Update: March 5, 2011

Revised Hillsboro Airport Zoning Ordinance Process Underway

Following reversal by LUBA and the Oregon Court of Appeals of its pro-aviation zoning plan, the City of Hillsboro is moving forward with a revised Hillsboro Airport zoning ordinance. There is a limited window for public input in this process.

Update: January 19, 2011

U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Hearing Challenge to Hillsboro Airport (HIO) Third Runway Proposal

The hearing in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit No. 10-70718 Petitioners Michelle Barnes, Patrick Conry and Blaine Ackley vs Respondents the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Port of Portland (Intervenor-Respondent) has been scheduled.

Update: December 7, 2010

Court of Appeals Agrees with LUBA: Hillsboro Airport's Zoning Goes back to the Drawing Board

The Oregon Court of Appeals issued a final order in Barnes v. City of Hillsboro on November 24, 2010, upholding LUBA's rejection of the zoning changes to over 7,000 properties in the vicinity of the Hillsboro Airport.

Update: November 1, 2010

Hillsboro Airport Zoning - Oregon Court of Appeals Briefs

Michelle Barnes (Respondent) vs. City of Hillsboro and Port of Portland (Petitioners)
The Oregon Court of Appeals hearing on this case was held on 10/7/10 in Salem. The court is expected to announce their decision within the next month or two.

All Briefs Filed on the Hillsboro Airport Third Runway Challenge

Sean Malone and Andrew Orahoske represent the Petitioners, Patrick Conry, Blaine Ackley, and Michelle Barnes, in their challenge to a proposed third runway at the Hillsboro Airport. On 9/27/10, in response to the briefs submitted by the Respondents, attorneys for the Petitioners presented arguments on several key points, including the FAA's failure to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Update: July 27, 2010

Challenge to Hillsboro Airport Third Runway Proposal Update

On July 12, 2010 attorneys Sean Malone and Andrew Orahoske submitted an Opening Brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Case No. 10-70718 Michelle Barnes, Patrick Conry, and Blaine Ackley v. the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the Port of Portland intervening on behalf of the FAA challenging the Environmental Assessment (EA) and the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Hillsboro Airport Parallel Runway Project, as issued by the FAA on 1/8/10.

City of Hillsboro and Port of Portland Appeal LUBA Decision

The Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) on June 30, 2010 in Barnes v. City of Hillsboro and the Port of Portland, LUBA No. 2010-011 reversed the Hillsboro Airport Overlay Zones and Airport Use Zone on all three counts:

Update: July 4, 2010

LUBA Ruling Prevents Unlawful Takings by the City of Hillsboro and the Port of Portland

The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals ("LUBA") issued a final order in Barnes v. City of Hillsboro, LUBA No. 2010-011 on June 30, 2010 in favor of petitioner's appeal, reversing the City's rezoning of over 7,000 parcels located within 6,000 feet of the Hillsboro Airport...This case prevents the City from overreaching in its efforts to grant the airport widespread access to neighboring property to directly and adversely impact new development which may not even affect airport operations.

Update: May 22, 2010

Legal Challenges to Hillsboro Airport Expansion

At present there are two important citizen-initiated legal actions related to the Hillsboro Airport: a land use appeal and a third runway challenge.

Update: April 15, 2010

Citizens Challenge Hillsboro Airport Expansion

Three private citizens are challenging the Federal Aviation Administration's approval of a new, third runway at Hillsboro Airport. The residents request that the court set aside the Federal Aviation Administration's decision and direct the agency to comply with federal environmental law by preparing an Environmental Impact Statement.

Update: February 18, 2010

Hillsboro Airport Zoning Change Precipitates Appeal to Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals

If you live in or own one of the approximately 6,500 properties impacted by this change, the Port of Portland now controls many aspects of what you can do with your property, rendering you even more vulnerable to the significant noise, pollution, negative health impacts, safety and security risks posed by the Hillsboro Airport.

Update: December 3, 2009

Unnecessary Third Runway at Hillsboro Airport Constitutes Misuse of Public Funds

The Port of Portland and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have failed to establish any need whatsoever for a third runway at Hillsboro Airport (HIO). As a result, plans to invest $17 million in taxpayer monies on this wasteful and totally unnecessary pork barrel extravagance should be immediately halted.

Update: March 6, 2009

Stop Squandering Taxpayer Dollars on For-Profit Private Aviation

Invest instead in public transportation, education, and the social services.

