08-14-1942 Minutes
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VmGINIA: At an adjourned meeting of II
the Board of Supervisors of
Chesterfield County, held at i
the Courthouse on AUfust 14, I.
1942, at 8;00 o'clock R.M.
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Presen t:
H. T. Goyne, Chainuan Pro ~em
'11. .D. "atkins
J. G. liening
P. W. (.;ovington
Absent: H. L. Chalkley
.i. il.. Horner
On r:lotion of Lfr. J. 1... hening, L:r. ..... T.Ooyne, was elected Chairman Pro tern.
The ChaiIt'J.an called the Llesting to order and re!lue sted the Executive ~ecretary tl
to state the purp,ose of tr.e special meeting. who referreu same to the COrnr.J.onwea1t 's
....ttorney. 'rhe l.ioIDllOnwea1th's .ti.ttorne~ reported that on .August ll, 1942, the
Board of ciupervi sors had passed an emergency ordinance concerning the location 01'1
certain enterprises within the bounds of Chesterfield County and according to
terms of that ordinance application had been made by the Richmond ~ir Transport
and Sales Corporation for a permit to establish a treining airport on the '~h~r~Y1
property near Robious to the Zoning Comrassion. which after due consiueration
had been reported to the Board of Supervisors for their consideration, in a
report as follows:
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"This day the Executive Secreta y pressnteu to this COInLlission an
application of the Richmond .nir Transport and Sales Corporation
for permit to construct, maintain and operate an airport and
other related ser~ices on that tract of land in l~dlothian District
known as the "I/herry" tractt v:hich applicat.ion was filed with the
said Executive Secretary in pursuance .nth the requirements of an
Ordinance adopted by the Board of 8tlpervisors of Chesterfield
County, on h.ugust 11,1942, and in \lhich Ordinance the L.oning
Com: .ission of this County Was designated as the agency to Llalre a
study of the applications contemplated in said Ordinance and to
report to tLe said Board of dupervisors its findings and its
recommendation as to whether or not the said permit requested in
the said application should be granted or denied. ....fter hearing
from Hr.O. F.H8.r.lilton. Treasurer of the Richmond Air 'fransport
and Salas Corporat ion in support of the application filed J and
from numerous citizens of the County in opposition to the granting
of the permit so requested, this Conr~ission takes under consideration
the said application for said permit.
Upon consideration whereof it doth find tl18t tLe Richnond Air
Transport and Sales Corporation proposes to lease the premises
d~cribed in the npplicetion for the purpose of:
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(1) Operation of an airport, airport land area and to erect all I
necessary buildinfs incident to such operation I
(2) '.1.1: at it proposes to operate the same as a connercial airport. '
trainipg members of the arn;' and navy on a contract ba:--,is wi th I
the Civilian Aeronautical ...a.ninistration I
(3) That the training or schooling of private individuals to the '
extent the" the facilities nifht permit the some and the application I
of such individuals to be trained affords I
(4) That the proposal is one of a cornnercia1 contract I
(5) l'hat the Goverwaent of the l,nited States of America has not
indio.ated.,:to this Conuaission or to any other colistituted authority I
that this proposed landing field is indispensible for the Government'sl
vmr effort i
(6) '11hat the nearness of the Droposed field to tre University of '
Hichmond is not an essential matter because this opel'ation was I
conducted formerly and is being conducted at the Byrd Airport for the
basing of the planes from whence said planes fly to Nestview Airport I'
for actual flip)J.t in re cen t weeks; formerly, however. the whole ,
oper!:l tion WUE; condu cted at Byrd .hirport. which airport is about i
douhle the distance from the Universi ty of l(iclunond than that I
distance of the proposed field is fr,om the University of Richmond I
(7) 'ihat the proposeu airport is ri(:ht in the heart of one of the
best residential sections of the 00unty for present use and future
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development \ , " ' i
(8) ''''hat unuer the oUonine- ur6.inf:nce no\'l about to be completed and
finally submitted to the Do[,rd of uupervisors of Chesterfield
County. the said proposed. area is in a zone where airports
are prohibited except by special permission
(9) '.I.'hat where permission is granted for the establishment and
operation of an airport at this location it would be uncertain as to
the duration of t.lie occupancy of the area by the said commercial
operation, the same couldbe continued by the request of' some
governmental aeency:
Therefore. on motion of J,-. h.. Hissimer, and seconded by J .B. .iatkins.Jr.
it is resolved by the ~oning Conmission of Chesterfield County,
Virginia. that it be, 8nd it hereby is,recommended to the Board of
Supervisors of Chesterfie~d County, Virginia. that the application of
the .ri.ichmond ....ir Transport and 8a1es Corporation for a permit to
operate an airport. landinf field and other related activities on
that certain tract of land in Chesterfield ~ounty kno,vn as the
"\iherrylt property, bounded on the north by .haute 14?, und on
the so uth by the Sou thern Rai 1 way, be denied."
