Individual Airport Policies and Compatibility Maps

Chapter 3 Individual Airport Policies and Compatibility Maps Merced County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan 3 Individual Airport Policies and Compatibility Maps CHAPTER OVERVIEW The policies and maps presented in this chapter provide the connection between the compatibility criteria outlined in Chapter 2 and the specific features and surrounding geography of each individual airport. Included for each airport is the overall compatibility map that works in conjunction with the Compatibility Criteria matrix included in Chapter 2—Table 2A. This Chapter also includes the airspace protection (height limit) surfaces associated with the related policies in Chapter 2. The airspace protection surfaces are as defined by Federal Aviation Regulations Part 77 for the respective airport. Additionally, at some airports, special conditions as provided for in Policy 5.5.9 of Chapter 2 have been acknowledged by the Merced County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) in adoption of this Com- patibility Plan . These special conditions result in establishment of compatibility zone boundaries and/or compatibility criteria different in character from the zones and criteria applicable to other airports in the county. Where any such additional policies have been adopted for a particular airport, they are listed in the respective section of this chapter. These special policies are not to be generalized or considered as precedent applicable to other locations near the same airport or to the environs of other airports ad- dressed by this plan. For most airports, no special policies are noted and the policies in Chapter 2 pre- vail. The general concepts used to develop the compatibility zone boundaries depicted on the compatibility map for each airport are summarized in Table 3A. This description of the impact characteristics for each compatibility zone helps to ensure a consistent approach to map preparation. In other words, subject to the limited number of zones delineated, the noise and safety impacts affecting lands within one part of a particular zone should be similar to the impacts in another part of the same zone both for a given airport environs and compared to other airports. Additional factors taken into account in the creation of the individual airport compatibility maps in- clude: The existing airport runway configuration and any proposed changes as identified in an adopted airport master plan or airport layout plan accepted by the California Division of Aeronautics for use in this Compatibility Plan ; The locations of common visual traffic patterns and instrument flight routes; Merced County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (Adopted June 21, 2012) 3–1 CHAPTER 3 INDIVIDUAL AIRPORT POLICIES AND COMPATIBILITY MAPS Noise contours for long-range future activity levels; Areas of aircraft accident risk as indicated in data included in the California Airport Land Use Plan- ning Handbook (Handbook ) published by the California Division of Aeronautics (both the 2002 edi- tion and draft 2011 version); and Other guidance regarding delineation of safety zones as noted in the state Handbook . Finally, the basic compatibility zone boundaries defined by the above factors are refined as appropriate to recognize local geographic features. Where these boundaries fall near existing roads or parcel lines, the latter features are often used as the formal zone boundaries shown in the accompanying maps. Additional discussion of the airport land use compatibility concepts utilized in preparation of the compatibility maps is contained in Appendix D. 3–2 Merced County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (Adopted June 21, 2012) INDIVIDUAL AIRPORT POLICIES AND COMPATIBILITY MAPS CHAPTER 3 Zone/Location Noise and Overflight Factors Safety and Airspace Protection Factors A Noise Impact: Very High Risk Level: Very High Runway Mostly above CNEL 65 dB Includes Runway Protection Zones and Object Free Area Protection as indicated on Airport Layout Plan (ALP) drawing Zone and Approximately 30% to 40% of off-runway general aviation within Building accidents near airports occur in this zone Restriction Line Object heights restricted to <35 feet in some areas B1 Noise Impact: High Risk Level: High Inner Typically above CNEL 60 dB Some 10% to 20% of off-runway general aviation acci- Approach/ Single-event noise sufficient to disrupt wide dents near airports take place within the inner approach / Departure Area range of land use activities including indoors departure area and if windows open Lateral to runway, about 5% of off-runway general avia- Adjacent to At Castle Airport, noise above CNEL 65 dB tion accidents near airports happen in this area Runway to southeast along extended runway center- Encompasses