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. stage of that plan addresses whether or not it is technically feasible to develop an airport over a 20 year time ~riod at the Gateway site that would qualify for State and Federal funding: it also includes preliminary cost estimates for that airport developnent. Several s~cial public meetings and an airport o~n house were conducted in order to pursue public input, concerns and CQImlents. For one of those public meetings in particular, a s~cial letter of invitation, in addition to normal publication, was sent to those pro~rty (~mers potentially affected ~ airport developnent. Several members of this Airport Omnission and City Council also toured airport facilities in the region that were similar to what could be develo~d in Ramsey. Merland otto stated that the Metro Region Aiqort &ystem Plan is under the guidance of the Metro Cbuncil and implemented ~ the Metro Airports Carmission. '!he metro system includes Mpls./St. Paul International, 6 additional reliever airports, South St. Paul Municipli and 4 private facilities. Gateway North is the northwesterly most facility, is identified in the regional system plan but because it is privately owned th~ cannot asslJlle it will always be there to accanodate the demand as the r~ion grOW's. Mr. Otto stated that Gateway North predominantly serves single and light twin engine aircraft. In 1979-80 there were 30 aircraft !:ased at Gateway; over the years and largely due to the general ecollal!{, that nlJllber decreased to 12 aircraft in 1984: at the time of the Airport Commission' s surv~, there were 16 based aircraft. Assuning the airport is improved, it is expected that there _ . ~ill be a fluctuation in based aircraft over the next several years:~ ~05 ~ ~~IIII~ virtually close. an airport; after construction is completed there ~-{ ~ would be a quick rebound of based aircraft to match that of 1979: over the 20 /Vir year period, 50 based aircraft is projected with possibly 10% of those aircraft being multi-engine aircraft. lotl/Dot feels these projecttions are on the high side. . . Mr. Otto stated that the nlJllber of operations in 1979 was 46,400: this is an estimate and believed to be on the high side considering the nlJllber of based aircraft at that time. Mr. Otto stated that the plan projects a mid-range estimate of 38,000 annual o~rations at the end of that 20 year time ~riod. Mr. otto stated that Gateway would be a Basic Utility stage II facility with a minimlJll runway of 3300', non-precision awroaches and land acquisition to acccmnodate clear zone r~uirements. Mr. Otto then made a slide presentation of the 3 airport layout plans that were considered. Alternate A included the same north/south runway aligmnent as presently exists; clearances oould not be achieved over Cty. Rd. U16 and the railroad: 17' of fill would have been r~uired at the south end and 7' of fill at the north end. Alternate B shifted the existing north/south runway aligmnent north and achieves ada:.luate runway clearances with a minimlJll amount of fill but r~uires the relocation of Cty. Rd. U16. Alternate C shifted the primary runway a!t1ay fran the north/south alignment which did benefit the residents but r~uired the closing of Cty. Rd. #56 at the existing intersection of Cty. Rd. U16: the primary runway would be 3300' in a east/west aligmnent but the loss of wind coverage ra;Iuires a seoond runway: this alternate was defeated because it would ra;Imre closing Cty. Rd. #56 and the limited amount of airport funds makes it difficult to develop an airport with a crosowind August 21, 1985 Page 2 of 14