Public Airport Land Use Compatibility Summary Report Aaron Qualls, AICP Planning & Community Development Director City of Sandpoint, ID 6/13/19 Overview Report Purpose and Scope The purpose of this (working draft) report is to compare planning and zoning regulations around various airports in preparation for addressing the Sandpoint Airport in a City Comprehensive Plan update. Within the report are summaries of land use compatibility guidelines from 4 states in the West including Washington, California, Colorado and Idaho. The report also includes various planning and zoning findings for 10 different airports in various jurisdictions. Airport Compatible Land Uses Airport-compatible land uses are defined as those uses that can coexist with a nearby airport without either constraining the safe and efficient operation of the airport or exposing people living or working nearby to unacceptable levels of noise or hazards (American Planning Association, 2010). Uses of concern in proximity to airports are generally related to noise and safety (Enhancing Airport Land Use Compatibility, Vol. 1, National Academy of Sciences, 2010): Ø Noise: The goal is to limit noise sensitive land uses to avoid issues such as annoyance and sleep disturbance to persons on the ground Ø Safety: The goal is to limit uses that have potential impacts in the following two categories: o Those uses hazardous to airspace and overflights § Tall structures (cell towers, wind turbines, vegetation, tall buildings) § Visual obstructions (smoke, glare, steam, dust, lights) § Wildlife and bird attractants (wetlands, crops, open water) o Those uses that affect accident severity § High concentrations of people (schools, churches, arenas) § Risk-sensitive uses (nursing homes, hospitals, flammable materials) § Open lands Administrative Authority Land use regulations around public airports are typically under the exclusive authority of the local jurisdiction, regardless of whether that jurisdiction is the public airport sponsor. However, certain federal reQuirements apply, and different states contain varying guidelines and reQuirements. Below is a summary of the primary applicable laws and public agency authority in Idaho regarding airport land use compatibility. Federal Regulations – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Ø Runway Protection Zones (RPZs) are defined areas at ground level beyond the runway end or prior to the threshold that are maintained clear of incompatible objects and activity in order to enhance the safety and protection of people and property on the ground. Keeping these trapezoidal areas at the ends of runways clear—preferably through property acQuisition by the airport sponsor—is mandated by the FAA (ITD, 2016). Ø 14 CFR 77 – “Part 77” primarily governs height around an airport and is intended to identify and define critical airspace surfaces to maintain safety, efficient use and the preservation of navigable airspace. This regulation is emulated in the City of Sandpoint’s Airport Overlay Zone (Title 9, Chapter 12). Ø FAA Grant Assurance #21 requires that an Airport Sponsor “…take appropriate action, to the extent reasonable, including the adoption of zoning laws, to restrict the use of land adjacent to or in the immediate vicinity of the airport to activities and purposes compatible with normal airport operations, including landing and takeoff of aircraft. In addition, if the project is for noise compatibility program implementation, it will not cause or permit any change in land use, within its jurisdiction, that will reduce its compatibility, with respect to the airport, of the noise compatibility program measures upon which Federal funds have been expended.” Idaho State ReQuirements Ø The Local Land Use Planning Act (Title 67, Chapter 65) reQuires that Public Airport Facilities be addressed in a local jurisdiction’s comprehensive plan. Specifically, “An analysis prepared with assistance from the Idaho transportation department division of aeronautics, if reQuested by the planning and zoning commission, and the manager or person in charge of the local public airport identifying, but not limited to, facility locations, the scope and type of airport operations, existing and future planned airport development and infrastructure needs, and the economic impact to the community.” Varying Airport Land Use Guidelines by State In order to evaluate the implementation of land use controls around various airports in the West, the first task is to analyze what different states provide for recommended guidelines. Many of the recommended safety zones are similar in scope and in purpose but there are considerable variations. There is one zone, however, that is common to all which is the Runway Protection Zone (RPZ). Varying Airport