifics of the potential sale of city-owned real estate.
Council on Tuesday approved allowing city safety-service director Lori Cope to advertise for bids and enter into a contract for the sale.
Bianchi said the city will advertise the sale for five weeks in the News Journal.
Those interested in the land can contact the city's engineering department at 419-755-9702.
ejmills@mansfieldnewsjournal.com
419-521-7205
Twitter: @EmilyMills818