areas overflown by aircraft on approach to line runways at low altitudes—typically between 200 and 400 feet above runway Area lateral to runway not normally overflown by aircraft; primary risk is with aircraft (especially twins) losing direc- tional control on takeoff Object heights may be restricted to as little as 50 feet off runway ends and 35 feet lateral to runway B2 Noise Impact: Moderate to High Risk Level: Moderate Inner Turning May exceed CNEL 55 dB About 5% to 15% of off-runway general aviation accidents Zone At Castle Airport, noise above CNEL 60 dB occur in this zone and to southeast along extended runway center- Aircraft overfly at altitudes less than 600 feet above run- Outer line; area lateral to runway exposed to loud way elevation on either visual or straight-in instrument Approach/ single-event noise from takeoffs and jet approaches Departure Area thrust-reverse on landing; also from pre- Object height generally not restricted to less than 100 flight run-ups feet except lateral to runway At Merced Regional Airport, area northeast of runway exposed to noise from helicopter operations C Noise Impact: Moderate Risk Level: Low to Moderate Extended Aircraft are typically at or below an altitude About 20% to 30% of general aviation accidents take Approach/ of 1,000 feet above ground level place in this zone, but large area encompassed means Departure Area Aircraft are located in or entering the primary low likelihood of accident occurrence in any given loca- and traffic pattern tion Primary Traffic Traffic patterns lie mostly outside of the 55 Risk concern is primarily with uses for which potential Patterns dB contour, however land uses are subject- consequences are severe (e.g. very-high-intensity activi- ed to frequent aircraft noise ties in a confined area) At Castle and Merced Regional Airports, Includes areas where aircraft: large aircraft typically fly extended traffic pat- Turn from base to final approach legs of standard traf- tern fic pattern and descend from traffic pattern altitude On departure, normally complete transition from takeoff power and flap settings to climb mode and begin turns to en route heading On an instrument approach procedure, have de- scended below about 500 feet AGL Object height not restricted to less than 100 feet D Noise Impact: Low Risk Level: Low Other Typically less than CNEL 55 dB Concern is tall(>150 feet) single objects (e.g., antennas) Overflight Common noise intrusion on noise-sensitive Areas outdoor uses Aircraft overflight occurs less frequently, or at higher altitudes by arriving and departing aircraft Table 3A Compatibility Zone Factors Merced County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans (Adopted June 21, 2012) 3–3 CHAPTER 3 INDIVIDUAL AIRPORT POLICIES AND COMPATIBILITY MAPS This page intentionally blank 3–4 Merced County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (Adopted June 21, 2012) INDIVIDUAL AIRPORT POLICIES AND COMPATIBILITY MAPS CHAPTER 3 CAS. CASTLE AIRPORT CAS.1 Compatibility Map Delineation 1.1 Airport Master Plan Status: The airport master plan for Castle Airport was adopted by the Merced County Board of Supervisors in December 2011. The Compatibility Plan for Cas- tle Airport is based on the following master plan information: airport layout plan, airspace plan, and 2035 aircraft activity forecast and associated noise contours. The airport layout plan drawing contained in the Master Plan was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. 1.2 Airfield Configuration: Castle Airport has a single 11,802-foot long runway (Runway 13-31) aligned in a northwest/southeast direction. Runway 31 is equipped with straight-in precision instrument approach capabilities and Runway 13 has a GPS nonprecision approach procedure. The principal change proposed for the airfield is to reestablish a precision instrument approach to Runway 13, upgrading the approach reference code (ARC) to D-VI and widen the runway by 50 feet to accommodate a larger class of aircraft. 1.3 Airport Activity: The Compatibility Plan for Castle Airport anticipates that the airport activity level will reach approximately 265,207 annual operations by 2035 or beyond. The ma- jority of this activity is assumed to be generated by general aviation aircraft (94%). The forecast also assumes that air cargo and airline activity will initiate in the near term and will comprise approximately 4% of the 2035 forecast. 1.4 Airport Influence Area: The airport influence area boundary is defined by the outer edge of the FAR Part 77, Subpart B, height notification surface and portions of the precision instrument approach surface south of the airport. The boundary west of the airport is truncated to reflect few overflights of the City of Atwater. CAS.2 Additional Compatibility Policies 2.1 None. Merced County

Load more