J. B. ,;;...TEINS. JR. SEClllliTn...1iY
ZOlUNG COl:rIISSION OF C:r~ESTLRFIEL.i.i
VIRGINIa "
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\.hereupon, the Chairman requested thet anyone who cured to night speak in
behalf of the application:
"hereupon, lIr. 0.1. Hamilton, Treasurer of the hichm.ond ""ir '.cransport and
Sales <":orporation reviewed the case and application and asked permission to
present other representatives who were familiar with technical arrall€ements
of such a program. Having been given permission, Ensign John Mapp.
from the Naval Procurement Depot, stoted that there was a real need for this
type of training as the larger naval air training stations did not have the
capacity to train pilots as rapidly as planes were being produced. ;:;>tating
that there were at least 600 such training schools in the United states.
~.:r. Hamilton also presented Major Henson, who is Director of Army Air Operations
at Byrd Airfield, who stated thet howevef desirable and important this training
was, it was impossible to be kept at. the Byrd Airport alon€" v;ith other governnen
activities~ therefore. he had reluctantly requested the Ricrur.ond ~ir Transport
and S~les ~orporation to transfer their activities to different fields not laterl
than ~eptember 1. 1942.
I.:ajor Henson presented Dr. McDaniel of the University of Richmond. who is
serving as Coordinator in this training program, who stated thot no matter
how Luch it might inconvenience the residents of Chesterfield County.he felt
that it was the patriotic duty of these residents to permit this training
to be cojlducted wi thin thet araa.
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1~. R.Stuart ~oyer. a resident of Eon Air RndRobious section objected to I
locating the training field in that area. stating that he felt that the citizens
of Chesterrield were just &s patriotic as in any other section but thlit he did
not believe thet it was the only location which would serve in this particular
instance.
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l.!r. J. b. fatton. stated that he had objected severely from the beginning and al
along but that he would not enter a protest at this time. He felt that he
was willing to make a sacrifice, having received his "Hinfs" and having been
an instructor in 1918, he still pledged allegiance to such a program, but still
~lt that some other location could probably be found.
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Uhereupon, Er. Hamilton, called on Mr. Fleming of a Heal l:.state iJonpany. who
stated that an extensive and exhausti~e search had been made and stated that
this was the only availab le location that had been found vlhich could be
converted for this use by Septe!'1ber 1. 1942.
Upon consideration whereof and on notion of J.G. Hening, it is resolved that the
Chairman appoint the entire board a a Con.mittee to consider the recomnendations
Dnd report after a recess.
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The Board recessed at 10:CO p.m.
'.l.'he Board was called to order at lO:25 p.m. antt the fo110\;inr report was
made:
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'.l.'his day therewas presented to this Board an applicatiou. of the
Hichmond ~ir '.l.'ransport and Sales Corporation for a permit to cunstruct,
maintain, and operate an airport, airport landing, landinF field and related
activities. and the findings and recommendation of the :i.oning CO!'1mission of
Chesterfield Guunty to which said application hBd been beferred. ,~d after
hearing ~r. O. L. Hamilton. Treasurer. of the Richmond ~ir Transport and
dales Corporation, and others in support of the 'application. and nUr1erous
citizens of Bon Air and vicinity in opposition thereto, this Board feels that
the purpose and Objects of the Richmond Air Transport and Sales Corporation
are eminently worthy and desirable and nece ssary. but that it does not appear
that o~he area involved is indispensible for such purposes and objects.
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Therefore. on motion of T. D. Watkins. seconded by J. G. Hening, it is
resolved that the permit applied for in the appld.cation filed for the
construction, operation and I:Ja.i ntenance of an airport, airport landiI1€':. landinf
field and other related activities the 1I~:herry" property. bounded on the
Horth by Route f/147 , arid on the ~outh by the i30uthern Railway, be denied.
The attention, of' the Board. was called by the Executive Secretary
tlw t therE; was a sum of :;';500.00 included in the budget for use by the
Office of Civilian Defense, and thet there hpd been a request that certain
.money be used for emblems to be plu' ed on vehicles used in this Hork. On
r.lOtion of J. G. Hening. it is re sol Yea. that the Executive secretary, be ,and
he hereby is permitted to spend a sum not to exceed .fl00.00 for emblems for
vehicles used in OCD work.
Ordere d that the meeting be now ad journed until 10: 00 a.m. September
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