STAFF REPORT SUBJECT: Airport Land Use Plan Consistency Review: Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM: 7D STAFF CONTACT: Peter Imhof, Andrew Orfila RECOMMENDATION: Adopt findings for the Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan (Attachment 1) and determine that the Master Plan and EIR are consistent with the Airport Land Use Plan for Santa Barbara. SUMMARY The draft Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan provides guidance for the Santa Barbara Airport s overall development for the next 20 years (2012 through 2032) and plans for how the Airport will meet forecast airport operations. While the draft Master Plan does envision certain major improvements on airport property (including extension of Taxiway H, consolidation of general aviation operations on the northeast portion of the airfield, and construction of a new Long Term Parking Lot south of the Airline Terminal and expansion of the Airline Terminal), these improvements would not result in changes to aircraft operations that would create off-airport impacts or affect factors relevant to the consistency determination. The Master Plan is not proposing any new or modified facilities or aircraft operating procedures that would result in modified aircraft traffic patterns or other changes in where or how high aircraft typically fly when approaching, departing, or flying near the airport. The draft Master Plan and associated Environmental Impact Report would therefore not materially affect runway layout, flight patterns, or noise contours and would not cause airport activity or aviation forecasts to exceed projections in the adopted Santa Barbara County 1993 Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP). By law, SBCAG, as the designated Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) for Santa Barbara County, is required to evaluate the draft Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan for consistency with the criteria in the adopted ALUP within 60 days from the complete submittal. The 60-day ALUP review period ends on Monday, January 4, 2016. If the Board fails to act on a consistency determination within 60 days, then the project is automatically deemed consistent. An update of Santa Barbara County s 1993 ALUP is presently in process and staff anticipates completion of the update in the next year. When complete, the updated Airport Land Use
Compatibility Plan would incorporate and reflect the updated projections and assumptions of the Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan. DISCUSSION Introduction City of Santa Barbara Airport staff referred the draft Airport Master Plan and Environmental Impact Report to SBCAG on September 18, 2015 (see Attachments 2, 3, and 4) and submitted additional required information on October 8, 2015. SBCAG has 60 days from the completed submittal to review the project and make a determination of consistency with the adopted Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP). The 60-day ALUP review period ends on Monday, January 4, 2016. In making its consistency determination, the Board must evaluate the proposed Airport Master Plan for consistency with the criteria in the adopted Santa Barbara County ALUP. If the Board fails to act on a consistency determination within 60 days, then the project is deemed consistent. State law requires SBCAG, as the designated Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC), to develop and implement an airport land use plan for each general purpose airport. The purpose of the law is to prevent the creation of new noise and safety problems, and to protect public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring the orderly expansion of airports, and the adoption of land use measures that minimize the public s exposure to excessive noise and safety hazards State Aeronautics Act, Public Utilities Code 21670(a). As described in the ALUP, aircraft overflight exposes individuals in the community to potential hazards associated with aircraft accidents and noise impacts. Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan Background The Santa Barbara Airport is located in the City of Santa Barbara, approximately seven miles west of the City center. The City of Goleta borders the Airport property to the north and west. The University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) and the community of Isla Vista in unincorporated Santa Barbara County lie immediately south-southwest of the Airport. The Pacific Ocean lies directly south of the Airport. Attachment 5 provides an aerial photograph of the Airport and surrounding area. The Airport is owned and operated by the City of Santa Barbara. Primary regional access to the Airport is via Route 217, Hollister Avenue and Fairview Avenue. The Airport encompasses over 946 acres of land including approximately 350 acres of salt marsh (the Goleta Slough), 500 acres aviation-related and 100 acres non-aviation commercial and industrial land uses. The Airport has three runways in a cross configuration. The primary runway (7-25) is in an east-west direction with a length of 6,052 feet and a width of 150 feet. Two shorter parallel crosswind runways (15L/33R and 15R/33L) are in a north-south direction. Runway 15L/33R is 3,952 feet long and 75 feet wide and Runway 15R/33L is 4,183 feet long and 100 feet wide. The parallel crosswind runways are predominately used by general aviation aircraft. A system of fourteen taxiways provides access to the primary use areas. 2