Update: September 8, 2008

Private Aviation Feeds at Public Trough

Commercial airline passengers are now expected to pay fees to check their luggage. Meanwhile, billions in federal funds have been spent to fix up remote airports that primarily serve private jets.

Update: June 26, 2008

Congress and FAA fiddle while airlines burn

FAA and Congressional Committee analyze the elephant - but fail to identify it.

On June 9, 2008, the American Working Group on National Policy, Inc. (AWGNP) issued a negative and critical review of Your Flight Has Been Delayed, a report by the Congressional Joint Economic Committee (JEC).

Update: April 14, 2008

Aviation Industry Taps Educational Dollars

There was a time when the author would have wholeheartedly favored a Portland Community College bond levy. Unfortunately the Rock Creek Aviation Sciences program, which has foisted unrelenting noise, pollution, safety and security risks on area residents, has severely eroded this voter's commitment.

Hillsboro Airport Issues Roundtable Caters to Aviation Industry

The Port of Portland states that the Hillsboro Airport Issues Roundtable (HAIR) "represents the airport's diverse stakeholders." What, exactly, does the Port mean by diversity?

Update: September 26, 2007

GA Airports, Flight Training, and 9/11

More than 6 years after the 9/11 attack very little has been done to mandate security guidelines at general aviation airports—even though 75% of the air traffic in this country is classified as general aviation.

Update: August 13, 2007

Climate Warming, A New Look

General aviation significantly increases the contribution of aviation activity to global warming—a news release from the American Working Group for National Policy, Inc. (awgnp@comcast.net).

Update: June 20, 2007

Public Subsidizing Private Aviation

Oregon Senate Bill (SB) 807, sponsored by Senator Betsy Johnson, had provisions by which surrounding communities could have been taxed on behalf of rural airport owners and operators eager to line their pockets at public expense.

Public Subsidizes Corporate Jets at Oregon's North Bend Airport

The New York Times reports that "Airline passengers and lottery players are paying for a $31 million expansion of the North Bend Airport to serve the 5,000 business jets that arrive each year, filled almost entirely with golfers."

Update: April 23, 2007

Public Subsidies for Airports Benefit Few

The Hillsboro Airport Master Plan reveals the intent of the Port of Portland in league with the FAA to gouge taxpayers across this land for $126 million dollars over the next 15 years to finance improvements at this "executive" general aviation airport which primarily caters to corporate jet interests, flight training, and general aviation hobbyists. And what do we as members of the public receive in return for this bestowal of corporate welfare?

Update: January 2, 2007

The Port of Portland: A Major Overhaul is Long Overdue

Ever wonder why the Port of Portland seems unresponsive to citizen concerns? One reason may be that, unlike all the other port authorities in the state of Oregon, the Port of Portland's commissioners are not elected by the people they supposedly represent.

Update: December 6, 2006

Washington County Aviation Accidents

Washington County has been the site of at least 72 aviation accidents, more than twice as many as Portland, since 1986 even though Washington County in its entirety has a smaller population than the City of Portland.

Hillsboro's Aviation Accidents Far Greater Than Portland's
General Aviation Pilots More Accident Prone than Commercial Pilots
Student Pilots Involved in Nearly Half of Hillsboro's Aviation Accidents

and more ...

Update: November 16, 2006

New Links

See the Government page for several new links to chapters of the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) relating to land use and transportation. We've also added a link on the Noise page for the Washington County Noise Control Task Force, which studied noise management in unincorporated Washington County from 2003 to 2005.

Update: September 13, 2006

On Airport Expansion and the Washington County Fair Board

At first glance the link between Washington County airport expansion and the Washington County Fair Board is not entirely evident. However a glimpse beneath the surface, in conjunction with a review of pertinent documentation, reveals some disturbing undercurrents with Richard Vial, the Chair of the Fair Board, as a significant connecting link.

Update: August 8, 2006

Aviation Accidents in Oregon

The fiery explosion last month in a residential area when an airplane departing the Hillsboro Airport crashed in a nearby neighborhood has understandably caused many residents to ponder the dangers that aviation activities pose to their lives and to their properties...

Update: June 20, 2006

Aviation Noise: Health and Learning Impacts

Washington County residents are subjected to the noise pollution of more aircraft operations than any other county in the entire state of Oregon...

Past Updates