AURORA STATE AIRPORT TO EXTEND RUNWAY 1,000 FEET

In December 2020 the Aurora State Airport Master Plan was approved by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). The plan, which includes an extension of the airport’s Runway 17-35 from 5,000 to 6,000 feet, had been challenged by the cities of Aurora and Wilsonville who questioned the validity of the Master Plan and its compliance with land-use laws.

The LUBA ruling stated that the Master Plan is compatible with the Marion County Comprehensive Plan where it is situated and that there was no need for the Oregon Aviation Board to separately demonstrate compliance.

Aurora Aviation president Bruce Bennett said, “The LUBA decision enables our airport and our businesses to continue to serve local communities with the same mission-critical work we’ve always done.” A spokesman for Friends of Aurora Airport, Dylan Frederick said, “This decision paves the way for critical safety improvements at the Aurora Airport, including the 1,000-foot runway extension contained in the Aurora Airport Master Plan.”