Project Description The proposed Master Plan provides guidance for the Airport s overall development for the next 20 years (2012 through 2032). No actual development projects are proposed at this time (the Draft EIR prepared for the Master Plan is programmatic). Any future development subsequent to approval of the Master Plan would be fully addressed under both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and State of California (State) CEQA Guidelines. The Master Plan lays out a development concept in order to accommodate the growth forecast in the airfield, landside, and terminal areas at the airport. The Master Plan relies on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved forecasts (approval date: November 13, 2012) of aviation activity at the Airport and provides development scenarios for the short term (2017), intermediate term (2022) and long term (2032). If the growth assumptions made in the Master Plan are not fully realized, the Airport would adjust the phasing of the recommended improvements to meet the actual demand at the Airport. Attachment 6 illustrates the recommended Master Plan development concept. The major improvements recommended in the Master Plan to accommodate the forecast growth include the following: Airfield Recommendations: Extension of Taxiway H to the west, parallel to the main instrument runway, restriping of existing paved areas, paving light lanes along taxiway edges, and relocating entrances and exits from the taxiway system to comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommendations. North Landside Recommendations: Consolidation of general aviation operations to facilitate two Fixed-Base Operator lease areas on the northeast portion of the airfield to provide tenant and visiting private aircraft services and facilities, and support facility changes including the relocation of the Airport Maintenance Yard. Terminal Area Recommendations: Construction of a new Long Term Parking Lot south of the Airline Terminal to accommodate 1,315 new or relocated parking spaces, expansion of the Airline Terminal, and relocation of the south side Fixed-Base Operator. Factors in the Consistency Evaluation of Airport Master Plan Components The review of an Airport Master Plan focuses on differences between the proposed Master Plan being reviewed and the Master Plan that was utilized to develop the planning assumptions within the adopted Airport Land Use Plan (in this case, the 1993 Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan). According to the California Airport Land Use Planning Handbook: Fundamentally, the question to be examined is whether any components of the airport plan would result in greater noise and safety impacts on surrounding land uses than are assumed in the adopted Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan. This concept implies that the airport plan does not have to be identical with the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan as long as the impacts are not increased or moved to previously less-impacted areas. 1 1 California Airport Land Use Planning Handbook, pp. 6-15 & 16, Caltrans Division of Aeronautices, October 2011. 3
The consistency evaluation of the Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan with the Airport Land Use Plan focuses on components that are associated with aircraft operations and have off-airport impact implications. The following section discusses each of these criteria. Activity Forecasts Comparison: Are the activity forecasts substantially higher than those in the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan or do they include a higher proportion of larger or noisier aircraft, including helicopters? Activity forecasts for the Master Plan are compared with those in the adopted Airport Land Use Plan. It should be acknowledged that the adopted ALUP is over twenty years old, so the forecasts contained within the adopted ALUP are outdated. Therefore, when the prior Airport Master Plan (the Aviation Facilities Plan) was brought to the ALUC for a consistency review, the ALUC accepted the airport activity and forecasts for planning purposes moving forward. The Aviation Facilities Plan forecasts will be compared to the proposed Master Plan forecasts. Runway Layout: Are any new runways or helicopter takeoff and landing areas proposed? Are changes in runway length, landing threshold locations, or type of approach procedures planned? If so, what effect do any of these changes have on height limits placed on nearby property for the purposes of airspace protection? Flight Tracks: Will new or modified facilities or aircraft operating procedures result in different aircraft traffic patterns or other changes in where or how high aircraft typically fly when approaching, departing, or flying near the airport? Noise Impacts: Will changes in any of the above items result in significantly increased noise impacts on surrounding lands? Consistency Evaluation Airport Activity and Aviation Forecasts The Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan was adopted in 1993 and was developed utilizing forecasts contained within the Santa Barbara Airport s 1990 Airport Master Plan and 1986 Part 150 Airport Noise Study. The 1990 Airport Master Plan contained forecasts of airport operations out to years 1995, 2000, and 2005. Therefore, a straightforward comparison of the forecasts in the Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan with those contained in the proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan is not feasible due to the outdated forecasts contained in the 1993 County Airport Land Use Plan. In March 2002, the SBCAG Board (acting as the County Airport Land Use Commission) reviewed the Santa Barbara Airport Aviation Facilities Plan and accepted the airport activity and forecasts contained within that document and subsequently directed staff to initiate an Airport Land Use Plan update. Table 1 compares the Aviation Facilities Plan forecast with the draft Airport Master Plan forecast. 4
