HD54 - Dulles Airport Economic Study Commission


Executive Summary:
The Dulles Airport Regional Economic Study Commission was created during the 1994 Regular Session of the Virginia General Assembly by passage of House Joint Resolution No. 176. It was charged with reviewing development plans, trends, and potentials of Washington/Dulles International Airport and the surrounding region in order to minimize conflicts while maximizing mutually supportive growth both on and off Airport property. The time required for the appointment of eight citizen members - representing a specific entity or interest - and the convening of special sessions of the legislature in July and September limited what the Commission could accomplish in only one year. However, owing in large measure to the assistance of a specially appointed Subcommittee, the full Commission was able to obtain a considerable overview of the Dulles Airport region's economic development strengths and weaknesses. The panel submitted an interim report to the 1995 Session of the General Assembly. As recommended in this report, the legislature extended the Commission's mandate for an additional year.

In spring of 1995, the Commission resumed its work through a technical working group appointed by the Chairman. Under the aegis of this working group, several additional panels gathered data and formulated recommendations. The threads of these panels were gathered and woven by the working group into an integrated report presented to the full Commission in the fall of 1995. After a review and discussion of this report, the Commission decided to incorporate the working group's report in the Commission' s report to the Governor and General Assembly for informational purposes (see appendices).

The Commission's single legislative recommendation (see appendices) is a resolution requesting Fairfax and Loudoun Counties to examine the data and proposals contained in the working group's report and promptly implement those recommendations that fall within their responsibility and legislative competence, particularly those recommendations related to land use planning and development of real estate likely to be affected by airport and aircraft noise.