Houston Executive Airport At 1900 Cardiff Rd.

[Subdude]

Airport expansion proposed near Katy Prairie

Business airport would be close to schools, birds

Air Rice airport promoters hope to expand from a private airfield to a business airport, despite being near the Katy Prairie, home to the largest flock of wintering migratory birds in the US, according to a report by the Citizen

[editor]

Seems hypocritical to me. The people who plowed the Katy Prairie under to build their tract homes and McMansions don't want the airport to expand because of the precious Katie Prairie. I wonder if a real estate developer behind the protest.

[YakuzaIce]

Seems hypocritical to me.  The people who plowed the Katy Prairie under to build their tract homes and McMansions don't want the airport to expand because of the precious Katie Prairie.  I wonder if a real estate developer behind the protest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But it is probably the residents worried about property values and the environmentalists worried about the birds/prairies. Does anyone know how many acres of the katy praire are left?

[pineda]

On a related note,

Jim Blackburn explains the significance of the Katy Praire, in addition to other things.

[RedScare]

Interesting how some of these threads seem to intertwine without intending to. Balckburn is discussing his Southern Baptist upbringing and points out that the Southern Baptist theology states that we do not own property. We are merely trustees of property...and in another thread, we are debating megachurches and what effect their size and wealth has on the message.

[Subdude]

The location for the airport - at least so far - is free of McMansions etc, although they are drawing nearer year by year. I go bike riding out there fairly often. It is one of the nicest unspoiled areas of the Katy prairie area.

[kjb434]

The biggest issue to stall any construction would be the existence of wetlands and the migratory birds included.

Any and all airports within the US needs to file with the FAA, USDOT and with local agencies.

Environmental studies need to performed also. Wetlands can be replaced through re-establishment. The birds are an issue, but you have to realize that many airports exist near coastlines and lakes where birds are plentiful: San Fransico Int'l, Los Angeles Int'l, San Diego, Int'l, New Orleans Int'l, New Orleans Lakefron Airport, Tampa Int'l, Fort Lauderdale Int'l, LaGuardia Int'l, JFK Int'l, Boston Logan Int'l.

All of these have to deal with birds nearby. Some measures can be taken to protect the birds. I remember in my Airport design studies part of my Transportation courses in college of all the rules (which included environmental) that affects construction of an airport of any size. It's not easy to build a new airport. The process is also heavily documented and avaible for the public to see them. I remember back home the state of Louisiana was considering merging the New Orleans and Baton Rouge air markets by building a large regional Int'l airport between them with a high speed rail connecting. The concept was great, but public opposition and some impacts to the nearby swamp hault the proposals and made them too expensive.

We also have to realize that this airport will be home to commuter planes and mostly other small aircraft. It won't be the noise center as Hobby or Bush. The publics input is important and they need to voice there opposition.

[cs2006]

So, Its been a yr since any responses about Katy's Airport. I see the construction has started and I heard an injuction to stop construction failed. Does anyone have any information about the area surrounding the airport, (impact on real estate values/how close is too close) the air traffic at the airport, the safety with waterfowl roosting in the area, the gas storage hub, the closed gas plant, etc?

Thank you-

Craig

[TheNiche]

So, Its been a yr since any responses about Katy's Airport. I see the construction has started and I heard an injuction to stop construction failed. Does anyone have any information about the area surrounding the airport, (impact on real estate values/how close is too close) the air traffic at the airport, the safety with waterfowl roosting in the area, the gas storage hub, the closed gas plant, etc?

Thank you-

Craig

I never understood what the problem was here...nothing that a couple fellas with shotguns and a few hundred shells couldn't handle. Hell, they could charge the public fees for recreational use of the airport as a bird hunting area.

[westguy76]

I never understood what the problem was here...nothing that a couple fellas with shotguns and a few hundred shells couldn't handle. Hell, they could charge the public fees for recreational use of the airport as a bird hunting area.

anyone have a link as to where this is located/picture, thanks

[FalconRanch]

anyone have a link as to where this is located/picture, thanks

No Problem go here: http://southwallercountyairport.com/HEA_Photos.htm

[editor]

From those pictures, I'd be more worried about cows on the runway than birds in the air.

