07-02-08: Navy begins checking on land in Gates, Camden

The Navy began visiting county tax offices in Gates and Camden counties on Tuesday to get permission to look more closely at land being considered for an F/A-18 Super Hornet outlying landing field.

The Navy said the purpose of its tax office visits is to collect copies of the most recent deeds to determine current owners of land parcels for the core area of each proposed site, The effort could take up to three days, not necessarily consecutive, in each county and is also being done at the Virginia sites being considered.

The Navy wants the information so that it will know who to contact if access to a parcel on any of the five potential sites is needed to gather information.

"This action concerns property owners, not residents, and only property owners in the approximate 2,000 acre core area as currently identified at each potential site," the Navy said in statement.

That is the minimum property needed to support construction of the runway and support facilities for an F/A-18 Super Hornet practice landing field. The field would allow pilots to simulates aircraft carrier landings. The field would be used by squadrons at Oceana Naval Air Station near Virginia Beach, Va., and by two Super Hornet squadrons that are expected to be stationed at Cherry Point.