Table 1 Forecast Comparison: Aviation Facilities Plan with the Draft Airport Master Plan 1999 (Baseline) Aviation Facilities Plan 2005 2010 2015 2011 (Baseline) Airport Master Plan 2017 2022 2032 Enplanements 399,000 500,000 610,000 750,000 365,770 440,000 503,400 657,000 Operations (Total) 168,500 177,000 194,000 215,000 108,280 112,290 119,450 133,150 Air Carrier/ Commuter 44,900 40,000 46,000 53,000 26,180 27,540 28,400 31,800 GA/Military 123,600 137,000 148,000 162,000 82,100 85,450 91,050 101,350 Based Aircraft 182 200 215 235 178 194 206 236 Figure 1 illustrates the enplanement forecast comparison in greater detail. Figure 1 Enplanement Forecast Comparison: Aviation Facilities Plan with the Draft Airport Master Plan AFP = Aviation Facilities Plan Table 1 and Figure 1 show that the proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan activity and aviation forecast will not exceed those accepted by the Airport Land Use Commission for the prior Plan (the Aviation Facilities Plan in March 2002). For example, the horizon year in the Aviation Facilities Plan was 2015, for which the AFP forecast 750,000 enplanements. The proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan, for the short-term year 2017 forecast, foresees 440,000 enplanements. It should be noted that the activity and aviation forecast contained in the proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan was reviewed and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration on November 13, 2012. 2 2 Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan, Ch. 2, pg. 2-34. 5
Since the aviation and activity forecast in the proposed Airport Master Plan would not exceed those previously accepted by the Airport Land Use Commission (the forecast contained in the Aviation Facilities Plan), staff recommends the Board accept the new airport activity and forecasts for Santa Barbara Airport in the proposed Airport Master Plan. Subsequently, the Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan aviation and activity forecast will be incorporated into the pending Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan update. Staff anticipates completion of the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan update in the next year. Runway Layout The proposed Master Plan development concept is shown on Attachment 5. As discussed in the project description, the Master Plan is a 20-year forecast of demand on the airfield, landside, and terminal areas and includes a capacity analysis to assess how the airport can accommodate the forecast demand. The proposed Master Plan concluded that forecast growth in enplanements and operations did not warrant additional runway capacity or helicopter takeoff and landing areas. The Master Plan notes that Runway 15L currently has a 217-foot displaced threshold. This displacement was applied due to a building obstructing the approach surface north of Hollister Avenue. The building causing the obstruction was recently demolished. Therefore, the Runway 15L threshold could be relocated to the north edge of runway pavement if approved by the FAA. As a result, the full length of Runway 15L-33R would be usable for landing operations. 3 The Master Plan shows a proposed avigation easement over this parcel. The avigation easement would (generally) allow for the right of flight in the airspace above the property, allow the generation of noise and other impacts associated with aircraft overflight, restrict the height of structures, trees and other objects, permit access to the property for the removal or aeronautical marking of objects exceeding the established height limit and prohibit electrical interference, glare, and other potential hazards to flight from being created on the property. The adopted 1993 Airport Land Use Plan was prepared prior to the completion of the Santa Barbara Airport s Runway Safety Area extension on Runway 7-25, which shifted the runway approximately 800 feet to the west. When the Aviation Facilities Plan was brought to ALUC staff for a consistency determination, staff recommended updated Clear Zone and Approach Zone boundaries for Runway 7-25. The ALUC accepted the staff recommendation and determined the Aviation Facilities Plan, including the runway extension, to be consistent with the adopted 1993 ALUP in March 2002. The current Runway 7-25 configuration will be included in the pending Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan update. Given no new runways or helicopter takeoff and landing areas and the City s proposed avigation easement north of Runway 15L, staff recommends that the ALUC determine that the runway layout in the proposed Airport Master Plan is consistent with that contained in the Airport Land Use Plan. Aircraft Traffic Pattern Runway 7-25 is the primary runway for all air carrier and computer aircraft operations. Most general aviation operations use the parallel crosswind runways (15L/33R and 15R/33L) with departures toward the ocean (south) and arrivals from the north. Prevailing winds at the Airport are from the west and the majority of operations at Santa Barbara Airport are conducted on 3 Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan, pg. 6-4. 6
