Bend Airport business owners warn new city rules could shut their doors; city agrees to revisit proposed regulations

(Update: Adding video, comments from airport manager and small businesses)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Some Bend Municipal Airport tenants are warning that the city's proposed update to rules and regulations for airport tenants could cause some aviation businesses based there to move or shut their doors for good. The city now says it's willing to "go back to the table" and revisit the proposal.

The proposed rules update focuses largely on only allowing tenants who provide certain classes of flight training and maintenance for all aircraft repairs.

They said the city has also halted privately owned hangars from renewing ground leases, bringing uncertainty to many small businesses.

"The new document is going to close the doors for small shops like mine -- private instruction is going to end," Bend Aircraft Mechanics owner Bobby Harmon said Wednesday.

 Small business owners would have to have a certificate they say it takes years to get.

"The consensus among all of us is that the city needs to start from scratch, and they need to include the stakeholders and the experts that are out here that know what's best for this community," Harmon said.

The new rules would allow the city to regulate new hangar rentals and work hours for businesses 

Airport Manager Tracy Williams says the new rules are to help growing demand for the airport and that existing hangar rentals will not be affected.

"As demand has recently occurred and is anticipated, will forecast it to continue to grow, we need to be prepared to meet those," Williams said. "So just as any other business would review their business model, that's what the city of Bend is doing."

The required accreditation is a Part 145 Repair Station Certificate. According to the FAA, in order to receive the certificate, businesses have to go through a series of tests and pre-application meetings

Harmon said, "It is going to increase the cost and the bureaucracy involved with getting things done, and so on. Small aircraft, it's difficult to justify that. Me and my business partner, we have a lot of experience working under Part 145 repair station certificates. It doesn't fit our business."

The airport manager says the city is willing to work with business owners at the airport to revise the proposed rules.

Williams said, "We need to go back to the table, roll up our sleeves and revisit how do we now make this mutually beneficial, not only for the long-term sustainability of the city to manage the airport, but how do we also meet the needs of our emerging public and aircraft owners, operators, users, tenants and stakeholders?"

More city information on the rules and regulations update for the airport can be found here; https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/transportation-mobility/bend-municipal-airport/airport-rules-and-regulations

Below is the city document, outlining the new proposed rules and regulations for the airport: