This page uses extracted PDF text. Text can misread numbers, dates or table columns. Check the PDF before quoting or interpreting it. Redacted areas remain redacted.
2 | P a g e
Special Reports: Mr. Morello reported that Kimley-Horn, the consultant for the Virginia
Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP) due diligence grant, had completed all items required
for the application for Tier 4 certification except the Preliminary Engineering Reports (PERs) for
ACP West, which is more complicated than ACP East. He stated that the full application will be
submitted to Virginia Economic Development Partnership by EDA staff within the next few
weeks for review. Mr. Morello reported that the next phase will involve preparing to submit an
application in May for a new round of VBRSP grant funding. He said that he and EDA staff have
been considering several AirCommerce Park items, including funding for developing detailed
site plans and obtaining permitting for a 250,000-square-foot facility on ACP East which would
demonstrate feasibility and immediate readiness to prospective manufacturers, for example. He
stated that additional readiness efforts may include completing traffic impact analyses and
developing traffic signalization and infrastructure plans in advance, and that these proactive steps
would be intended to reduce uncertainty, clarify development costs, and improve
competitiveness for attracting prospective industry. Mr. Morello reported that obtaining this
grant funding is a competitive process and limited, with applications evaluated against other
localities’ applications from around the state.
Master Plan Update: Mr. Morello reported that Chair Smith and airport staff, along with
representatives from the FAA and the Department of Aviation, continue to review draft sections
of the Airport Master Plan, including existing and future airport facilities over the near and long-
term planning horizon, landside and airside development, alternative development scenarios, and
environmental review components. Mr. Morello reported that the team will continue reviewing
these components and that the Master Plan consultant, Passero, will present a status update for
the Commission at the April PAC meeting.
Partnership Reports:
Mobile Innovation Center (MIC). Mr. Morello reported on the GO Virginia Mobile Innovation
Center (MIC) grant, a three-year workforce development and technical R&D initiative focused
on beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) capabilities being pursued in partnership with the
Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable and the Cities of Newport News and Hampton. He stated
that he and Florence Kingston had presented the program proposal to the GO Virginia Technical
Review Committee and received positive feedback, advancing the proposal to the GO Virginia
State Board for final review on March 24th in Richmond, where it will be one of 12 applications
considered. Mr. Morello reported that the total project budget is approximately $4.8 million, with
a request for just over $3 million in GO Virginia funding. He said that he will attend the state
board meeting in an observational role and that GOVA Region 5 Board representatives will be
there to respond to questions in accordance with State Board protocol. He expressed satisfaction
with progress made in coordination with the Department of Housing and Community
Development which administers the GO Virginia program. He said that if the grant is awarded,
funding would be available beginning July 1st. Chair Smith noted that it would be important for
the Commissioners to receive a brief presentation from the MIC team on program elements and
timeline in the near future, and Mr. Morello said that he would make the application team aware
of the request.
Jump to an indexed page (6 of 6)