Aeronautical and Airport Land Use Compatibility Study
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Imperial County Airport (IPL) Aeronautical and Airport Land Use Compatibility Study Study Overview Michael Baker International, Inc., was tasked by the City of El Centro, California to evaluate the proposed re-zoning of four vacant parcels within the vicinity of Imperial County Airport (IPL). As shown in the graphics throughout this study, the parcels are identified by Imperial County as Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 044-620-049, 044-620-050, 044-620-051, and 044- 620-053. The parcels are located at the northwest and southwest corners of Cruickshank Drive and 8th Street and are currently zoned as Residential Airport Zone (RAP) and fall within the B2 Zone (Extended Approach/Departure Zone) of the 1996 IPL Land Use Compatibility Plan and Map. Table 1 summarizes the existing and proposed characteristics of the four parcels. Since the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) last updated the California Airport Land Use Planning Handbook, the B2 Zone is no longer defined in the same manner and some zones around runways are also defined differently for Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans (ALUCPs). Therefore, it was necessary to review existing activity data and conditions at IPL in comparison to updated Caltrans guidance to determine if the proposed parcel re-zonings would produce incompatible land uses and/or airspace impacts. Table 1 Existing and Proposed Parcel Characteristics Zoning Land Use Parcel # Acreage Existing Proposed Existing Proposed 044-620-049 2.08 RAP CG R-R GC 044-620-050 1.05 RAP CG R-R GC 044-620-051 17.23 RAP CG R-R GC 044-620-053 21.79 RAP ML R-R GI Source: Michael Baker International, Inc. and City of El Centro, California. RAP – Residential Airport Zone CG – Commercial General ML – Light Manufacturing R-R – Rural Residential GC – General Commercial GI – General Industrial Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) Update As mentioned, Caltrans last updated the California Airport Land Use Planning Handbook in 2011, while the associated ALUCP zones around IPL were adopted in 1996 (updated in 2004) and represent Imperial County’s official ALUCP at this time (refer to Figure 1). The ALUCP zones are a function of the runway length, the type of activity the airport experiences, the precision of the approaches to the runway ends, the traffic patterns around the runways, and the category of the airport (general aviation, commercial, military, etc.). Caltrans also allows some subjective judgement to be applied in the determination of the sizes and shapes of the surfaces surrounding each runway, which are based on unique circumstances and/or operating procedures associated with the runway. October 27, 2016 1 Imperial County Airport (IPL) Figure 1 1996 IPL Compatibility Map Source: Imperial County, California. October 27, 2016 2 Imperial County Airport (IPL) Imperial County Airport is included in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) and is therefore eligible to receive Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants for eligible projects and studies. IPL is identified as a Regional Commercial Service Airport in the NPIAS and is also a Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 139 that is certificated to accommodate scheduled small air carrier aircraft with 10 to 30 seats. The airport receives financial subsidies from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to provide airline service under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which is a program that is intended to assist small communities with providing access to the national aviation system. Airline service at IPL has historically been conducted using medium-sized turboprop aircraft (e.g., nine passenger Cessna 208 Grand Caravans). The purpose bringing this up is because the size of the shapes in the ALUCP differ between general aviation and commercial service airports (refer to sample graphics in Table 2). Because of the nature of the activity at IPL, types of runway approaches, and physical characteristics of the airport, it may be appropriate to identify Runway 14-32 as a general aviation runway as part of an ALUCP. Note that this effort was conducted to determine if Imperial County’s ALUCP was consistent with today’s guidelines, but does not constitute an ALUCP update or policy change. Consequently, the information presented in this study is provided to compare the development restrictions between the existing 1996 ALUCP for IPL to what the current development restrictions might look like under today’s Caltrans regulations. The following assumptions went into the development of the potential 2016 ALUCP in Figure 2: 1. Based on the safety zones for a Medium General Aviation Runway with modifications to illustrate the applicable FAA criteria for IPL. 2. All runway approaches at IPL are currently visual. 