OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN Honorable Burl Brittsin County Auditor an Patrialo County Sinton, Texnr -- eupplemental . require mini- rs beiore will oon- iOF that eirport bp rield r0r belanoe 0r Nery oeaaem to use ror tr$.n- out in opinionno, O-5330, our opin- la8 that aountler have no etatutiory au- e 1269h, Vernon’s ¬ated Civil. stat- utea, to lease land rrom inbiribualr Ior airport pur~08ear Artiole 52l+80 Vernon’8 :sn?tated Civil statutee authorize8 the aoguiaitfon or land by oounties by Lease on b for the us8 0r the pederal ~overnm3nt; 0na not for their okm nonorable aurl Drlttaiai Pace 2 uee or ror the operation or a oommerolal airport. :lhen laml 18 leered under authority or Artlole 52480, the au- thorized Lear6 term la that perlOd the yederal Government omtraota to use the wa. xoreover, Artiole 1269h, Per- non’1 Annotated Girl1 atatutee, authorizer the operation of an airport by oountler only when the land ir aoquired by purohaae or aondePnation in. the mums- there set forth, Oountler may aot through their oomnlarlonera* aourta only in the turtheranoe or oounty bualnese (Artlale V, seotlon 18, Constitution at Texas) and then their au- thority la rtrlotly llmltob to thoeo powerr sxpreisrlp or Lnplledlg aonrerrea by law, Ccwdrrloaerr~ court VI. ::aUaoe, 15 3.w. (2d) 535) 11 Texar Jurlr rudBnoe, page 56);. Other than the etatutes enumereted % oplnlone o-4972, O-5330, and t&la supplement, we hare round none bearing upon the problem. ::Ie thererore aarlee you that lg our oplnlon your oounty 18 not authorlzea to operate, a oommgrolal air- port on land.leaaeb trofi an lndlvldual for the use oi the ITederal Gorernment when the Gorarnment Olare8 to use suah, land; and that the authorized lea68 term under Artiole 5a8e, Yernon'e Annotated Girl1 Statutea, 11 that period the Goternment oontraote to use the land. fib regret that inadvertent4 we railed to en- alose a oopy or our oplnlon number O-4972 whloh you will tlnd herewith. Very truly your8