The Livingston Parish airport project began originally in 2003 as the parish’s leadership had the vision of working toward a potential airport site and development plan. Legislative approval was secured for original funding for a site study, which was conducted by the professional aviation planner who helped to develop Louisiana Regional Airport in Gonzales.
By 2011, the state had funded a master layout plan that reviewed all FAA requirements, including the consideration of possible alternate sites, to determine that the property south of I-12 near the Satsuma Exit was the most suitable location. At that time, the most suitable property was owned by the Weyerhaeuser Company.
By 2015, Businessman Garry Lewis had purchased the property and entertained requests from the parish to donate 242 acres for the purpose of developing the airport. The council created the Livingston Parish Airport District in 2016 and commissioned its members with the task of securing the property and undertaking the process of constructing an airport in Livingston Parish.
Since 2016, LPAD has secured the following:
· Obtained an environmental assessment of the property with no objections;
· Secured ownership of 242-plus acres and an entrance road;
· Enacted an LP Council Ordinance zoning the airport site, regulating, and protecting its land and airspace for operation as an airport; this ordinance pre-dates and stands independent of any zoning maps recently considered by the LP Council.
· Received FAA recognition of the airport’s airspace with the FAA officially declaring to have no objections to the construction and operation of an airport at that location;
· Have the Livingston Executive Airport recognized in the State Aviation System, receiving aviation funding and upon its opening date, the airport will be a state managed public airport;
· Obtained the US Corps of Engineers approved wetlands permit for Phase 1 construction on the property, receiving no objections from state agencies and/or the public;
· Obtained state aviation funding and state economic development funding for construction.
Livingston is the fastest growing parish in the state, yet it is 1 of only 2 parishes statewide WITHOUT an airport.