Castor Backs Residents' Anti-Airport Stance

Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor stopped by Monday’s Horsham Township Council meeting to show solidarity with residents and local elected officials’ opposition to an airport at Willow Grove air base.

Following his speech, which was reminiscent of a town hall meeting, Castor, who is running for re-election, took questions and received applause from the roughly two dozen people in attendance.

“If the community doesn’t want it, then I’m not for it,” Castor said, noting that if a “groundswell” of support suddenly emerged he would be in favor of an airport. “It seems to me you could put in town centers … that would also be a use that the people here would like.” 

Montgomery County, along with the Bucks County Airport Authority, applied in March to acquire the bulk of the 892 acres available for redevelopment at the Willow Grove air base. Their applications, as well as 15 others submitted by various nonprofits groups, will be acted on during the Horsham Land Reuse Authority’s July 27 meeting.

But, before the local board could rule on which entities were most deserving of the land, questions had to be answered regarding omissions from each of the 17 applications. HLRA Executive Director Mike McGee said on Friday that Montgomery County’s notice of interest was “severely lacking” and that 90 percent of the needed information was missing.

Montgomery County Commissioner James Matthews said last week that the county may partner with the Bucks County Airport Authority on a joint application. Based on the 10:1 – or higher – ratio that came out against the airport during a commissioner's meeting earlier this month, Castor said he would not support pushing forward, but acknowledged that he may be outnumbered.

“Two out of three has been good enough,” Castor said. “I have cast more ‘no’ votes than any commissioner in history combined.”

In reality, a joint application, even with support from the majority of the county commissioners, holds no advantage over any other applications, or other proposed uses. It is the HLRA board – not the county commissioners, or other local elected officials – who have the final say about what becomes of the land. The HLRA is expected to approve a redevelopment plan in November. 

Horsham Township Councilman W. William Whiteside, who also chairs the HLRA board, said a “very high weight” is placed on what the community wants.

“It’s supposed to end the way the community wants to see it end,” Whiteside said.

Besides the hundreds who have filled meeting rooms, mostly to oppose the airport possibility, four municipalities – Hatboro, Horsham, Warminster and Montgomery Township – have passed resolutions against use of the runway. Hatboro-Horsham School District, which is seeking 60 acres to build a school, has also passed a similar resolution.

Regardless of the outcome, Horsham resident Michael Blasek told Castor, “It’s nice to hear that somebody’s listening.”

Blasek, like a handful of other residents, asked for specifics on the economic benefits associated with operating an airport.

“Show me where it’s worked. History has a great way of teaching,” Blasek said. “History tells me it’s going to be a big mistake.”

Castor said he does not have that data and said that more than purported economic benefits needs to be considered.

“I can not make decisions based on the statement ‘economic development will follow,’” Castor said. “What are these so-called economic benefits and are they exclusive to using it as a general aviation airport?”