BY HANNAH LESTER
HLESTER@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
The city of Auburn approved a contract with the Indian Pines Recreation Authority for over $1.1 million for the Auburn University Regional Airport Runway Extension Project.
The total contribution of $1,151,000 is only the city of Auburn’s portion of the funding. The golf course itself, the city of Opelika, the Lee County Commission, the state of Alabama, AO Tourism and Auburn University are all also contributing.
The Auburn University Regional Airport is in need of a runway extension but this means the airport will need to cut into Indian Pines land.
“We have to expand our safety area,” said Bill Hutto, airport executive director, at a Lee County Commission meeting.
The north end of the runway at Country Club Road and Indian Pines Golf Course needs an additional 700 feet to bring it up to FAA safety standards. The south side already has a 1,000 foot safety area. The north end only has 300 feet.
“If we do not do this project, we will be required to shorten our runway,” Hutto said. “And our runway is 5,264 feet which is right at a mile. It’s a good length, but with the aircraft that we’re seeing today, if we have to shorten it and go under 5,000 feet it will severely impact our aircraft users and our ability to be able to serve the community.”
The land will come from Indian Pines Golf Course, however, and the total cost for that land and rebuilding the golf course will be $6.8 million, said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders.
The project will be completed, as requested by the FAA, by 2024. The funding will emanate from Indian Pines Golf Course and the money from each entity will be allocated to Indian Pines each year.
Indian Pines, which is the city’s only public golf course, will have to close for a year to renovate.
“I really believe [Indian Pines] is an important amenity to our community,” Anders said Tuesday. “… This golf course really meets the need of a lot of people in our community who probably don’t belong to a private club and could only afford maybe to go to Robert Trent Jones a finite amount of times during the year. They can go out to Indian Pines.
“If you go to Indian Pines, you’re going to see all ages, and stages, and careers, and races and interest that descend on that course. They’ve had an incredible number of rounds that have been played in recent years and I believe it’s a great, great recreational amenity to both of our communities.”
OTHER BUSINESS:
– The council approved a board appointment to the Downtown Design Review Committee.
– The council approved a board appointment to the Historic Preservation Commission.
– The council approved alcohol beverage licenses for Family Dollar Stores of Alabama, LLC, and Pooch Porch Auburn, LLC.
– The council approved temporary street closures, closing the Gay Street Parking Lot and invoking the Entertainment District for 2022 events.
– The council approved a contract with Alabama Power Company and Tallapoosa River Electric Cooperative for street lights on North Donahue Drive for over $33,000.
– The council approved a contract with Dell Marketing L.P. for the purchase of 20 Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged laptops with auto adapters for over $47,000.
– The council approved a contract with JACOBS for consulting engineering services for the H.C. Morgan Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) Clarifiers No. 1 and No. 2 Weirs and Baffles Replacement Project.
– The council amended the commercial development agreement with RECS Flint’s Crossing, LLC for Flint’s Crossing.
– The council approved a contract to purchase athletics uniforms for youth sports.
– The council approved a contract with TTL, Inc. for construction materials testing and special inspection services for the Soccer Complex Project for $32,500.
– The council approved right-of-way, drainage and utility easements, and drainage, utility, sidewalk and pedestrian lighting easements for Robert A. Fucci for property on the southwest corner of the Harper Avenue and North Debardeleben Street. The council approved a redivision for parts of lots 13 and 14 in the Williamson Subdivision Final Plat.
– The council accepted right-of-way and drainage and utility easements for Robert A. Fucci, for property on the west side of North Debardeleben Street between Harper Avenue and East Glenn Avenue.
– The council approved a commercial development agreement for RECS Flint’s Crossing, LLC. for Flint’s Crossing/The Plains.
– The council voted to approve a chance in meeting times. The council will now meet at 6 p.m., with the Committee of the whole at 5:30 p.m., unless otherwise stated.