The Operations Committee approved an amendment to the county code (agenda item 2025-0525) allowing DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) to charge landing fees for transient aircraft above a specified weight threshold and asked airport staff to return with recommended fee schedules and revenue projections.

Director Hines described the change as a revenue initiative targeted at transient (non–based) aircraft. “This item . . . amend[s] chapter 6 of article 3 . . . to allow the airport to charge for landing fees at the airport,” Hines said, explaining the proposal would exempt based aircraft, military flights, medical flights and law enforcement operations. The draft ordinance proposes a 9,000-pound maximum takeoff weight threshold for fees; aircraft under that weight would be exempt. Above that threshold the draft breaks into weight classes (9,000–20,000 pounds and above 20,000 pounds) with per-thousand-pound pricing described in the draft structure.

Commissioners asked whether landing fees would reduce activity at PDK; Director Hines said consultations with comparable airports showed no clear evidence of decreased operations and that the fees are used nationwide by general-aviation airports to offset facility and capital costs. Commissioner Latina Bolton asked, “How will the implementation of these fees impact activity at the airport? Do you anticipate it may go down simply because of that?” Hines replied that data from similarly sized airports did not show declines.

The committee approved the ordinance to permit landing fees. The board asked airport staff to provide recommended rates (staff cited a ballpark of about $4 per thousand pounds for the middle weight class as an initial estimate) and an annual revenue projection to guide the commission before finalizing any fee schedule. The airport director is authorized in the draft to set the precise fees; commissioners requested to be briefed on the proposed schedule before rates take effect.