Davie Votes to Continue Fight Against Runway Expansion: Life Near Proposed Airport Expansion ‘Won’t Be Worth Living,’ Mayor Says
By Susannah Bryan, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Jul. 3–DAVIE — Town leaders aren’t giving up on efforts to block an expanded airport runway they say will bring noise and misery to residents.
“Life in some parts of town won’t be worth living if we don’t fight this,” Mayor Tom Truex said.
The homes of at least 4,500 residents near the airport, including hundreds in Davie, would need soundproofing if the runway were expanded.
Other affected areas include parts of Dania Beach, Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale.
The Town Council Wednesday night approved spending another $65,000 in an attempt to halt plans to expand the south runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The vote was 3-2, with council members Michael Crowley and Bryan Caletka dissenting over concerns about rising legal costs for what they say may be a lost cause. Future litigation could cost the town an additional $140,000.
On Thursday, Davie resident Eric Swalley questioned the wisdom of pursuing the fight in a tight budget year.
“Probably the runway will go in no matter what we do,” he said. “It’s tough times right now. Cut your losses.”
But Truex and Councilwoman Susan Starkey said the town had promised long ago to protect residents from the expected noise a longer runway would bring.
“The expansion would double the trouble and the noise and the impacts,” Starkey said.
Airport officials say the expansion is needed to meet demand at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, where the number of passengers is expected to grow from 22.7 million last year to 30.8 million by 2020.
Starkey, a former flight attendant, questioned those projections.
“The aviation industry is struggling in this economy,” she said Thursday. “They’re cutting back. People are not flying as much because of the fuel and the costs.”
The new runway is expected to cost $784 million. If not delayed by a lengthy legal challenge, it would open by 2014.
The Federal Aviation Administration released its environmental impact report on the proposed runway in June. The agency is taking comments until July 28 and is expected to make a decision this fall.
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7929.
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