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Laughlin Task Force aim - protect the base
Published September 6, 2008
The local group dedicated to protecting Laughlin Air Force Base is throwing its weight behind proposed legislation that could prevent encroachment around military installations.
The Laughlin Task Force, which consists of local business and community leaders, met briefly this week to discuss the two pieces of legislation, one meant to safeguard military bases statewide and a second designed specifically for Laughlin.
Task force members repeatedly lauded city, county, military and the community’s effort to create such a proposal and urged local groups to continue supporting the bill on a unified front.
“What our state representative and state senator need to know is that we as a community are united behind one piece of legislation,” said Val Verde County Commissioner Beau Nettleton.
Nettleton said current laws give zoning control as far as a mile-and-a-half on each side of runways and five miles off the end of runways.
“In some cases that doesn’t even get us off the base,” said Nettleton.
The proposed local bill would provide for a five-mile radius-zoning shield around Laughlin, “to regulate pretty much any kind of building or land use or anything like that,” explained Nettleton, who helped draft the legislation.
He added that the new bill would give zoning authority jointly to city and county and that both must sign off on any changes.
“We both have to adopt the regulations that are going to be created out of this…and that is what we believe is the best thing at this time,” said Nettleton.
The proposed local bill would give the Joint Airport Zoning Board the oversight authority on issues such as population density, building size and the location of public utilities.
But, the task force is almost certain the bills will face stiff opposition from developers, farmers and others who hold land interests around military bases.
Task Force Chairman Jerry Simpton said the proposed local legislation would be forwarded to State Rep. Pete P. Gallego’s office for revisions.
Gallego had a similar bill passed through the House of Representatives during its last session, but the bill did not pass in the Senate, said Gallego spokesman Patrick Carlton.
“We are all on board on this,” said Carlton. “We know the importance of Laughlin to Del Rio and want to help protect it.”
Several attending the task force meeting are also planning to attend a Veteran’s Affairs and Military Installations Committee meeting Sept. 9 in San Antonio.
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, who chairs the committee, has requested a public hearing on the proposed legislation and seeks input from across the state.
Nettleton said specifically Van de Putte would like to hear from military base commanders.
“We know there is going to be opposition, it is very important for us to show a united front,” reiterated Simpton.
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