Runway 7-25. Approximately 60 percent of all air carrier and general aviation turbojet aircraft arrive to and depart from Runway 25. The remaining approximate 40 percent arrive and depart to Runway 7. More than a third of GA prop aircraft use Runway 15L for arrivals and departures. The remaining GA prop aircraft arrivals and departures are distributed among the Airport s other runways with approximately 28 percent using Runway 25 for arrivals and departures, 29 percent using Runway 15R for arrivals and departures, and one percent using Runways 33R/L for arrivals and departures. The existing flight tracks, as depicted in the proposed Master Plan environmental document, are illustrated on Attachment 7. The Master Plan is not proposing any new or modified facilities or aircraft operating procedures that would result in modified aircraft traffic patterns or other changes in where or how high aircraft typically fly when approaching, departing, or flying near the airport. Therefore, staff recommends that the ALUC find that the aircraft traffic pattern and operational procedures contained in the proposed Master Plan and environmental document are similar to those contained in the current Airport Land Use Plan (Attachment 8). Airport Noise Contours As it is the largest commercial service airport in the county, the area surrounding the Santa Barbara Airport is subject to the highest noise levels generated by aircraft operations when compared with other airports around the County. In order to achieve noise compatibility for its existing operations and to foster an on-going dialogue with the surrounding community, the Santa Barbara Airport considers public input through its Noise Abatement Committee and implements measures through its Noise Abatement Program: http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/flysba/about/insidesba/noiseabatement.asp The Draft Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan EIR contains an Initial Study that includes a noise analysis. The analysis incorporates the Master Plan s anticipated future growth at the Airport and noise contours associated with the Airport have been modeled using the FAA s most recently approved noise model, INM Version 7.0d, for the future years 2017 and 2032. The 2032 noise contour for the Santa Barbara Airport, as shown in the Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan Initial Study, is illustrated on Attachment 9. SBCAG s adopted Airport Land Use Plan includes noise contours based on a 1986 study. As part of the FAA comprehensive planning program, the Airport prepared the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study in September 1986. The 1986 Study incorporated recommendations for land use development criteria within the CNEL 65 and the CNEL 60-65 noise contours for Santa Barbara Airport. The noise contours depicted in the Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan are shown on Attachment 10. In 2004, the Santa Barbara Airport completed an updated Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study. ALUC staff has been utilizing the updated Part 150 study for consistency reviews within the Airport Influence Area. The updated Part 150 Study utilized the aviation and activity forecasts contained in the Aviation Facilities Plan, but included an extended forecast out to the year 2025. Attachment 11 illustrates the the year 2025 noise contour as depicted in the Part 150 noise study. Based on staff s review of the Draft EIR and Initial Study, the noise contours presented in the Initial Study represent the most accurate prediction of the future noise contours within the Airport Influence Area. These contours are significantly smaller than the noise contours in the 7
adopted Airport Land Use Plan. However, as noted in the section above, the activity forecasts contained in the adopted Airport Land Use Plan are outdated. The noise contour for the proposed Master Plan (year 2032) was overlaid with the noise contour for the Part 150 study (year 2025) to determine if there were would be any major noise increases associated with the Master Plan (Attachment 12). As shown, there would be some very minor increases to the west of the airport, and some minor decreases east of the airport. Given these minor changes and the lower activity forecasts, as shown in Table 1, staff recommends that the ALUC determine that the proposed Airport Master Plan will not generate noise impacts to surrounding land uses over and above those foreseen in the adopted Airport Land Use Plan and that the ALUC determine the noise contours contained in the EIR/Initial Study to be consistent with the ALUP. CONCLUSION The proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan and the Draft Environmental Impact Report will assure Santa Barbara Airport remains ready to meet future air traffic demands and continues to make a vital contribution to the Santa Barbara region s economy. Staff recommends that the Board adopt findings (Attachment 1) and determine that the Master Plan and EIR are consistent with the Airport Land Use Plan for Santa Barbara County and direct staff to incorporate the Airport Master Plan aviation and activity forecast into the countywide Airport Land Use Plan update. ATTACHMENTS 1. Findings of Consistency 2. City of Santa Barbara Letter of Referral 3. Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan (web posting only): http://sba.airportstudy.com/master-plan/ 4. Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report (web posting only): http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/services/planning/erds/draft/airport.asp 5. Santa Barbara Airport Aerial Photograph 6. Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan Development Concept 7. Santa Barbara Airport Arrival / Departure Flight Tracks: Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan Initial Study 8. Santa Barbara Airport Arrival / Departure Flight Tracks: Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan 9. Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan Intial Study Year 2032 Noise Contours 10. Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan Noise Contours 11. Santa Barbara Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study Year 2025 Noise Contours 12. SBA Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study Noise Contour (Year 2025) Comparison with Proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan Noise Contour (Year 2032) 8
