County officials said yesterday that they will put off introducing in the General Assembly a bill to create a nonprofit authority to run Tipton Army Airfield at Fort Meade as a private airport.
Postponing the creation of the airport authority is not expected to delay the project, said Sam Minnette, Anne Arundel's project manager.
Officials in Anne Arundel and Howard counties are working to create a bicounty airport authority that would operate Tipton at no cost to either county government.
Until the authority is established by state law, the two counties will rely on a legally binding joint operating agreement.
A memorandum of agreement between the two counties to pursue acquisition of Tipton was signed three weeks ago.
The 440-acre Fort Meade airfield was designated surplus during the military's nationwide base closings and realignment, and the Army must dispose of it by the end of 1996. The Federal Aviation Administration favors creating another civilian airport in the region to reduce the number of privately owned planes using Baltimore-Washington International Airport, less than 10 miles from Tipton.
Anne Arundel and Howard officials intended to introduce the airport authority bill during the General Assembly session that begins early next month. But planners working on the project decided that time was running short.
Anne Arundel County Executive John G. Gary has been in office less than a month, and he felt more time was needed to draft the legislation.
"We found out already we were behind the eight ball in getting this thing going," Mr. Minnette said. "It's such an important project. We just didn't want to rush it through."
LPA Group Inc. of Philadelphia is preparing an economic feasibility study that will weigh the costs of operating the airport against its revenue potential. The study is expected to be complete by the end of January, Mr. Minnette said.
Another LPA study that was released in the fall concluded that Tipton was in excellent condition and met or exceeded FAA design standards.
An interim lease allowing private use of the airport probably will be signed by Anne Arundel County next year, a Howard County official said earlier this month.
Private planes might begin using the airport under that interim lease as early as next fall, said Gerald Von Mayer, who is directing the project for Howard County.
Anne Arundel County officials expect to begin soliciting next spring proposals for a private company to operate the airport. The county will lease the airport on an interim basis until the Army completes a cleanup of any toxic or hazardous waste on the land. The Army is expected to transfer ownership of the land to the airport authority in October 1996.
The airport's operation would be subject to conditions set by the Fort Meade Coordinating Council, which include allowing no more than 300 aircraft to be based there and limiting the runway length to 4,000 feet.