2014-030 Cox Field Planned Development Airport Zoning Ordinance

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AIP Sponsor Guide -500 9/4/12 Central Region Airports Division 550 - Runway Protection Zones Overview Runway protection zones are a trapezoidal area `off the end of the runway end that serves to enhance the protection of people and property on the ground" in the event an aircraft lands or crashes beyond the runway end. Runway Protection Zones underlie a portion of the approach closest to the airport. Many people have confused the RPZ with the need for Object Free Areas (OFA), Obstacle Free Zones (OFZ), Object clearing criteria, and Part 77 requirements. Each of these serves distinct purposes and are not all coincident. While the RPZ also has limitations on obstructions (because it lies below the approach surface and because it includes safety areas and obstacle free areas), the primary purpose of the RPZ is the protection of people and property on the ground. Airport Property and the RPZ Under FAA design criteria (which applies to all obligated airports), the airport must own the landing area. Secondly the airport owner must have sufficient interest in the Runway Protection Zones to protect the Runway Protection Zones from both obstructions and incompatible land use. Finally the airport owner must strive to attain compatible zoning around the airport in order to prevent incompatible land uses that: • Could cause sufficient conflict that endangers the airport • Cause it to be closed or • Require substantial remedial investment to purchase conflicting developed property. Sponsor may attain sufficient interest in the Runway Protection Zones in three primary ways. (1) The first and the preferred method is for the airport to purchase the approach areas in fee. Ownership in fee is preferred because it provides maximum control for the airport. (2) The second is through purchase of an easement (or a combination of easement and zoning). (3) The third alternative is to rely upon adequate zoning which should be enacted even if fee or easement ownership is in place. FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300 -13 states this ownership policy as follows: "All ... existing and planned airport elements including the following should be on airport property. (A) Object Free areas, (B) Runway Protection Zones (C) Areas under ...Part 77 ... imaginary surfaces out where the surfaces obtain a height of at least 35 feet above the primary surface; and (d) Areas, other than those which can be adequately controlled by zoning, easements, or other means to mitigate potential incompatible uses ... Such control includes clearing RPZ areas (and maintaining them clear) of incompatible uses and activities! Through experience we have learned that it is usually less expensive in the long run to acquire the RPZ in fee rather than acquiring an easement. This is because an easement must be very restrictive in order to provide adequate control unless zoning is also very restrictive. 500 -14 70