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A Planning Advisory Committee recently completed its ninth and final meeting about an update to the , which this time focuses on terminals, access to the airfield and other amenities that are open for community use.

Steve Nagy, senior manager of general aviation airports for the Port of Portland, said the previous master plan update centered on upkeep to the airfield and other infrastructure. The current update explores how the community will use the airport in the next 20 years and beyond.

鈥淭hat also equates to the community around us, so this will lead to a lot of discussions and partnering with the city of Hillsboro and Washington County about their vision for the future on their sides of the street as well,鈥� Nagy said.

The master plan update process started in February 2017 and has examined the role of the airport, existing assets and facilities, alternatives for future development, and options for ongoing public engagement on airport matters. The 2005 Master Plan was used as the foundation for the study, and it will lead to creation of an Airport Layout Plan that is a visual depiction integrating existing and future airport facilities along with a capital plan to forecast investments needed for the improvements.

In addition to community access, the update also will take into consideration seismic resiliency, stormwater, noise and air quality, and focused site planning.

Community involvement included workshops, open houses and online open houses. The Planning Advisory Committee consists of 18 members representing diverse airport interests and explored economic development, sustainability and equity in the process. The focus on equity included diversity of committee members, partnership with community organizations, and multilingual and culturally specific outreach.

The Port of Portland calls Hillsboro Airport an integral part of the region’s transportation system. It is home to local corporate flight departments, aircraft charter services for business travel, air ambulance services, television news helicopters, flight schools, aircraft maintenance and repair operations, a corporate air shuttle service, and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection office for international flights. More than 25 businesses operate at the airport. In 2017, the airport supported more than 210,000 flights, making it the second busiest airport in the state.

鈥淪upporting the continued success of the Hillsboro Airport is a Hillsboro City Council priority, as is the city’s continued partnership with the Port of Portland,鈥� said Colin Cooper, director of the city’s Planning Department, adding the airport provides approximately 1,400 jobs in the community.

鈥淲e’ve appreciated this opportunity to actively participate on the Hillsboro Airport Master Plan Update Committee to help ensure the airport’s long-term viability by dedicating more land for industrial development, along with replacing the existing terminal building,鈥� he said.

The airport was established in 1928, and privately operated. It was later purchased by the city of Hillsboro; the port assumed operations in 1966. The airport has three runways, a Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control tower and an instrument landing system.

The most recent economic impact study shows that the airport generated 1,472 jobs at the airport and in the community, $83.5 million in personal income, and $107.4 million in business revenue, according to the Port of Portland.