Agenda - 07-08-1982 - Laserfiche WebLink

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236 r G 7-7- -427. STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION P.O.BOX 25201 JAMES B.HUNT,JR RALEIGH 27611 DIVISION OF AVIATION GOVERNOR 1919)733-2491 July 1, 1982 WILLIAM R.ROBERSON,JR SECRETARY Mr. Jim Polatty Orange County Planning Dept. 106 E. Margaret Lane Hillsborough, N.C. 27278 Dear Mr. Polatty: It is our understanding that Orange County intends to require developers of privately owned airports in the County to own or control all of the land lying under the FAA-defined "approach zone". We believe that such a requirement is unreasonable and unfair to the private citizen who is using his own funds to provide vital air transportation access for the County. We are particularly concerned that the County may be going fax beyond FAA standards in its requirements for private airports. As Bruce Matthews pointed out in his letter of June 2B, FAA requires ownership or control of only the clear zone. Any controls beyond the clear zone normally takes the form of a height restriction zoning ordinance. Such an ordinance is clearly beyond the ability of a private citizen and should be a County responsibility. We recognize that Orange County shares our goals of the maximum possible operational safety for North Carolina's airports, both public and private. We encourage the County to develop a cooperative program with private airport owners to ensure safe facilities. Such a program would require the owner's control of land underlying the clear zone, while a county zoning ordinance would provide protection against hazardous objects being erected or allowed to grow beyond the clear zone. 4 We recognize the need for counties to develop and maintain adequate land use controls to benefit and protect the general public. However, we believe that Orange County's requirements for private airports go far beyond that necessary for reasonable public safety and exceeds even the rigorous standards established by FAA.