Stricter parking enforcement at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity is necessary to accommodate the growing number of passengers, officials said.
The first few rows of the lot closest to the terminal have long been designated as short-term, three-hour parking, but some visitors were not heeding the small yellow “no overnight parking” signs when using all three of the lot's access points, said Gabe Monzo, executive director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority.
Now, large “no access” signs and poles block through-traffic, so three-hour parking visitors must continue down to the closest driveway near the terminal and enter that way.
Monzo said during the authority's meeting on Tuesday morning that especially just before flights arrive and depart, passengers are taking liberties with the space designations.
“We've been trying to control the three-hour parking. ... We have one security guard stationed up there to try to control that because people keep scooting in,” he said. “We're trying to guide them all to one entrance, one exit area, to get them used to the idea that that's three-hour parking.”
He said the changes may not be permanent while security determines the best solution.
“Some of the things that we're doing are temporary; some of the things that we're doing aren't,” Monzo said.
In other business, Monzo asked the authority to formally accept a $2 million grant for terminal improvements from the state transportation commission, which was announced in December as part of $26 million distributed to aviation and rail facilities.
Monzo said he will have to seek another $2 million in matching funds before final plans for the improvements.
Security, utility and lower-level holding-area renovations outside the gate are being considered for the funding, he said.
He alerted the authority to the need for a new tractor for parking-lot snow removal and grass-cutting. He said a replacement for the 10-year-old, 110-horsepower tractor may cost about $140,000 through the state cooperative purchasing program, COSTARS, rather than bidding out the purchase.
A request to construct a new hangar was submitted to the authority by V.J. Pensiero, reported board member Ed Kilkeary. The request is for a private, noncommercial hangar to measure 100-by-150 feet.
“It's good because it's more capacity, more fuel sales, more money for the authority,” Kilkeary said.
After the committee and authority engineer discuss particulars of the request, the authority can consider a lease, Monzo said.
The authority maintains ownership of the land and will oversee any construction through the lease, Kilkeary said.
Stacey Federoff is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-836-6660 or sfederoff@tribweb.com.
