St. Mary’s County Commissioners have authorized a public hearing for Sept. 15 on a proposed policy that would set formal usage guidelines, a license agreement and a fee structure for renting space at the county airport’s terminal building and pergola.
The Captain Walter Francis Duke Terminal Building at St. Mary’s County Regional Airport already functions as more than just an aviation facility — it offers conference rooms and leasable office space, and has long been available to rent for special events. The building was formally dedicated under its current name on June 6, 2006, receiving both a Governor’s Citation and a Commissioners of St. Mary’s County proclamation, honoring Capt. Walter Francis Duke, a World War II-era Army Air Forces pilot.
The proposed policy wouldn’t create a new use for the space so much as formalize the rules and costs around one that already exists. County officials have said the goal is to give the public and interested groups clearer guidelines for using the terminal and its outdoor pergola area, rather than negotiating terms informally on a case-by-case basis.
St. Mary’s County Regional Airport, identified by the FAA as 2W6, has operated since 1969 and is owned and operated directly by the county’s Board of Commissioners. The airport covers roughly 200 acres with a single 4,150-foot runway and recorded about 40,300 aircraft operations with 207 based aircraft as of the most recent available FAA data. It’s included in the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, which makes it eligible for federal funding support.
Beyond general aviation, the airport hosts several public-service tenants: the U.S. Civil Air Patrol’s St. Mary’s Composite Squadron, which conducts aerial search and rescue missions, and Maryland State Police helicopter Trooper 7, which supports law enforcement operations across the region. The facility is also overseen by an Airport Advisory Board, which typically meets at the terminal building itself and includes representation from the county’s Department of Public Works and Transportation.
The Sept. 15 public hearing will give residents and organizations that have used or hope to use the terminal and pergola space a chance to weigh in before commissioners formally adopt the new policy and fee structure. Details on the hearing’s time and format, along with the specific proposed fees, were not included in the meeting summary authorizing the hearing.
Residents interested in the proposal can find updates through the county’s Board Documents page, accessible from the St. Mary’s County government website home page.
