HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04211992 - 2.2 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: J. MICHAEL WALFORD, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
DATE: April 21, 1992
SUBJECT: Helicopter Landing Site - Status Report
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. Recommended Action:
1. ACCEPT report.
2. Urge rapid completion of environmental studies, once a specific site is identified for
consideration of helicopter training pads.
II. Financial Impact:
Studies funded from Airport Enterprise Fund.
III. Reasons for Recommendations and Background:
On December 10, 1991, the Public Works Department urged the hiring of a consultant to do a very
detailed initial study to determine the CEQA requirements for helicopter training sites proposed to
be located just south of Waterfront Road in the Martinez area. The Board was concerned about the
anticipated cost of such an approach and directed staff to begin the environmental review of this
proposal without a large consultant contract. In addition, the Board also asked us to look at the
possibility of banning helicopter training at Buchanan Field Airport.
The purpose of this Status Report is to bring the Board of Supervisors up to date on the progress
of the Initial Study regarding the proposed helicopter landing site. To date, County staff is still
working with the Contra Costa County Joint Powers Authority (Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Central
Sanitary) in the purchase of the Interim Transfer Station and ancillary beneficial use rights at ACME
Landfill. Consequently, a specific proposal site has not yet been selected. Staff has begun the
preparation of the requested Initial Study, but efforts cannot proceed until a specific site is selected
and will depend on County land rights. The Initial study has begun, but cannot be completed until
an exact location is',selected. This is apparently dependent on resolving negations with ACME'
Landfill.
Continued on Attachment: SIGNATURE:
_RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RE M MMENDATION BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON A=ri 1 21 , 19A?. APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED�_OTHER X —
The Board approved the above recommendations, and in addition thereto, DIRECTED
the Public Works Director and the Airport Manager to communicate the action taken today
with the cities and chambers of commerce of the Cities of Martinez, .Pleasant •Hill and
Concord, and the Pacheco Municipal Advisory Council and the. Municipal Affairs Council,
and also to the ten most frequent helicopter complainants.
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
g UNANIMOUS (ABSENT )
AYES: NOES: 1 hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of supervisors on the date shown.
�W010 G p
nnar�men ATTESTED:
PHIL BATC ELOR,Cierk of the Board ,
Orig Div: Airports of supervisors and County Administrator
cc: County Administrator
Public Works Director By Oeouty
Public Works Accounting
Auditor/Controller
Aviation Advisory Committee via Airport
Federal Aviation Administration via Airport
SUBJECT: Helicopter Landing Site - Status Report
April 21, 1992
Page 2
Staff will continue to do initial evaluation on this project but a full recommendation must await
final site selection. Once this issue is resolved staff will move rapidly to complete the Initial
Study and bring the matter back to the Board.
As part of the Initial Study, staff has looked at flight routes and patterns, obstructions, overflight
of oil storage tanks, safety, noise, and other air traffic issues. The County does not have the
staff expertise to analyze adequately the potential impacts of helicopter noise on bird and
animal species, as related to the project.
Two potential general sites have been examined and both are acceptable. The preferred
landing area is the site adjacent to Waterfront Road. The secondary site would be approximate-
ly 1/2 mile southeast of the Waterfront Road site. The proposed departure and arrival route
from Buchanan Field to the proposed sites are graphically depicted on the attached map. This
route should be interpreted as a corridor in which operations will occur rather than a specific
line (track). Therefore, it is important to note that this map is illustrative, not definitive.
Regarding obstructions, although there are segments of power lines east of the proposed site
and a number of gas recovery system devices protruding above the landfill cap, these do not
appear to be obstructions as defined by Federal Aviation Regulations Part 77- Objects Affecting
Navigable Airspace. The proposed route to the Landfill has been designed to avoid overflight
of the oil storage tanks and noise sensitive areas. In addition, the tanks are located well
beyond the bounds of the Runway Protection Zones. It is also important to note the unique
performance characteristics of helicopters which permit controlled landings in the event of an
engine failure and thus enhance the safety of operations in the area.
Federal Aviation Regulations Part 157 - Notice of Construction, Alteration, Activation, and
Deactivation of Airports, requires that anyone intending to establish a landing area, such as at
the proposed Landfill site, must notify the FAA. FAA will then study the proposal for use of
airspace and.interactions with other air traffic patterns that may exist and conformance with FAA
airport/heliport planning and design criteria. During the preparation of this Initial Study,
coordination with the Buchanan Field Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) was necessary. The Air
traffic manager identified three operational aspects of the proposal regarding air traffic issues
that would need to be addressed, but they appear to be surmountable.
