Airport Authority Pushes Back on Annexation Plan

What began as a long-term infrastructure project to extend sewer service to the Rutherford County Airport has turned into a debate over control, taxes, and the future of economic growth.

At the November meeting of the Rutherford County Airport Authority, members voiced strong opposition to a proposal by the Town of Rutherfordton to annex the airport property as part of a sewer service agreement.

Airport Director Devon Raisch told the board that the town had added annexation language to a draft memorandum of understanding connected to a federal grant for the project. The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant, with a 20 percent local match from the Dogwood Health Trust, would fund construction of a $5.2 million sewer line extension from Rutherfordton to the airport on Airport Road.

Raisch said annexation is not required under EDA guidelines and warned it could have significant financial consequences.“Annexation would essentially double the taxation on the aircraft at the airfield,” Raisch said. “We already have a hangar owner paying around $11,000 a year in property taxes. That could become $22,000 if the airport were annexed.”

The proposed sewer project, designed by Odom Engineering, includes 9,000 feet of gravity sewer, 14,000 feet of force main, 60 manholes, and a 120-gallon-per-minute lift station. The system would connect with the town’s existing sewer line near Camp Electric and is designed to serve both the airport and five future industrial pad sites planned for Airport Road.

The sewer line has been in planning for years as part of the county’s Airport Master Plan, which calls for industrial growth and aviation expansion on the 266-acre property.

County Manager Steve Garrison, who also serves on the authority, agreed with Raisch that annexation would be a setback.“It makes it very clear that the whole idea of getting sewer is defeating the purpose of our ability to continue to see growth,” Garrison said during the meeting. “It’s defeating all of that — our momentum and our economic development. Right now, we’re as strong as we’ve been in decades.”

Garrison said the airport’s competitive advantage lies in being a lower-cost alternative for aircraft owners compared to nearby municipal airports.

“A lot of people that have airplanes are really taking a strong look at Rutherford County,” he said. “Because of our central location and our affordability, we’re appealing. But if we double their taxes and add another layer of regulation, they’ll go elsewhere.”

Authority members also expressed concern that annexation could bring the airport under Rutherfordton’s zoning ordinances, affecting hangar construction and expansion projects. “Everything we’ve invested — the fuel farm, hangars, and infrastructure — would fall under another layer of regulation,” Garrison said. “We’d be giving away a complete working airport for nothing, and we’d lose the tax base for it.”

Members noted that the town has extended sewer service in other cases — including to local schools and the Tryon International Equestrian Center — without requiring annexation or cost-sharing.

A “white paper” summarizing the authority’s concerns was mentioned during the meeting, but it was not included in the public agenda packet. When requested after the meeting, staff said the document was not available for immediate public inspection. Raisch later confirmed that he would provide a copy once it was available.

No formal vote was taken, but the authority reached consensus to communicate its opposition to annexation to county commissioners and the Town of Rutherfordton.

The engineering report outlines a clear project schedule, with design and permitting expected to take up to nine months once funding is approved, and construction potentially starting by late 2026. The system is designed to handle up to 56,000 gallons per day and has an estimated lifespan of 50 to 100 years, depending on the component.

Raisch said the authority continues to support the sewer project itself, but not if it means giving up county control. “We absolutely support infrastructure improvements,” Raisch said. “But annexation is not in the best interest of the airport or Rutherford County.”

In other business, the authority approved a request from Causebe LLC to build a new 80-by-80-foot private hangar, reported October fuel sales totaling $35,000, and adopted its 2025 meeting calendar.