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Linden and Solberg Airports
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In 1989-1990 township officials in Linden wanted to close municipally-owned Linden Airport and commercially redevelop it. The roadblock was that since the airport had taken Federal funds, by law it was required to remain open as an airport until 2002 - or find a nearby airport who would take its traffic.
In exchange for a fee and upgraded facilities, Solberg Airport offered to take Linden's planes and traffic. Readington was not given a say. The town held meetings attended by hundreds, and led by mayors Mirota and Monaco. Readington contemplated acquiring the airport by condemnation if necessary in order to prevent expansion. The Solbergs insisted that they were not really expanding the airport, and that improvements were for safety reasons.
Residents were also concerned over reverse condemnation - the taking of value of their property - that would be brought on by expansion of the area covered by the Airport Safety and Hazardous Zoning Act of 1983, which restricts activities within 3,000 feet of a runway.
Sound familiar? Most of these articles could have been written yesterday, not 15 years ago.
The issue died only when Linden's mayor was defeated in a re-election bid and the Linden City Council voted down the closure of the airport.
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Hunderdon County Democrat Democrat Readington Twp Wants To Limit Air Traffic (10/5/1989)
Readington Township Committee passed a resolution calling for a site plan before the Solberg Airport runway can be expanded. An improvement project currently underway, paid for by a state Department of Transportation grant, calls for paving the runway to 3735 feet. In a related effort, the township authorized a lawsuit to stop the closure of Linden Airport and plans to transfer its planes and traffic to Solberg.
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Hunderdon County Democrat Crowded Meeting Discusses Solberg Airport Expansion (10/26/1989)
Residents were concerned about expansion of Solberg Airport, prompted by a paving project and speculation that Linden Airport would close and send its planes to Solberg. Assemblyman William Schluter, Congressman Jim Courter, and State Senator Richard Zimmer and Assemblyman Richard Kamin attended. Other items on the agenda included the state's Airport Safety and Hazardous Zoning Act of 1983. Homeowners have complained that their rights have been stripped by the law, which restricts residential zoning within 3,000 feet of a runway.
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Hunterdon Review Officials Await Answers Regarding Airport Deal (11/29/1989)
"What we have here is a big-time real-estate deal" says State Senator Richard Zimmer of the proposal to move Linden Airport to Solberg. "Its clear that aviation is taking a back seat in this." Matt Beherman, chief of staff to Rep. James Courter, referred to a "midnight rider" attached to a transportation appropriations bill by Sen. Frank Lautenberg as permitting Linden to escape from its federal commitments to remain an airport. Readington should have a say in the process, argues Beherman. "If Solberg grows over the course of 20 years, Readington should have a say…but if growth happens overnight…it would have no input." Beherman said the process has been without the public interest receiving the proper consideration.
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Hunderdon County Democrat Readington To Fight Solberg As Repacement Airport (5/24/1990)
Readington responds to an announcement that the FAA has designated Solberg as a potential replacement for Linden over the town's objections. Despite the plans to expand Solberg to accommodate Linden's aircraft, Suzy Nagle says its not an expansion, but just a "paving" of current runways which would make them safe and more usable.
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Courier News Greased Runways (5/24/1990)
As far as airports are concerned, the feds control what goes on overhead and the state controls what happens on the ground. Municipalities can only enforce provisions of the state's 1983 Air Safety and Hazardous Zoning Act. Among other things, it bars new development of property within 3,000 feet of a runway. Local officials in Readington can only grumble about the prospective increase in private planes overhead; they have no jurisdiction in this deal.
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Courier News Solberg Airport To Take Over For Linden (6/1/1990)
Linden announces that Solberg Airport will take over for Linden airport, which Linden officials want to close and redevelop. Readington officials and residents express opposition to any expansion. Solberg would expand and widen its main runway, pave the crosswind runway, construct hangars, taxiways, and aprons, and expand the parking area.
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The Star Ledger Solberg Airport Agrees To Alternative Use Plan (6/2/1990)
A "letter of intent" has been signed by the owners of Solberg Airport agreeing to its use as an alternative airfield for Linden if Linden pays for its modifications. The letter said that alterations could be made to Solberg to meet Linden's requirements "without expansion or adverse local impact." In payment, Solberg Aviation shall receive an unspecified amount of money. The airport consultant estimated that improvements required would cost $14.9 million.
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Courier News Airport Merger May Lead To Crowded Skies Over Readington (6/2/1990)
In exchange for a pledge to remain open until 2002, Solberg stands to gain millions of dollars from Linden to finance runway paving projects and other improvements. Suzanne Nagle says that Readington officials will have no legal grounds to block the move. Linden's mayor Werkmeister says "They (Readington) certainly have a right to object to it, but legally, the state has the final say in the matter."
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Hunderdon County Democrat Residents, Committee To Fight Airport Growth (6/7/1990)
Two hundred residents angry over the prospective expansion of Solberg Airport to accept traffic from Linden Airport show up at a township meeting. The Township Committee is reported to be considering buying Solberg Airport as a municipal airport to keep it recreational. If it replaces Linden, it would accommodate both commercial and recreational traffic.
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Courier News Up In The Air (6/8/1990)
Up In The Air, Courier-News June 8, 1990. Solberg characterizes Readington's reaction to the proposal to effectively move Linden Airport to Readington as "hysteria." Reaction in Readington to the proposal to move Linden Airport to Solberg is "swift and defiant." The town reveals a plan to buy Solberg Airport with federal and state funds and maintain the current level of service. Sound familiar? Solberg says the expansion to accommodate Linden's planes will not affect the type or number of planes using the airport - just how safely they operate. Once again, "safety" is used to justify airport expansion that in turn brings bigger planes. Thor acknowledges that some residents are afraid the deal represents a step towards a jetport. "That's not the current intention" he said. "At this point, I don't think (Readington) needs that sort of facility. I don't think that it will ever need that kind of facility, either. This just seven years before creating a master plan in 1997 to turn Solberg into a major jetport.
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Hunderdon County Democrat Mayor Of Linden Defeated In Bid For Another Term (6/7/1990)
Linden Mayor Paul Werkmeister, who has been leading the effort to close Linden Airport and replace it with Solberg, was defeated in his bid for re-election. Werkmeister's defeat was ultimately instrumental in helping to defeat the proposal to close Linden Airport.