PERRYVILLE TO REPLACE FLOODED AIRPORT HANGAR

PERRYVILLE -- Federal Emergency Management Agency funds will be used to help construct a $359,000 building to replace Hangar Number 3 at the Perryville Municipal Airport.

The City of Perryville, which owns the airport, is currently seeking a flood plains development permit from the Perry County Commission to construct the replacement structure.

Hangar Number 3, a World War II-era wooden structure, was destroyed during the Flood of 1993, when raging waters from the Mississippi River flooded the airport.

The new structure, about 200 feet by 120 feet, will be built on the site of the former hangar and will be used by Sabreliner Corp., a St. Louis-based aircraft maintenance and refurbishing company, as a warehouse for parts.

The city owns all airport property, but Sabreliner leases the property and buildings on the property for its operation. Sabreliner owns the equipment inside the buildings.

The city will have to adhere to certain guidelines in order to receive necessary approval by the Perry County Commission to build the new structure.

"The architect is in the process now of making some revisions to the original plans," said Perryville City Administrator Craig Lindsley. "When completed, the new plans will be forwarded to the county commission.":

The ground elevation where the new building will be located is at 372. The base flood elevation at the site is 390.

State Emergency Management Agency officials met with city and county officials recently to discuss the plans for a conditional permit that would allow the construction without jeopardizing the county's status in the National Flood Insurance Program, administered by FEMA.

SEMA officials said the commission could grant a variance for construction of the new building under certain conditions.

The commission will require that the new structure be elevated 18 feet to base flood elevation, or "wet flood-proofed," to be in compliance with the county's flood plain management ordinance.

A wet flood-proof structure is constructed of flood resistant materials and designed to allow for automatic entry and exit of flood waters through the use of openings.

The county, in accordance with SEMA, said certain conditions must be met before the commission would approve the variance and issue a flood plain development permit for the proposed building.

Under the conditions, the city must provide proof of insurance on the structure and its contents.

An emergency plan must be established that demonstrates how and when the contents of the structure will be removed. The emergency plan must be tied to specific data such as a river stage or decision by the county's emergency manager, and a plan must be established for administrative review by the county on the use of the proposed structure.