3. The runways accommodate regular use by aircraft with maximum certificated takeoff weights of more than 12,500 pounds. Regular use is defined as 500 or more annual operations. 4. In Zone 1, the Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) dimensions are based on a Runway Design Code (RDC) of B-II. 5. The following traffic patterns apply to IPL: Runway 14 (left hand), Runway 32 (right hand), Runway 8 (left hand), Runway 26 (right hand). 6. No future runway extensions or instrument approaches were considered. The potential ALUCP in Figure 2 has different zone names and shapes than the 1996 one. Based on the 1996 map, the proposed parcel re-zonings are located in the B2 Zone (Extended Approach/Departure Zone), whereas current Caltrans guidance may suggest that the parcels are located in a combination of Zone 5 (Outer Approach/ Departure Zone) and Zone 6 (Traffic Pattern Zone). A summary of the development requirements within the 1996 and current zones is summarized in Table 3 for the four parcels. As shown, current Caltrans ALUCP requirements may actually be less restrictive for the proposed developments on those parcels. For example, the allowable uses, accident risk levels, and maximum densities may currently be less restrictive today than in 1996, and the proposed re-zonings may allow for the development of land uses that are more appropriate with current Caltrans. Therefore, this document should be viewed as a talking point between the City of El Centro and Imperial County regarding any proposed developments within the vicinity of the airport. October 27, 2016 3 Imperial County Airport (IPL) Table 2 Example General Aviation vs. Large Air Carrier Runway ALUCP Medium General Aviation Runway Large Air Carrier Runway Source: Caltrans 2011 California Airport Lan Use Planning Handbook. October 27, 2016 4 Imperial County Airport Legend N Zone 1: Runway Protection Zone Zone 2: Inner Approach / Departure Zone Zone 3: Inner Turning Zone Zone 4: Outer Approach / Departure Zone Zone 5: Sideline Zone Zone 6: Traffic Pattern Zone Parcels Imperial Avenue West Worthington Road 14 End El. -55.1' (14 - Left Hand) Airport Road 26 End El. -55.0' 32 End El. -53.9' 8 End El. -55.1' (32 - Right Hand) (8 - Left Hand) (26 - Right Hand) West Aten Road 8th Street La Brucherie Road 044-620-053 (ML) Cruickshank Drive 044-620-050 (CG) 0 2,000' 4,000' 044-620-049 (CG) 044-620-051 (CG) Scale: 1" = 2,000' Figure 2 Potential 2016 ALUCP (Runway 14-32) Imperial County Airport (IPL) Table 3 Comparison of 1996 and Current Caltrans ACULP Requirements Zoning Zoning Permitted Maximum Urban Densities (Per Acre) Required Open Land Parcel # Acreage Caltrans Zone Risk Existing Proposed Existing Proposed Residential Units Other People Percentage Actual (Acre) 044-620-049 2.08 RAP CG 1996 B2 Zone Not Normally Not Normally Significant 1 100 30% 0.62 044-620-049 2.08 RAP CG Current Zone 4 Limit Normally Moderate Per Comparable Surrounding 150-200 Per Code TBD 044-620-049 2.08 RAP CG Current Zone 6 Yes Yes Low No Limit No Limit Per Code TBD 044-620-050 1.05 RAP CG 1996 B2 Zone Not Normally Not Normally Significant 1 100 30% 0.32 044-620-050 1.05 RAP CG Current Zone 4 Limit Normally Moderate Per Comparable Surrounding 150-200 Per Code TBD 044-620-050 1.05 RAP CG Current Zone 6 Yes Yes Low No Limit No Limit Per Code TBD 044-620-051 17.23 RAP CG 1996 B2 Zone Not Normally Not Normally Significant 1 100 30% 5.17 044-620-051 17.23 RAP CG Current Zone 4 Limit Normally Moderate Per Comparable Surrounding 150-200 Per Code TBD 044-620-051 17.23 RAP CG Current Zone 6 Yes Yes Low No Limit No Limit Per Code TBD 044-620-053 21.79 RAP ML 1996 B2 Zone Not Normally Normally Significant 1 100 30% 6.54 044-620-053 21.79 RAP ML Current Zone 4 Limit Normally Moderate Per Comparable Surrounding 150-200 Per Code TBD 044-620-053 21.79 RAP ML Current Zone 6 Yes Yes Low No Limit No Limit Per Code TBD Sources: Michael Baker International Inc, Caltrans 2011 California Airport Land Use Planning Handbook, and 1996 IPL Compatibility Map. RAP – Residential Airport Zone CG – Commercial General ML – Light Manufacturing October 27, 2016 6 Imperial County Airport (IPL) Airspace Considerations Because the proposed parcel re-zonings are located within 20,000 feet of IPL, they may be subject to FAA airspace review prior to development, which must be submitted through the FAA’s Obstruction Evaluation/Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA) portal. Figure 3 illustrates the strictest approach and departure surfaces over the four parcels. The Runway 32 approach surface extends out beginning 200 feet from Runway 32. It starts at the Runway 32 end elevation of -53.9 feet Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL) and extends up at a rate of one foot vertical for every 20 feet horizontal.