[katyfan]

No Problem go here: http://southwallercountyairport.com/HEA_Photos.htm

Interesting that the site does not include a view from the west, back towards Katy. If it did you would see the 100+ nice homes on 2-9 acre lots IMMEDIATELY across the road. The developer's business plan shows 575 air operations per day with 645 empolyees. I think folks in Katy will not be too happy when they see what this little airport on the Katy prairie turns out to be. What's even more ridiculous is the fact that there is a federally mandated wetlands set-aside area to the north of the new "Houston Executive Airport" which was created in 2000 as part of a Bush Intercontinental runway expansion (link to FAA record of decision below). So, in 2000 the FAA mandates an area to ATTRACT geese and other wildlife just to the north of the Houston Executive Aiport; then they permit the Houston Executive Airport to go forward with provisions that they put in measures to MITIGATE and DETER wildlife. Politics is a dirty business.

http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/airports/ environmental/records_decision/media/rod_houston.pdf

[TJones]

But it is probably the residents worried about property values and the environmentalists worried about the birds/prairies. Does anyone know how many acres of the katy praire are left?

We'll see how much they delicate flower when Disney finally starts building in Fulshear and their property values go throught the roof.

[Subdude]

I saw the airport site from a plane the other day. It is a lot bigger than I expected.

[The Great Hizzy!]

For some reason, I kept picturing the West Houston Airport in my mind. Heh.

[Ktex]

I drove out by the new nuisance the other day to check it out for myself. I drove around the entire airport and to be honest, I don't see a single problem with the project. I don't hear people complaining about all the semi truck traffic out that way and boy is there a lot of that. I don't hear people complaining about the steel companies out that way. Let's face it, that side of Katy is prime industrial type space. One only needs to take a ride out HWY 90 to see that for themselves.

I am sorry that the solitude of the 2-4 acre homesites will be distrubed, but that really is life. The only thing that would have stopped this project is...er...uh...nothing.

[katyfan]

I drove out by the new nuisance the other day to check it out for myself. I drove around the entire airport and to be honest, I don't see a single problem with the project. I don't hear people complaining about all the semi truck traffic out that way and boy is there a lot of that. I don't hear people complaining about the steel companies out that way. Let's face it, that side of Katy is prime industrial type space. One only needs to take a ride out HWY 90 to see that for themselves.

I am sorry that the solitude of the 2-4 acre homesites will be distrubed, but that really is life. The only thing that would have stopped this project is...er...uh...nothing.

you'll have to make another visit in the fall when there are thousands of geese on the rice fields and flying overhead. that's what has kept the little nuisance from getting approved in the past.

[TheNiche]

you'll have to make another visit in the fall when there are thousands of geese on the rice fields and flying overhead. that's what has kept the little nuisance from getting approved in the past.

That's what shotguns are for.

[westguy76]

That's what shotguns are for.

are you advocating a goose hunting club at this location. because we are talking about an airport.

I fail to see how you are making any sense. I love to goose hunt as much as the next guy and have been several times in the last couple of years, However I don't think you can just knock several thousand down at a time. If so, I need a new choke in my shotgun, really though hunting is not relevant to this discussion. That will not solve the problem if it is one. These are migratory birds that fly through the region sometimes all the way from canada.

This seems to me like a horrible choice for an airport location based on it's location in relation to the migrating patterns of these birds.

[Ktex]

Ok, honestly I'm not trying to be a smart alec here at all, more like devils advocate.

From the airport website, the first phase is 190 acres out of a total 1,980 acre site. This is not cheap land by any means. Then there is the cost to build the complex, $14 million dollars.

I can't imagine that the owners of this complex can come up with that amount of lettuce for this project without having a plan for the geese. I mean honestly, my guess is that at a VERY MINUMUM, they have $30 millions dollars wrapped up in this entire project thus far. Do you really think they would take that kind of chance to lose every cent due to the geese?

That area out there is prime real estate. Just take a look at the industry out that way. Take a look at the available land. It only makes sense that this area will attract more industry.

I'm sure the plan is to be more than just a general aviation airport. UPS has been investigating our area for a long time to put in a hub. That area out there is prime for this type of facility. No coincidence I'm sure.

As I said in my previous post. I'm sorry for the folks that built their homes out there. But honestly, the industry was out there before a lot of these new houses. The owners had to have some sort of idea that their own personal slice of heaven wouldn't last.

[Trae]

I have heard that there might be a new Houston Airport out West?

[Leonora]

We'll see how much they delicate flower when Disney finally starts building in Fulshear and their property values go throught the roof.

Is the Disney rumors true?

And now the big question: What is going to happen to the value of the homes in katy once this airport is done?

[TheNiche]

Is the Disney rumors true?

And now the big question: What is going to happen to the value of the homes in katy once this airport is done?

The Disney rumors are truely rumors.

Unless you happen to live next door or directly under the flight path, there probably won't be all that much of an impact. I (and another member of this forum coincidentally) looked at a particular home in Garden Villas earlier this year. It is very near Hobby Airport, a much busier and louder airport than the one in Katy, but the noise wasn't that bad. On the other hand, I looked at a home in the very same neighborhood that was directly under the flight path, and that would've been way beyond my tolerances. I'd finished toured it and was wondering why on earth the price was set so low...then, as I sat in the car in the driveway, the ground trembled...

