3 proposed airport sites off the list
By LARRY HILLIARD Ledger Staff Writer larry@gaffneyledger.com
Location. Location.

Location.

The county learned that old adage about real estate the hard way when the Federal Aviation Administration and state Aeronautic Commission recently disqualified three of eight possible sites for a county airport because of their proximity to the proposed Duke Energy nuclear power plant.

The nuclear plant is expected to be located on a 2,000-acre tract in the McKown's Mountain community.

Cherokee County Councilman Bailey Humphries told council Monday the three nixed sites failed to meet federal guidelines which require airports to be located at least five miles from a nuclear plant.

Humphries added federal officials are expected to increase the restriction to 10 miles.

Local officials have resumed their search to identify three replacement sites, according to Humphries.

According to a feasibility study, the county needs to acquire between 450 and 550 acres for the airport.

The study outlined a conceptual airport design that included a 5,500 foot by 100 foot runway, a full parallel taxiway, precision approach to one runway and non-precision approach to the other runway end.

The design also showed a 5,000 square-foot terminal building, an apron for transient aircraft parking and a hangar.

Cherokee is the only county in South Carolina without a general aviation airport.