A proposed Jet Hangar expansion at Hillsboro Airport (HIO) would cause a 6X increase in Jet Fights over Stafford, Tualatin, King City, Tigard, Beaverton, and Aloha, passing 2,300 feet above Bull Mountain, and 1,500 feet above Cooper Mountain. Most of the people who live under this approach path have no idea where it is, because the daily jet flights are currently few and far between, mixed in with other random overflights. Sky Harbour's proposal will change that in a big way. Currently 3-6 jet flights per day would increase to 16-30 jet flights per day by 2031, impacting property values, noise levels, air pollution, and quality of life. The flight path could be right over your house.

The community is speaking out in opposition, and we need your participation to keep jet flight activity at current levels. Sample emails to the Port of Portland and City of Hillsboro are already written. All you need to do is Load & Send! It takes two clicks:

Upcoming Meetings

Wed May 27 Hillsboro Planning Commission Meeting 6:00pm In Person & Zoom.

Realtime Flight Monitoring

If you want to know if the plane that just flew over your house is heading to HIO, check the real-time tracking map on ADS-B Exchange. If you click on an airplane, it will show you their entire flight path.

in the Media

• KATU News: Luxury Jet Expansion (4/10/2026)
• Hillsboro Herald: by Dirk Knudsen (4/9/2026)

Documents

• City of Hillsboro Staff Report (5/8/2026)
• Sky Harbour Presentation (5/8/2026)
• City of Hillsboro Supplemental Staff Report (5/8/2026)

Details of the Sky Harbour Proposal

Thanks to community pressure, the deadline to comment on the Sky Harbour private jet hangar project has been extended from April 15th 2026 to May 27th! — but now we need to finish the job!

If approved, this project would shift private jets from PDX to Hillsboro, increasing private jet traffic from 3-6 per day to 16–30 per day by 2031. A single private jet takeoff produces as much ultrafine particle pollution as hundreds of small planes.

This will impact property values, air quality, noise levels, and health across Washington County and parts of Clackamas County.

This Project Costs More Than It Generates...

• At full build out, the project generates only $1.0–$1.2 million per year in public revenue.
• But - it is expected to reduce nearby home values by $60–$300 million, based on MIT, NBER, and ESA research on aircraft noise and pollution.
• A loss of $700,000–$3.6 million per year in County property tax revenue due to home values reduced is expected — more than the project generates.
• The Port also faces $30–$200 million in potential inverse condemnation exposure.

What’s Changing at the Airport

• Today: 3-6 private jets/day
• Phase 1 (2027): 9–13/day
• Phase 2 (2031–2033): 16–30/day
• Ratio shifts from 90% small planes / 10% jets to 50% jets
• Private jets produce far more noise and pollution than small planes

No New Business Will Come Because of This Project

• The Port has provided no evidence that this project will attract new companies to Washington County. Companies choose locations based on: tax structure, cost of doing business and workforce availability
• Private jet convenience is not a site selection factor. Intel is a perfect example: They chose this region for tax benefits and workforce, not the airport. They even ended their corporate shuttle two years ago — and they’re still here.
• Landing private jets is a perk, not a driver of economic development. This project benefits wealthy private jet owners, not the local economy.

Don’t Blame Residents — They Bought Near a Non Commercial Airport

• The Hillsboro Airport is officially classified as a non commercial, non cargo, General Aviation airport. Homes near HIO are not discounted on Redfin, Zillow, or RMLS because the airport has historically had very low jet activity.
• Many residents have lived here 20–40+ years. They bought near a small plane airport, not a private jet hub. The sudden shift to 16–30 private jets per day is a major change in airport use that no one could have reasonably anticipated.
• This is not a case of “you should have known better.” It is a case of residents facing impacts they were never warned about.

Impacted Neighborhoods

• 15,000–20,000 residents live in the approach, takeoff, and downwind corridors — yet none received mailed notice.
• Affected areas include: Forest Grove, Cornelius, Rood Bridge, South Hillsboro, Reedville, Aloha, Unincorporated Beaverton (170th–198th), Cedar Hills, Cooper Mountain (east side), Elmonica, Quatama, Orenco, Tanasbourne, Tualatin, Stafford, Wilsonville, King City, Bull Mountain, Tigard, Canby, Oak Hills, Rock Creek, Bethany, Downtown Hillsboro, Jackson School, North Plains, and more.

Why This Matters

• Property values projected to drop 3%–5%
• Ultrafine particles, NOx, VOCs, black carbon will increase
• Noise events will be frequent and intense
• No environmental assessment is planned
• No cap on private jet operations
• No notice was sent to impacted residents
• May 27th - comment deadline and decision all on the same day
• Once the infrastructure is built, additional phases become much easier to approve

Make your Voice Heard! Every voice counts in this effort - including yours!

Leverage the templates below, or post your own message, before the deadline of May 27th and ideally by May 13th when meetings occur per below. Reference Case File No. DR 044 25 (Sky Harbour Hangars) in all correspondence

• Email the County Recorder on Project Concerns:
  This will go to the Planning Committee and they make the decision on the project.
  Template Link to Submittal Form
• Email the Port of Portland Commissioners
  they have the authority to stop the project
  Template Email: testimony@portofportland.com
• Email the Governor
  who appoints Port Commissioners and can influence them:
  Template   Form to Contact the Governor
• Email the Hillsboro City Council
  with concerns that the Planning Commission has exceeded their authority — they approve land use — not air use! Template Email: council@hillsboro-oregon.gov
• Email the County Recorder, who submits to the Planning Commission, on Procedure Concerns:
  Template   Submittal Form
• You may also email project related questions to the following contacts...
  Port of Portland: Community@portofportland.com
  Hillsboro City Planner: Ruth.Klein@hillsboro-oregon.gov

• ️Attend Two Meetings on May 13th!
  • Port Commission Testimony: May 13th; 9:30 AM. Email Testimony@portofportland.com to be invited. You may attend virtually or in person at Port of Portland Headquarters 7200 NE Airport Way
  • The Planning Commission Meeting: May 13th; 6:00 PM at the Civic Center Auditorium as well as a zoom teleconference. During this meeting the Port and Sky Harbour will be asking for a continuance until May 27th. See for details

  This page is adapted from a Nextdoor post. Stay tuned for updates.