[Leonora]

The Disney rumors are truely rumors.

Unless you happen to live next door or directly under the flight path, there probably won't be all that much of an impact. I (and another member of this forum coincidentally) looked at a particular home in Garden Villas earlier this year. It is very near Hobby Airport, a much busier and louder airport than the one in Katy, but the noise wasn't that bad. On the other hand, I looked at a home in the very same neighborhood that was directly under the flight path, and that would've been way beyond my tolerances. I'd finished toured it and was wondering why on earth the price was set so low...then, as I sat in the car in the driveway, the ground trembled...

Now I am worried...I just payed lots of $$$ for a home near beckendorff rd. Oh boy, did I just flush my money down the toilet?

[westguy76]

No Problem go here: http://southwallercountyairport.com/HEA_Photos.htm

sorry to be a pain in the ___! but i still can't tell where this is even after going to the link! any crossroads. I read it is near the igloo facility, any other landmarks? thanks

[Ktex]

I believe the crossroad is FM 2855. Take HWY 90 west out of Katy. Go past Pederson Road and it should be the next main road to your right. The airport will be on your left. Go straight to Morton Road and turn left. This is the north boundry of the airport. Then, turn left at the next road. This is where you can best see the progress.

Hope that helps. I went looking for it one day myself and had a hard time at first. Almost missed it on 2855 until I caught a glimpse of something in the distance.

[westguy76]

I believe the crossroad is FM 2855. Take HWY 90 west out of Katy. Go past Pederson Road and it should be the next main road to your right. The airport will be on your left. Go straight to Morton Road and turn left. This is the north boundry of the airport. Then, turn left at the next road. This is where you can best see the progress.

Hope that helps. I went looking for it one day myself and had a hard time at first. Almost missed it on 2855 until I caught a glimpse of something in the distance.

thanks i found it.

[BetaJustin]

Oct. 27, 2006, 10:21AM

Airport construction ahead of schedule

Business aviation facility awaits clients

By HELEN ERIKSEN

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

A developer for a new business aviation airport located between Katy and Brookshire said the facility has largely been completed ahead of schedule and is awaiting clients.

Construction on Houston Executive Airport, located north of I-10 and west of FM 2855 in South Waller County, began last November, and part of the facility is open, owner Ron Henriksen said.

The facility is expected to officially open in the first quarter of 2007.

"It's amazing what we have accomplished out there," said Andrew Perry, the airport's executive director. "We have basically built this airport in a year, and that's unheard of."

Henriksen and Perry discussed plans for the development during an Oct. 26 business development committee meeting of the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce.

Henriksen, a Houston businessman, purchased a 1,980-acre rice field near the Igloo Factory and Interstate 10 to develop as an airport to serve west Houston business and general-aviation clients.

"The contractor asked for 400 days to complete the work, and the weather has been good enough to allow us to do it in 250 days," Henriksen said.

The airport is pre-leasing hangars.

One year after opening, the facility is projected to have 25 T-hangars, one community hangar, one corporate hangar and an airport park. Aircraft will include 18-30 based planes with 45 operations per day.

"We hope to meet these projections, but we've got a lot of work to do," Perry said.

The runway has been painted, drainage ditches are in place, and the electrical work is being completed, he said.

"Once we have finished with the electrical work, we're ready to go," he said.

Frank Lombard, chairman of the chamber's business development committee, said the airport would serve the growing business community, and he called it "a fabulous asset for the Katy area that's rapidly taking shape."

The airport is being built in phases. It replaces Air Rice, a private airport built in 1962, primarily used for crop-dusters.

Phase 1, expected to cost between $30 million and $35 million, will cover 191 acres, and future phases will be built out as demand warrants. Meanwhile, the undeveloped land is being used for agriculture.

The initial runway is 4,500 feet, but future plans include lengthening it to 7,000 feet to accommodate larger planes. Asecond parallel runway may also be added later.

Plans also call for business aviation flight department facilities, and instrument landing capability will be added later to comply with Federal Aviation Agency standards.

The Henriksen Jet Center main terminal will be built with an arrival canopy, Perry said.

The developer's initial plans to build a private aviation airport on 575 acres in Fulshear's extraterritorial jurisdiction faced opposition from Fulshear and Katy-area residents as well as local politicians and environmental conservation groups. Airport representatives said the new site is closer to the interstate and has additional space for expansion.

For more information, visit the Web site, www.HoustonExecutiveAirport.com .

[lockmat]

It's expanding

Http://www.impactnews.com/houston-metro/katy/houston-executive-airport-begins-construction-on-40-new-hang/