The boards of county commissioners of the various counties of this state are hereby authorized and empowered to acquire by purchase, condemnation, gift or lease lands for use as an airport and to establish, construct, own, lease, control, equip, improve, maintain and operate an airport, and to lease or grant the use and privilege thereof to others. Such airports and the airstrips and landing fields thereof are hereby declared to be in the nature of public roads in their facilitation of public travel and transportation; and, the buildings and structures necessary to be used in connection therewith are hereby declared to be necessary public buildings, and the exclusive use of any such airport or airports shall not be granted to any person, persons, firm, corporation or association.
History: 1941 Comp., § 15-3528, enacted by Laws 1949, ch. 67, § 1; 1953 Comp., § 15-37-30.
ANNOTATIONSCross references. — For leasing of state lands by municipalities, see 19-7-54 NMSA 1978.
For joint airport zoning boards, see 64-2-1, 64-2-2 NMSA 1978.
Airports and landing fields. — Counties and municipalities are specifically authorized by statute to operate an airport or landing field. Yarger v. Timberon Water & Sanitation Dist., 2002-NMCA-055, 132 N.M. 270, 46 P.3d 1270.
Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 8 Am. Jur. 2d Aviation § 71.