RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Airports in Virginia have come out against a pair of bills they said would take away local authority to warn would-be homebuyers of airplane noise.
Specifically, they oppose SB354 and HB467, which eliminate a local government’s right to implement a mandatory disclosure requirement for a real estate transaction.
The Virginia Airport Operators Council said it’s vital to let homeowners know that they may be in a flightpath that is miles away from the end of a runway.
“Airports, we operate best when we are good neighbors,” said council president Nick Sabo, “and one of the ways we do that is to ensure citizens are aware of the impacts and the effects of living near an airport.”
However supporters of the bill, which includes the Virginia Realtors, said they want to the Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act to be the sole authority on what home sales disclosures are required.
“This bill will ensure that real estate licensees, buyers and sellers have one place to go to find out which disclosures must be made, to make them and who needs to make them in a real estate transaction,” said State Sen. Mamie Locke, (D-Hampton), the Senate bill’s patron. “That’s what it does.”
Currently, the Virginia Property Disclosure Act does require disclosures for military airports, but not commercial ones.
Del. Marcus Simon (D-Fairfax), the patron on the House of Delegates’ side, said he is open to a study to add the airport disclosure to the act.
