HILLSBORO, Ore. (KATU) , Sky Harbour Group has pulled its disputed application to construct private aircraft hangars at Hillsboro Airport, bringing the city’s current review of the project to a close. The company indicated it intends to file a new application once it has had more time to respond to concerns voiced by residents and Hillsboro city leaders.
Sky Harbour formally withdrew its development review application on Sept. 9, according to a new city of Hillsboro staff report. The Port of Portland, which owns the parcel where the project was proposed, agreed to the withdrawal.
Staff Report 9
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The withdrawal follows an Aug. 18 hearing during which the Hillsboro City Council considered appeals of the city’s earlier approval of the project.
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Molly Prescott, the Port of Portland’s aviation communications and media relations manager, confirmed the withdrawal in a statement to KATU.
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“I can confirm Sky Harbour has withdrawn their hangar development application and intends to resubmit it,” Prescott said.
Sky Harbour says it needs more time
In a Sept. 9 letter to the city, Sky Harbour stated it “heard and takes seriously” the concerns raised by the community and the City Council during the Aug. 18 hearing.
The company explained that it required additional time to investigate and respond to those concerns, and that the timeframe within the city’s existing review process did not allow enough opportunity to gather and assemble the necessary information.
“The Applicant has therefore decided to withdraw the application and resubmit,” David Annin wrote on behalf of Sky Harbour Group.
The city reports that no new application has been filed and that Sky Harbour has not announced a date for resubmission.
KATU contacted Sky Harbour to ask what changes the company plans to make when it resubmits and when it intends to do so.
Current appeals come to an end
The withdrawal effectively clears the deck for the current application.
With no active development application remaining, the Hillsboro City Council no longer has a decision to review in the two pending appeals. The city’s prior 120-day deadline of Oct. 7 also no longer applies.
The issue had been scheduled to return to the City Council on Oct. 6. The city says that item has now been removed from the council agenda and no action is required.
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The project had previously won approval from the Hillsboro Planning Commission before that decision was appealed to the City Council.
During the appeal process, residents raised concerns that extended beyond the city’s development review criteria, including concerns about airport operations. City staff noted that authority over aircraft operations and emissions largely rests with the Federal Aviation Administration and that federal law limits what cities can regulate. Staff said some avenues may still be available to the city but did not recommend whether the council should pursue them.
Opponents remain skeptical
Opponents of the project say the withdrawal is welcome, but they are not declaring victory because Sky Harbour still plans to return with another proposal.
Mickey Barnes is a fierce aviation critic and runs the watchdog group, Oregon Aviation Watch.
Barnes said she had mixed feelings when she learned the company had withdrawn its application.
“I was glad to see that they withdrew the application but concerned when I read that they were planning to resubmit,” Barnes said.
Sky Harbour says it withdrew the application because it heard concerns raised by the community and City Council and needs more time to address them.
Barnes said the company’s next application will determine whether opponents believe those concerns were actually addressed.
“There’s a lot of unknowns that the community ultimately did not want a luxury jet hub at this airport, but they’re saying they’re going to resubmit. So did they hear the community’s concerns or not? That’s the question,” she said.
Barnes said opponents remain concerned about noise, environmental impacts, economic inequity and wildlife corridors.
She also questioned whether a revised proposal could address the concerns of people living miles away from Hillsboro Airport who could experience increased private jet traffic.
“I don’t see how any exclusive jet hub for multi-millionaires and billionaires is really going to fit into this community,” Barnes said. “I don’t know how they would address those concerns.”
Barnes said her group will wait to see what Sky Harbour submits next before deciding how to respond.
A new application means a new process
If Sky Harbour follows through with its plans to resubmit, the city says the proposal would be treated as an entirely new application.
That means it would receive a new case number, undergo a new completeness review and public notice process, and create a new public record. Any required neighborhood meeting documentation would also have to be current when the new application is submitted.
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How the proposal moves through the city depends on what Sky Harbour submits.
If the company does not seek major adjustments to city code requirements, the proposal could undergo a Type II administrative review by city staff, with a decision appealable to the Planning Commission.
If Sky Harbour seeks major adjustments, the application would undergo a Type III review before the Planning Commission, including a public hearing. A Planning Commission decision could then be appealed to the City Council.
Port of Portland agrees to withdrawal
The Port of Portland owns the proposed development property at 2315 N.E. Brookwood Parkway.
In a Sept. 3 letter included with the city staff report, Port Chief Aviation Officer Dan Pippenger formally consented to Sky Harbour withdrawing the application.
The withdrawal does not mean Sky Harbour is abandoning its plans at Hillsboro Airport. Instead, the company says it intends to return with a new application after taking additional time to respond to the issues raised during the first review.
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For now, however, the city’s review of the original Sky Harbour hangar proposal is officially over.
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