BEAUMONT — Two sections of property fronting the Jack Brooks Regional Airport will be appraised for fair market value in the coming weeks.

Jefferson County Commissioners gave the green light for Cook & Associates Inc. to provide an appraisal of 23.8 acres and 16.4 acres of airport frontage property for a cost not to exceed $2,800.

Alex Rupp, airport director, said the area is in two sections divided by the new entrance road. If work starts next week, then the county should receive the figures back in four to six weeks, he said.

Having the proper appraisal values are important and a good starting point for lease negotiations.

Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick said there are some people interested in leasing some of the land, hence the importance of the valuations.

Commissioners have the duty to use good efforts to make the property income-producing and to use any rents collected for the airport property and not for other operations of government.

Some background

The airport property was the focus of an annexation war of sorts in the 1960s when Port Arthur, Nederland and Beaumont vied for it.

Part of the agreement that came out of this was that the airport property would not be touched. Then, in 2010 the city of Nederland worked out an agreement with other cities and the county allowing Nederland to annex the property for economic development.

Plans for The Landing, a proposed retail area with shops, hotel and offices did not take off, and last year the Commissioners opted not to renew a lease with GLOW Investment Group.

The Nederland Economic Development Corporation had been working with GLOW since 2016 to bring the development to the airport property.