In response to the Board's inquiry on banning helicopter training from Buchanan Field Airport,
this action would be challenged as discrimination. With each FAA grant accepted by the Board
of Supervisors on behalf of Buchanan Field, the County agrees to language regarding economic
nondiscrimination. The Agreement states that the County will make the Airport available for
public use on fair and reasonable terms and without discrimination, to all types, kinds, and
classes of aeronautical uses. Helicopters are considered a class of aircraft. The only way to
legally ban helicopter training, without unjust discrimination , would be to ban all flight training
at Buchanan Field. The act of banning all flight training at Buchanan Field would result in a
violation of lease agreements with the Airport's commercial tenants (FBOs) and would severely
weaken the economic health of the Airport. For these reasons, staff believes that a prohibition
on helicopter training at Buchanan Field is not feasible. The Board does have some operational
control in terms of establishing curfews on hours that training may be conducted, and on the
location and number of helicopter landing pads.
r
• a :. I .�yp..� n t•�:.+.
` ROUTE TO OFF AIRPORT SITE
.:;.. .: p{a J t L
ORIGINAL PATTERNrF
1
-=Y PATTERN #2 0O! 4l TRA Ca l..r�O�� �f�
. . 31g0 i �,
1 ,
ON >�� 1 3150 1 '
32 .01 1 0
•, ll I
Aq�'sFCp \° 0 AVON
0 -
PO �[S `\ 1
-
�,__wAtERFA ONT
F6 COX i
I
3200.011 0�C0A,AAY',` op , e'
• ' ;,��.1 I 1 1 __ I ♦ MONSANTO '
CHtWAL CO
680 ix Of
------------L_-- �f_U`�` ,4• Ifp —_ t Af +,
3200.OI :�; t=M°° IN Colo 1 LO�;•01 ,-- - -
NO + N CT 1 '1
i
v) /� T
L
% 1 AA
r
tel__
4A0f� fLry 787'
�... .,ai !01'r1 • ! /.Ay A1a01
• anN[L eT O A VVV
S
3200. 2
, + CON/VA0�10
#7��y�yyf(( AAI • Pj WiAflt tff Q17
1&LACK •e.l ( . G. CL N WY
1 Sff�Al ry r�
SLG? L•..ClAIta h �Y 1 a•CXAOC.h C,
f $ f i ieriwilrA cr /�� /�/_f��� }' 4<h��v i STILLfI a n `
' r—•�—•� I L AT
,.. fOvrN.aic tt
All
AANwvnw n
♦ •
, c. � P••! as Sy e --•1.lLOA[S CT
�'•'' 't " ''1 )'Q w {��' t~ °MLM/MC 2 C MOLINO
S•,. J ] f � ' A `A 7.NA VALLNCIA
Lj
I .; T nr2 MI rel 1 A � - .M� tvtt 0 AIO OLfY:
,, „ Dv a• ; ' 7 NNAI T 'C 1 A► arj �h`CC tF1 , h°N ,y,_
r +`cti ;�YY• tll! Ct W 1 f ,a•rrr.rn
o' fF NA •,t
H.NII A�N fy'yo I�.C•r.\ t �C L AOO �tCNA ? +• f'� ^r•0/
O . .,..i ",.p�° w •�c..�•Iiur °MT' r4 ° MAR f ft 3' KALI., I� `
i`_f _.I-°' A �_. —= 9 2.'.}ta_ � —� •AIOt mow(�,•.f O�� ��.•+ `'``•
r,c via 4IC i y♦ ^ L� X' b c U1 cteaa r' �?}, �°Vr �jt—t•iell �•, r
aP,•i7,71 n
' •-'/� * re r 'S tow 1 JLV•�fU1AA
�/, 9 •y gs O V �• : A
I `f,VlF4 a•OI SOn+' � 411t♦ ! � eV `''I• ..OA ! � O .. �y0\l".
`�`� °`. '` $r, e •n Sul ,.,+ + O O Q �'
•AOSM 00% -
it. I � C�aes n V� O NI 1 IIAT f7 / ' L TDM•A w„/. a� ':. .
ro,, vL ♦ Lys+ 6E' �.i.. � o ♦ t A t fwd• ,c • I V
I F+J dt• '=i��.i:ii•_?,;..,, 5�� ax f��n I f vwrl 1
�.. ♦ C.�.r mMc•.•%: 1iDe'LZ i, ^ Of4IlA NAYOfN
O �' tv�i_.eiii.•'�. cl • 7 [t � �*C,GT $ IK N .• < .
I ♦ - '� :ii"Y"�'• 3` 4a � EXHIBIT' A lit 3e,•: +
oA�l
r, T I. 15