Jet Center Files Part 16 Complaint With The FAA

The Venice Jet Center has filed a complaint with the FAA concerning the City of Venice's denial of permits to build and lease hangars at Venice Municipal Airport. The complaint alleges five violations of federal grant assurances encumbered in the terms of a 1947 quit claim deed agreed to by the city.

Venice Jet Center says other tenants at the airport have been allowed to build and lease hangars, and that the city's actions in denying its permits is discriminatory.

The Charlotte (FL) Sun and Weekly Herald reports that Venice Jet Center also wants the FAA to issue an order that would potentially deny the city millions of dollars in future federal grant money, and suspend payments already earmarked for Venice Municipal for 6 months or until the claims are rectified.

 A Part 16 complaint is not a lawsuit, but a request for fact finding that could result in litigation. The paper reports that the FAA is already conducing an audit of operations at Venice Municipal Airport to assure proper accounting is being followed on other matters.

Neither the city nor the airport responded to the paper.

The complaint claims that the Mayor of Venice and three city council members who all live near the airport are blocking Venice Jet Center's permits for personal reasons, engaging in what Venice Jet Center calls "one stall-tactic after another since May of 2008 to ensure no such construction takes place.”

FMI: www.faa.gov