Burke Lakefront Airport: Submerged Land & Development Feasibility

On January 21, 2026, the Cleveland City Council's Transportation and Mobility Committee convened for the first of a series of hearings regarding the potential closure and redevelopment of the 450-acre Burke Lakefront Airport. The meeting focused on explaining the complex legal and environmental constraints of the site, specifically its status as submerged land and landfill, while outlining the administration's preliminary rationale for closure based on economic impact and public access goals. City officials emphasized that while development is feasible, specific uses have not yet been determined, necessitating further community engagement and detailed planning before any legislative action is taken.

Consent Calendar

• No legislation was presented or voted upon; however, the Committee reviewed the agenda and acknowledged the attendance of Council members and administration staff.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Councilman Dean Polencick (Ward 10): Expressed strong opposition to closing the airport without a proven alternative revenue source. He argued the city is losing jobs (jail) and assets (Browns stadium) and cannot afford to remove a downtown airport that supports the region. He called for a holistic plan ensuring neighborhood benefits and warned against making decisions in a vacuum without verifying if the site is financially viable to redevelop.
• Councilman Austin Davis (Ward 7): Supported the administration's exploration but stressed the need for a clear vision. He emphasized that the site must generate revenue and economic impact to replace the current loss of assets in Cleveland, noting that the current low utilization of the airport represents a "missed opportunity" that must be rectified before closure.
• Councilman Brian Casey (Ward 13): Voiced concern that the administration is "putting the cart before the horse" by pursuing closure without a concrete development plan or full environmental data. He questioned the feasibility of high-density development given the groundwater depth and urged the city to investigate if investment could keep the airport operational to serve the community.
• Councilman Ridger A. Starr (Ward 5): Highlighted the risk of closing the airport without a plan, citing the long-term vacancy of former school sites as a cautionary tale. He questioned whether the Council was formally engaged early enough in the decision-making process and emphasized that the legislative body, not just the executive branch, must decide the site's future.
• Councilman Kevin Bishop (Ward 2): Echoed concerns about closing the airport without a defined goal or financial justification. He questioned the administration regarding the repayment of federal grant obligations (estimated over $9 million) if closure occurs abruptly and demanded clarity on how the city will benefit the entire population, not just developers.
• Daryl Houston (Citizen): Urged the Council to prioritize environmental health and water quality over revenue generation. He expressed concern about dredging material contaminating the water supply and argued the city currently has too many underutilized parks. He criticized the use of taxpayer dollars for preliminary discussions while urgent community safety issues remain unaddressed.
• Councilman Nikki Hudson (Ward 11): Stated she has heard from residents who view the closure as a "missed opportunity" due to a lack of city investment. She asked if the airport could be revitalized through better marketing and investment rather than being abandoned, noting that other subsidized assets like the Highland Golf Course were successfully saved.
• Councilman Slife (Ward 15): Advocated for the Port of Cleveland's mission, warning that dredging material must have a place to go to protect the harbor's economy. He expressed fear that with limited capacity at current disposal sites, the federal government might be forced to dump dredge into the open lake if Burke is closed without a guaranteed alternative like CHERE.

Discussion Items

• Legal Status of Submerged Land: John Hoos (Port Control) and Jessica Trivisano (Mayor's Deputy Chief of Staff) clarified that Burke is comprised of landfill on submerged land owned by the State of Ohio. The City holds a long-term lease (until 2113) but cannot sell the land outright due to the Public Trust Doctrine and Section 45 of the City Charter, which requires a public vote for alienation. Development would occur via long-term ground leases (e.g., 99 years), which finance well but mean the City cannot sell parcels to private individuals as fee-simple ownership (no condos/sales to residents).
• Environmental & Geotechnical Conditions: Scott Skinner (NCWDC) and Marty Kane (Utilities) presented data suggesting the site is relatively clean with few unknowns compared to other Cleveland brownfield sites (e.g., Detroit Shoreway). Runways are highly compacted, making the soil suitable for low-to-medium density development without significant remediation. However, higher-density structures (skyscrapers) or residential uses would require deeper foundations and significant remediation, increasing costs. The City is compiling a comprehensive "due diligence" memo to quantify these findings.
• Utility Capacity: Marty Kane noted that existing electrical and water infrastructure is sufficient for low-density development. However, sanitary sewer capacity is a constraint due to the site being below the main gravity lines, requiring pumping (forced mains). Capacity is determined by the specific end-use; low-density uses are feasible, but high-density residential would require infrastructure upgrades funded by the developer or the city.
• Port Operations & CDFs: The Port of Cleveland explained that three Confined Disposal Facilities (CDFs) exist at Burke. CDF-10B (Army Corps) and CDF-12 (Port-owned) are nearing capacity (CDF-12 expected to be full by 2029). CDF-9 is a recycling facility intended for indefinite use. Closing the airport does not immediately eliminate this need. The Port is designing a new, multi-phase "Chees" (Cuyahoga Harbor Environmental Reclamation and Sustainability) site miles away, with an estimated $300 million in infrastructure costs, to handle dredge material for the next 20 years. Council members debated whether Chees can handle the volume if Burke closes, raising concerns about the river remaining undredged and the potential for federal authorities to dump dredge back into the lake.
• Air Show & Economic Impact: The administration deferred detailed budget analysis to the next hearing but noted that an economic impact study has determined that closing the airport yields a net positive for the city regardless of development density. Regarding the Cleveland National Air Show, officials stated they are exploring how to continue the event using regional airports rather than closing the site entirely.
• Federal Grant Repayment: Councilman Bishop raised the issue of over $9 million in federal grant repayment obligations if the airport closes overnight. The administration confirmed this is a complex logistical issue to be addressed in future hearings alongside the FAA transition of reliever airport status (likely Hopkins or Akron-Canton).

Key Outcomes

• Status of Airport: No decision to close has been made by the Council; the administration is currently in a fact-finding and advocacy phase.
• Planning Timeline: The next hearing is scheduled for February 4 to discuss budget impacts (operating losses of ~$900,000 annually). A third hearing in April will detail the logistics of closure, and a fourth in April will discuss market conditions and conceptual uses.
• Community Engagement: The administration committed to a robust public engagement process over the next four months to solicit community input on desired uses before drafting a master plan.
• Development Constraints: Council members were informed that the site cannot be sold fee-simple; future uses must rely on ground leases, and high-density residential or commercial use will depend on the financial viability of remediation and soil compaction strategies.
• Next Steps: The administration will provide additional data on the environmental due diligence, a map of utility lines, and the economic impact study. A guided tour of the Port's CDFs and the new Chees site is being arranged for Council members.