By Hannah Collins
The Washington County Planning Commission (WCPC) has approved an ordinance that requires the county to seek a recommendation from the Tri-County Airport Authority before allowing certain types of land development within an approximate 9,000ft from the airport’s runway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which manages the United States’ airspace and civil aviation, has limited authority outside of federally controlled airspace. As a result, the regulation of ground development around airports falls to local governments like the WCPC. The WCPC determined that this requirement is necessary to ensure safe air travel and voted unanimously to approve the ordinance.
Lee Lewis, representative of Avcon, and Cheryl Sawyers, subcontractor for Avcon, made their case to the WCPC at the December 2 meeting. According to Lewis, Avcon, a transportation design firm, was contracted to make this case by the Airport Authority through an FDOT grant. Lewis asserted that the Airport Authority is not assuming any control over land development, but rather providing a recommendation as to whether any future land development would impact safe air travel around the airport or have an impact that could be mitigated.
The Airport Authority would provide their recommendation to the WCPC. The WCPC would then proceed to approve or deny that recommendation. “What it comes down to is a height zoning ordinance” Lewis expressed.
“In the area, unless you are putting in a cell tower, there would really be no obstruction. Single family dwellings would be no problem. I don’t see anything other than housing going in there anyway.” Richard Kunde, a WCPC board member, expressed. The unanimous approval was met with no opposition.
Staff Report