The division, counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions of this State which have established airports which acquire, lease or set apart real property for these purposes may:

1. (1) construct, equip, improve, maintain and operate airports or vest authority for the construction, equipment, improvement, maintenance and operation of it in an officer, board or body of the political subdivision, the expense of the construction, equipment, improvement, maintenance and operation to be a responsibility of such political subdivision;
2. (2) adopt regulations and establish charges, fees and tolls for the use of such airports fix penalties for the violation of such regulations and establish liens to enforce payment of such charges, fees and tolls; and
3. (3) lease these airports to private parties for operation or lease to private parties for operation space, area, improvements and equipment on such airports provided in each case that in so doing the public is not deprived of its rightful, equal, and uniform use of it.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 2-116; 1952 Code Section 2-116; 1942 Code Section 7112-35; 1937 (40) 466; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1293, eff July 1, 1993; 2010 Act No. 288, Section 1, eff June 29, 2010; 2012 Act No. 270, Section 4, eff June 18, 2012.

Effect of Amendment

The 1993 amendment substituted "division" for "Commission".

The 2010 amendment twice deleted "not exceeding twenty-five years" following "term" in subsection (3).

The 2012 amendment deleted "or landing fields" following "airports" throughout the section; substituted "these airports" for "for a term such airports or landing fields" at the beginning of subsection (3); and, made other, nonsubstantive, changes.

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Encyclopedias

2 S.C. Jur. Aviation and Airports Section 4, Regulation of Airports.

Attorney General's Opinions

The City of Aiken must act with reasonable care to make sure members of the public have rightful, equal and uniform use of the Aiken Municipal Airport. S.C. Op.Atty.Gen. (Sept. 19, 2011) 2011 WL 4592374.

The Aeronautics Commission does not have authority to sell land acquired and owned by it for airports and landing fields. 1963-64 S.C. Op.Atty.Gen. No. 1797, p 282.