Running the Heber Valley Airport has become more expensive over the years, and the facilities are in need of some updates.
Over the next 20 years, the airport will need to dedicate $4.4 million to capital improvements, including $1.8 million between now and 2030.
To afford those costs, it’s raising fees to generate more revenue. The local Airport Advisory Board made a list of proposed fee hikes, and city staff narrowed it down.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Heber City Council will consider a list of changes including higher landing fees, increased rent for hangars, new parking costs and more. Tuesday’s meeting also includes a public hearing for locals to weigh in before the vote.
If the changes are approved, it will soon be more expensive to land at the Heber airport. The cost will go up by a dollar for every 1,000 pounds of an aircraft’s weight.
Renting a hangar at the airport will cost $2,000 per month, and a new parking fee will be implemented – $100 per vehicle per month.
The biggest changes will be to permit fees at the airport. For aircraft that offer commercial flights, fees will range from $500 to $2,000, depending on total profits. For business ventures on the ground, like rental cars, the airport will charge a fee of 10% of gross income.
The Airport Advisory Board wanted to raise the cost to fuel aircraft, too. That fee has been five cents per gallon since 2012, well below the average for airports its size. Yellowstone, for instance, charges 11 cents per gallon, and Steamboat Springs charges 25 cents. But city staff opted not to raise the fueling fee for now.
Most changes will begin Tuesday after the council’s vote. Changes to annual fees will go into effect Jan. 1.
Details of all changes to Heber Valley Airport fees are available on the city's website, where there’s also information about the public hearing. The city council meeting begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
