WestJet has hit a pocket of turbulence as it moves forward with plans to build a new hangar facility at Vancouver International Airport.

The airline, positioned as Canada's leading low-fare carrier, finds itself up against a local community that is standing firm against a plan to build a multi-phase hangar project in its backyard.

Burkeville, a community of 280 homes and about 700 people on Sea Island directly adjacent to the airport, claims the issue is more than concern about increased noise levels if the proposed development goes forward in its current location.

There's also safety issues to deal with along with a potential drop in property values, said April Reeves, a Burkeville board member and the community's spokesperson.

"It's also about knowing when to say enough is enough," she said. "So many communities and areas are bombarded by what others call progress, but somewhere in our lives we have to stand up and say no."

Reeves said the hangar is planned for the airport's Templeton area and two potential locations are being studied. One of them would put the hangar "barely 200 feet from the community and a public school," she said.

"WestJet will use the hangar for heavy maintenance on 737s. These large aircraft will be coming into the hangar under their own power," said Reeves, adding that it will consist of three to four bays and stand 20 metres high, equivalent to a six-storey building.

Information from a fact sheet provided by Vancouver International describes the hangar as a phased project with current requirements for a two- or three-bay hangar and the potential for future development up to a total of four bays.

The two site options are south of the airport's maintenance facility and yard at 3153 Templeton St. and north of the same facility. It is the north option that is closest to the school.

"Both locations have been designated for airport development for more than a decade and were presented to the community. However, the airport authority and the airline are now focusing on the south location," the fact sheet says.

Vancouver International officials would not comment further on site selection, or whether there were or are other sites available, stating only that they are continuing to work with WestJet to finalize a location.

Nor is there a solid timeline to finalize the deal, said Ali Hounsell, the airport's manager of public and media relations.

WestJet spokesperson Siobhan Vinish said the airline has been in negotiations for 18 months and the company was not sure when a deal would be reached.

Hounsell said the not-for-profit authority works with the community and has held meetings with residents in order to keep them informed.

"But at the same time our mandate is that we provide the facilities and economic opportunities for the entire province. So often we're faced with balancing local interests with the greater good of the airport," said Hounsell.

Meanwhile, Reeves said talks her community group has had with WestJet indicate that 14 sites were initially under consideration for the hangar, including two closer to the terminal.

The situation, continuing since mid-November, is frustrating, said Reeves. "Vancouver International has just been pretty much useless. We still get conflicting information from them. They say they want to give us certainties and they give us anything but."

Reeves added WestJet has been moderately, though not completely, helpful.

"We've got two parties, neither of whom are coming completely to the table. We're basically faced with assuming that there are no truths," said Reeves.

The community's next step is to form a coalition with residents of Richmond and Vancouver who are also affected by actions taken by the airport authority.

While Vancouver International's Hounsell said that a solution is needed, she emphasized that the issue is not just about this project.

"The land is zoned for commercial development," said Hounsell.

"We need to continue to work with the community and they need to continue to work with us, so whatever development takes place we can work together to come up with a mutually satisfactory situation."

In 2003, Vancouver International handled 14.3 million passengers. It expects that number to rise to 23 million by 2013. In late February 2004, it unveiled a $1.4-billion capital program to ensure the airport meets growing travel demands.

Those projects, slated to be completed by 2013, include a $420-million international terminal expansion and up-grades and $150 million for improvements to the domestic terminal, among others.

The capital program is expected to generate 5,200 person-years of employment and $525 million in direct GDP. The proposed WestJet hangar is not a part of the capital program.

Reeves said Burkeville residents are not against all development. "We realize the lands are going to be developed somewhere in the near future and that's not an issue with us," she said. "We'd like to see something community friendly - businesses like customs brokers, administration offices, nine-to-five operations that shut down at night."

But even then, Reeves said, this situation may just be the tip of the iceberg. "Our biggest fear is that they'll put hangars all over and then they'll expropriate us.

(Laura Severs can be reached at laura@businessedge.ca)