BRAC News
BRAC News article from HRRA newsletter
By HRRA May Newsletter excerpt
May 11, 2006, 09:29

As you know, the BRAC issue continues on. There are no solid conclusions as of yet, but this article recently showed up in the May & June issues of the Hampton Roads Realtors Association newsletter...

MAY 2006 ARTICLE
Oceana & BRAC - As you probably read in the newspaper or heard on the news
this week, the Department of Defense's (DOD) Inspector General has ruled
that the cities of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake and the Commonwealth of
Virginia have not complied with the BRAC directive regarding Oceana. The
non-compliance ruling stems from the fact that Virginia Beach refused to
include a sweeping condemnation package as part of its compliance plan. It
is important to note several things regarding the future of Oceana. For anyjets to move to Cecil Field in Jacksonville, the city of Jacksonville and the state of Florida MUST
1) evict numerous corporate tenants from the former Cecil Field property;

2) transfer title on the Cecil Field property to the Navy fee simple; and

3) spend at least $250 million to construct infrastructure, including military housing, for the Navy.

Jacksonville and Florida have until December 31, 2006 to accomplish all of these tasks, and the DOD's Inspector General must certify their plan by June 1, 2007.
Jacksonville's Mayor has reiterated that city's position that they will not
pursue Oceana's jets.

JUNE 2006 ARTICLE

Oceana & BRAC - Despite rumors to the contrary, please note that it is
almost impossible for North Carolina or Texas to "win" the jets from Oceana
under the terms of the BRAC directive regarding Oceana even though both
states have expressed their interest in the jets. The BRAC directive
specifically named Cecil Field in Jacksonville as the only eligible facility
to receive Oceana's jets. Therefore, it is not possible for the jets to
move anywhere other than Cecil Field unless Congress intervenes and passes
legislation directing the Navy to move the jets to another location, which
would be an unprecedented action in the BRAC process. In order for the jets
to move to Cecil Field, Florida must put together a plan that evicts
corporate tenants, turn over Cecil Field to the Navy fee simple, and fund
new buildings to house Navy personnel at Cecil Field. The package must be
presented to the Department of Defense's Inspector General by the end of
December 2006.

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