Western-Star.com

Warren County Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of 86 acres of land near the Warren County Airport on Thursday, June 5.

Commissioner Dave Young said that the county was mandated by the FAA to purchase 29 acres running alongside the airport, but the county believed it would be best served in the future by purchasing the whole two lots of land adjacent to the airport.

"The purchase gives us a little more flexibility if the airport needs to grow," Young said. "This provides us with a way to control the land early, rather than later after development already begins.

The commissioners purchased the 86 acres, which are just east of the airport's landing strip for $1.4 million. Young said that the county will receive approximately $800,000 back through an FAA rebate program.

"In the end, we purchased the 86 acres for a little over $700,000, which is a really good deal," Young said.

The purchased land is currently used as farm land, including a portion that is co-owned by Neil Armstrong. Young said the county would continue to let the current owner's farm there for the foreseeable future.

"We don't have any immediate plans for the airport," Young said. "But hopefully in a hundred years, future commissioners will look back and see we made a good move."

Warren County owns the runway and taxiways along the airport. Warren County Airport Ltd., a private organization, owns the hangars.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4544 or jmcclelland@coxohio.com.

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