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Airport Land Use Commission

Date:
Time:
Place:

Monday, February 1, 2021
2:00 PM

COG Sequoia Conference Room
2035 Tulare St., Suite 201, Fresno, CA

 



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This meeting will be held via ZOOM. 

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Topic: Airport Land Use Commission
Time: Feb 1, 2021 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)


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Meeting ID: 932 8933 0846

 

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THINK GREEN, KEEP FRESNO COUNTY CLEAN!

Items listed as information still leave the option for guidance/direction actions by the Commission.

1.CALL TO ORDER

A.
Pledge of Allegiance

B.
Roll Call

2.Action/Discussion Items

A.
Action Summary of the December 7, 2020, ALUC Meeting (Brenda Veenendaal)

Action:  Review and approve, or approve with edits, the December 7, 2020, Fresno County Airport Land Use Commission Action Summary.

B.
ALUCP Amendment Initiation (Brenda Veenendaal)

Summary:   At the December 7, 2020 ALUC meeting the commissioners directed staff to work with Coffman Associates in drafting a Scope of Work and contract for the preparation of an ALUCP amendment. The final draft contract and scope of work (Exhibits A & B) are attached. They have been reviewed and approved by Fresno COG's management and legal counsel. 

Exhibit A outlines the amendment's scope of work, identifying five general tasks and their corresponding deliverables. Exhibit B includes a cost estimate for the preparation of an ALUCP amendment, not to exceed $10,000. 

Action: Staff recommends that the ALUC approve the attached contract between Fresno COG, on behalf of the Fresno County Airport Land Use Commission, and Coffman Associates. 

C.
City of Mendota Cannabis Cultivation Project

Summary:  The City of Mendota forwarded an application for Application No. 21-01, Left Mendota II, LLC Commercial Cannibis Facility project and is requesting consideration by the Airport Land Use Commission to determine consistency with the 2018 Fresno County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan. The project proposes new commercial cannabis activities at 999 Marie Street (APN 013-280-29; currently vacant) as shown on the attached site plan and described in the attached Operational Statement. The site plan indicates the approximate locations of the various Safety Zones on the parcel. The City has not prepared a CEQA document or any technical study or taken any action on the project.

The proposed commercial cannibis facility would sit within three airport safety zones (1, 2, and 6) of the William Robert Johnston Municipal Airport. 

The Fresno County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan's Safety Matrix (page 3-4) states that Zone 1, the Runway Protection Zone, requires that all land in the zone must remain unused. However, it insinuates that dumps or landfills consisting entirely of earth and rock may not be prohibited. Therefore, staff forwarded clarifying questions to the Office of Aviation Planning, California Department of Transportation's Division of Aeronautics, hoping to receive further clarification and information regarding other optional exceptions. Staff received the following reply:

According to AC 150/5300-13A, "where practical, airport owners should own the property under the runway approach and departure areas to at least the limits of the RPZ.  It is desirable to clear the entire RPZ of all above-ground objects. Where this is impractical, airport owners, as a minimum, should maintain the RPZ clear of all facilities supporting incompatible activities." The Handbook is relatively clear that any land use should be avoided or prohibited in the ALUCP's RPZ, but it leaves some discretion to the airport land use commission's (ALUC) for establishing policy.   Similarly, the FAA intends for airport owners to coordinate with ALUCs and local agencies to ensure that FAA designed RPZs remain clear of all above-ground objects and facilities supporting incompatible activities.   

The Division recommends that the ALUC implement strict adherence to the Handbook and FAA's AC.   Where the two RPZs do not coincide, and outside the FAA's RPZ design for a particular airport, the ALUC may consider allowing agricultural uses if there is not an alternative site outside the zone and the use would be located on the outside edges of the zone. 

Zone 2 prohibits the following uses that may be relevant to the project:

  • hazardous uses (e.g., aboveground bulk fuel storage or gas stations)
  • Natural gas & petroleum pipe
  • Office buildings greater than 3 stories
  • Labor intensive industrial uses (greater than 60 persons per acre)
  • Dumps or landfills, other than those consisting entirely of earth & rock
  • Waterways that create a bird attractant
  • Hazards to flight - include physical (e.g., tall objects), visual, and electronic forms of interference with the safety of aircraft operations.   Land use development, such as golf courses and certain types of crops, as outlined in FAA’s Advisory Circular 150/5200-33B, Hazardous Wildlife Attractants on or Near Airports, that may cause the attraction of birds to increase is also prohibited.

Other Development Conditions in Zone 2 include:

  • Airport disclosure notice required
  • Locate structures maximum distance from extended runway centerline
  • Airspace review required for objects > 35 feet tall

Zone 6's prohibited uses include the following relevant uses:

  • Hazards to flight - include physical (e.g., tall objects), visual, and electronic forms of interference with the safety of aircraft operations.  
  • Land use development, such as golf courses and certain types of crops, as outlined in FAA’s Advisory Circular 150/5200-33B
  • Hazardous Wildlife Attractants on or Near Airports, that may cause the attraction of birds to increase is also prohibited.

Zone 6's Other Development Conditions:

  • Airport disclosure notice required
  • Airspace review required for objects >100 feet tall
  • New structures are prohibited on existing terrain that penetrates 14 CFR Part 77 surfaces
  • New structures require additional airspace analysis required within the 50-foot terrain penetration buffer

 The proposed project sits outside of the airport's noise contours. 

Action:  A Finding of Consistency for the City of Mendota's Application No. 21-01, Left Mendota II, LLC Commercial Cannibis Facility. 

3.Public Presentations

This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the ALUC on items within its jurisdiction but not on this agenda. Note: Prior to action by the ALUC on any item on this agenda, the public may comment on that item. Unscheduled comments may be limited to 3 minutes.

4.Other Business

A.
Items from Members

B.
Items from Staff

1.  Upcoming meetings (regular schedule)

  • April 5, 2021
  • June 7, 2021

5.ADJOURN