County Attorney's Responses

Thanks to Drew Valley residents for this report. The following questions were posed to Mr. Charles Hicks, DeKalb County Attorney, at a community meeting on April 19, 2001.

Q. Why is the county not upholding the 11th Circuit Court's 1988 ruling that the weight limit for takeoffs and landings at PDK shall be set at 66,000 pounds?

A. Mr. Hicks responded that it was the BOC and the CEO of the county that raised the weight limit to 75,000 pounds, not the Airport Director.  He added that we can expect the weight limit to be raised again to 95, 105 or even 125,000 pounds in the future as the weight of aircrafts become heavier but supposedly quieter.

Q. Why does PDK not have to follow the noise ordinance at night as residence do?

A. PDK is allowed to make whatever noise they like as it relates to aviation operations.

Q. Is Mr. Hicks' office working on modifications to the PDK Airport Master Lease agreement to prohibit touch-and-go operations over neighborhoods?

A. Mr. Hicks replied that he had no knowledge of a "Master Lease Agreement" and was not working on any such matter in any other capacity.  He added that it is not possible to limit operations of any type at PDK.  This could be taken as discriminatory in a free enterprise zone.

Q. Why can we not implement a mandatory night curfew?

A. It cannot legally be done. PDK is a 24-hour business.

Q:  Can DeKalb County be fair by not renewing any of the leases to flight schools?

A:  He did not know but would check into it.

Mr. Hicks commented that DeKalb County owns the airport but does not run it.  The FAA runs the airport and the County is only the landlord.  The FAA sets all flight patterns and operations out of PDK.

Mr. Hicks commented briefly on the ordinance pertaining to the Airport Compatible Use Overlay District.  While he did not explain the details of the ordinance, he did expressed feelings that this was beneficial to the well being of the community. He also stated that the matter was before the BOC for review. (PDK Watch sees NO benefit and only irreparable harm to the community from the overlay.)