Public comes out to talk SJAFB land use
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on May 18, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Wayne County planning director Chip Crumpler participates in an activity during the Joint Land Use Survey workshop at City Hall Tuesday night. Attendees were invited to put dots on a chart where they felt priorities were in certain areas of concern. Project manager Mike Hrapla invited people to read more and welcomed public input on its website at www.northeastncregionaljlus.com.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Matrix Design Group vice president and project manager Mike Hrapla describes some of the slides, including vertical obstructions and accident incident zones, during the Joint Land Use Study workshop.
Flight training capabilities, traffic congestion and incompatible land uses near Seymour Johnson Air Force Base were considered during a meeting Tuesday in the development of a Joint Land Use Study.
The study, led by the N.C. Department of Commerce Rural Economic Development Division, is a cooperative land use planning effort between base officials, federal, state and local leaders, with input from the general public.
The focus is to identify compatibility factors that could impact the balance between military installations and surrounding communities. The process is also designed to achieve a balance between the mission of the military and the economic vitality of Goldsboro and Wayne County, said Mike Hrapla, project manager with the Matrix Design Group, a consulting firm working with the Department of Commerce.
"The base and the Air Force at large is all about compatible use of all our air space," said Col. Andrew Bernard, vice commander of the 4th Fighter Wing. "We're happy for the process because understanding is three quarters of the battle. If we understand each other, if developers understand the mission of the base and we understand what the developers are trying to do, there's goodness in that."
Bernard remained neutral during the meeting, as others in attendance took time to identify areas of importance related to the study. Details involving 23 study areas were on display, and participants marked the level of importance for each.
The potential development of alternative energy, including wind farms, safety zones near Air Force runways, potential losses of low-level flight routes that impact training capabilities and incompatible land uses near the base were identified as high-priority issues.
Roadway capacity to alleviate traffic congestion near the main gate and along Berkeley Boulevard was also identified as a medium priority issue. Even though noise and lighting were on the list, both were identified as having minimal impact locally.
The meeting, held in the City Hall Annex, is the second of three public workshops that will result in the development of the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Dare County Range Joint Land Use Study by the end of the year. Other public meetings will be held this week in Washington and Manteo. Meetings will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at the Washington Civic Center and Thursday at the Dare County Administration Building.
Additional public workshops will be held this year prior to the development of a draft Joint Land Use Study, which will also be available for public review, Hrapla said. The document's study area encompasses land in the vicinity of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the Dare County Range, a practice bombing range for Air Force pilots, and overflight areas in Wayne, Beaufort, Bertie, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington counties.
"Tonight, we're focusing on the Seymour Johnson air base," Hrapla said. "You just can't look at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base by looking at the fence line. You have to look at all areas. We're looking at long-term solutions, short-term solutions, and we're looking at timing."
Councilman Gene Aycock saw value in Tuesday's meeting and the planning process involving land-use issues related to the base, city and county. Aycock said city and county officials remain committed to ensuring the needs of the military are met while balancing the needs of the community.
"Really and truly, the city and county's approach on all of this is, we're willing to do what it takes," Aycock said. "The Air Force base is probably the chief economic engine of Goldsboro and Wayne County, besides agriculture, and we'll fight for it. We will.
"Goldsboro and Wayne County's been proactive in the past. We communicate the best we can with the Air Force, and they tell us if there's an issue. We're going to do what we need to do, and we're going to take our citizens into account."
Aycock said the study has identified some areas that need to be addressed or considered, including land uses near the base. When the Joint Land Use Study is completed, it will be non-binding and non-regulatory. The document will include recommendations and strategies to address any issues identified.
Bernard said the process has resulted in identifying areas that need to be explored.
"I think you find these are honest questions to be asked by a community, a community that supports the national defense of the United States but also wants to thrive and develop itself," Bernard said. "There are great questions, I think, that are targeting the discussion areas and where they need to be."