ATTACHMENT 1: FINDINGS 1. The proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan provides guidance for the Airport s overall development for the next 20 years (2012 through 2032) and relies on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved forecasts (approval date: November 13, 2012) of aviation activity. These forecasts provide the basis for demand-based recommendations on the airfield, north landside, and terminal area. 2. The Airport Land Use Commission has considered the City of Santa Barbara s draft Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan and draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Master Plan in making its consistency determination. 3. The Santa Barbara Airport is located in the City of Santa Barbara, approximately seven miles west of the City center. The City of Goleta borders the Airport property to the north and west. The University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and the community of Isla Vista in unincorporated Santa Barbara County, lie immediately south-southwest of the Airport. The Pacific Ocean lies directly south of the Airport. The Airport is owned and operated by the City of Santa Barbara. 4. The Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan was adopted in 1993 and was developed utilizing forecasts contained within the Santa Barbara Airport s 1990 Airport Master Plan and 1986 Part 150 Airport Noise Study. The 1990 Airport Master Plan contained forecasts of airport operations out to years 1995, 2000, and 2005. Therefore, a straightforward comparison of the forecasts in the Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan with those contained in the draft Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan is not feasible due to the outdated forecasts contained in the County Airport Land Use Plan. 5. In March 2002, the SBCAG Board (acting as the County Airport Land Use Commission) reviewed the Santa Barbara Airport Aviation Facilities Plan and accepted the airport activity and forecasts contained within that document. 6. The horizon year in the Aviation Facilities Plan was 2015, for which the forecast was 750,000 enplanements. The proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan, for the short-term year 2017 forecast, foresees 440,000 enplanements. Therefore, the proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan activity and aviation forecast will not exceed those accepted by the Airport Land Use Commission for the prior Plan. 7. The proposed Master Plan concludes that forecast growth in enplanements and operations does not warrant additional runway capacity or helicopter takeoff and landing areas. Therefore, the proposed Master Plan does not result in changes to runway lengths, landing threshold locations, approach procedures, or nearby property height limits. 8. The Master Plan is not proposing any new or modified facilities or aircraft operating procedures that would result in modified aircraft traffic patterns or other changes in where or how high aircraft typically fly when approaching, departing, or flying near the airport. 9. The noise contours presented in the Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan Initial Study (Year 2032) are significantly smaller than the noise contours shown in the adopted Airport Land Use Plan. These contours are significantly smaller than the noise contours in the adopted Airport Land Use Plan. However, as noted in the section above, the activity forecasts 9
contained in the adopted Airport Land Use Plan are outdated. Therefore, these proposed Master Plan noise contours cannot be compared to the adopted Airport Land Use Plan noise contours. 10. A comparison of the noise contour for the proposed Master Plan (year 2032) with the noise contour completed for the Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study (year 2025) shows very minor noise increases to the west of the airport, and some minor noise decreases east of the airport. Given these minor changes and the lower activity forecasts, as shown in Table 1, the Master Plan would not result in significantly higher increased noise levels for surrounding land uses. 11. Because the draft Master Plan and associated Environmental Impact Report would not materially affect runway layout, flight patterns, or noise contours, would not cause airport activity or aviation forecasts to exceed projections in the adopted Santa Barbara County 1993 Airport Land Use Plan, and would not result in changes to aircraft operations that would create off-airport impacts, the Airport Land Use Commission finds that the proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan is consistent with the adopted Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan. 10
Attachment 2 Project Referral Letter City of Santa Barbara 11
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Attachment 5 Santa Barbara Airport (Aerial Photograph) Source: Santa Barbara County Draft Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan. 13
Attachment 6 Recommended Airport Master Plan Development Concept Overview Source: Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan 14
Attachment 7A Existing and Future Departure Tracks 15
Attachment 7B Existing and Future Arrival Tracks 16
Attachment 7C Existing and Future Arrival Helicopter and Touch and Go Tracks 17
Attachment 8 - Santa Barbara Airport Arrival / Departure Flight Tracks: Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan 18
Attachment 9 Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan: Year 2032 Noise Contours 19
Attachment 10 Santa Barbara County Airport Land Use Plan Noise Contours 20
Attachment 11 - Santa Barbara Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study Year 2025 Noise Contours 21
Attachment 12 SBA Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study Noise Contour (Year 2025) Comparison with Proposed Santa Barbara Airport Master Plan Noise Contour (Year 2032) 22