COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS - M. GILBERT

Receive presentation and comment on Draft Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan for the Frazier Lake Airpark and Draft Initial Study for a Proposed Negative Declaration.

SBC FILE NUMBER: 1035

Airport Land Use Commissions (ALUC's) have been established for all counties with public use airports within the State of California, under Division 9, Part 1, Chapter 4, Article 3.5 (§§21670-21679.5) of the Public Utilities Code.  The Council of San Benito County Governments (COG) has been designated as the ALUC for San Benito County. ALUC's are formed with the specific intent of implementing State law regarding compatibility between public airports and surrounding land uses. The purpose of ALUC's is 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 within areas around public airports.

COG was formed in 1973 through a Joint Powers Agreement among the City of Hollister, City of San Juan Bautista, and the County of San Benito, and consists of a five-member board that includes two representatives from the County Board of Supervisors, two representatives from the Hollister City Council, and one representative from the San Juan Bautista City Council.

Pursuant to Public Utilities Code §§21674.7 and 21675, the ALUC has the basic function of preparing Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans (Compatibility Plan) for each public airport within San Benito County, including the Frazier Lake Airpark, in accordance with the provisions of the California Airport Land Use Planning Handbook, which is published by the California Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics. The Compatibility Plan promotes compatibility between the Frazier Lake Airpark and the land uses surrounding it. This function is accomplished through establishment of a set of compatibility criteria applicable to new development proposed around the Airpark. All development projects proposed within the Airport Influence Area for Frazier Lake Airpark are subject to ALUC review. Geographically, the Compatibility Plan pertains to lands within the jurisdiction of San Benito County. However, neither the Compatibility Plan nor the ALUC have authority over existing land uses, approval or disapproval of projects, or control over airport operations. ALUC can only find a proposed project as either Consistent or Inconsistent with the Compatibility Plan.

Over the last several months, ALUC has been working on the preparation of the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan for Frazier Lake Airpark (Compatibility Plan). ALUC's Board of Directors released the draft Compatibility Plan and Draft Initial Study for a Proposed Negative Declaration at their September 19, 2019 meeting (Attachment 1 and 2). The official Draft Plans are posted at this website, http://sanbenitocog.org/aluc/.

As part of the development of the Plan, Airport Land Use Commission staff established a Project Development Team composed of San Benito County Planning Department staff, the Airport Manager for the Frazier Lake Airpark, and Aviation Consultant Walter Windus, to formulate the enclosed Compatibility Plan. In addition to establishing a Project Development Team, ALUC staff conducted the following preliminary public outreach to ensure early community engagement.

• Developed project website http://sanbenitocog.org/aluc/.

• Mailed a project information letter to property owners located within the Airport Influence Area.
• Placed two 4’ x 8’ bilingual project signs (May – October) at locations near Frazier Lake Airpark.
• Held one-on-one meetings with property owners.
• Presented to the Frazier Lake Airpark Board of Directors.
• Prepared a press release notifying the public of the availability of the documents.

Upon ALUC’s adoption of the Compatibility Plan, the County, as the agency with land use authority for the land surrounding the Airpark, has the responsibility to enforce the Compatibility Plan. Specifically, Government Code Section §65302.3(b) mandates the County to incorporate Compatibility Plan provisions into its General Plan and/or Specific Plans within 180 days of the Plan being adopted by ALUC. The Compatibility Plan provides sample documents and guidance steps to implement the Compatibility Plan by the County of San Benito.

Below is the Compatibility Plan project timeline.

Receive presentation and comment on Draft Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan for the Frazier Lake Airpark and Draft Initial Study for a Proposed Negative Declaration.