Land Use Regulations Because surrounding land use zoning regulations are determined primarily by local jurisdictions (as enabled by the corresponding State) rather than the Airport itself or the FAA, surrounding zoning overlays and other zoning controls vary greatly from the Airports analyzed. Summary Matrix Felts Santa Gen. LAX Denver Aspen McCall Pocatello Boise Jerome Field Monica William J. Fox State WA CA CA CA CO CO ID ID ID ID Accordance with Yes No Yes No Yes - No No Mostly Yes State Guidelines Comprehensive / Yes - - Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Some other Plan Reference Within Urban Yes Yes No Yes No Some Some No Some No Area Multijurisdictional Yes No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Public (Open Some No No Some Yes Yes Yes Some Yes Some Space) Lands in Critical Safety Areas Airport Land Use Yes No Yes No Yes No No No Yes Yes Compatibility Overlay Zones* Traditional Zoning Yes No No Some Some Some Some Some Yes Some Controls for Airport Compatibility * An overlay zone is a zoning district which is applied over one or more previously established zoning districts, establishing additional or stricter standards and criteria for covered properties in addition to those of the underlying zoning district (American Planning Association, 2007). Washington Washington State Department of Transportation Aviation Division Airports and Compatible Land Use Guidebook, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), 2011. For Airports with runway lengths between 4000 to 5,999 feet which the Sandpoint Airport would qualify, WSDOT recommends 6 land use compatibility zones with (See Figure 1): Zone 1: Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) 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 Appendix F of Washington State’s Airport Land Figure 1 – Airport Safety Zone Guidelines, WSDOT, 2011 Use Guidelines provides for a compatibility criteria chart (see Figure 2). Rather than explicitly recommending allowing or disallowing uses outright depending on the recommended zones, WSDOT guidelines take into consideration the context of existing uses as well as the Urban Growth Boundary—a growth management tool reQuired by the State of Washington. Figure 2 – Appendix F, Table F-1, WSDOT Airports and Compatible Land Use Guidebook, 2011 Felts Field (City of Spokane / City of Spokane Valley) Felts field, located within the City of Spokane, is also adjacent to the City of Spokane Valley. Both cities have land use controls based on WSDOT guidelines. However, each city has implemented them differently. Figure 3 below show adopted Airport Overlay Zones for both Spokane and Spokane Valley. Figure 3 – Comparison Airport Overlay Zoning for Felts Field (images edited for purposes of this report) City of Spokane – Summary The Felts Filed Airport is entirely within the municipal boundaries of the City of Spokane which has adopted a total of 5 airport overlay zones. See below analysis for how these zones relate to underlying zoning classifications. Use Restrictions Within zones 1, 2, 3 and 4 one single family home is permitted on each existing lot where the underlying zoning is residential. In certain cases where more density is allowed in the underlying zone, density is limited to the average density of adjoining properties. Further, subdivisions and zone changes that would allow for additional density are not permitted. In commercial and industrial zones, residential uses are prohibited. Within zone 5 (traffic pattern area or typically the area of airport influence), residential uses are allowed. Other high intensity commercial uses are also restricted outright or contain occupancy thresholds, depending on the corresponding overlay zone. City of Spokane Valley – Summary The City of Spokane Valley has adopted 6 Airport Overlay zones. Note that Figure 3 above delineates 4 of the 6 zones. Zone 1 (RPZ) and zone 5 (Sideline Zone) are referenced in the City’s code but are not delineated. In comparison to the City of Spokane, the City of Spokane Valley has adopted more restrictive Airport Overlay zoning regulations with regards to allowable uses. Use Restrictions Regardless of the underlaying zoning classification, within all airport overlay zones, multifamily and manufactured home parks are prohibited. In zones 1, 2 and 5, single family residential is also prohibited. Zone 3 allows for single family at a density of 1 unit per 5 acres. Zone 4 allows for a single-family density of 1 unit per 2.5 acres. Zone 6 (the wider area of airport influence on the above map) allows for 1 single family unit per 2.5 acres. However, if at the time of overlay zoning adoption, a smaller parcel existed, the property may be allowed one residence if either a water or sewer hookup was previously installed.