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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.0 BOCC Staff Report 11.07.2005BOCC 11/07/05 FJ PROJECT INFORMATION AND STAFF COMMENTS REQUEST APPLICANT (OWNER) LOCATION ACCESS PROPERTY SIZE WATER & SEWER EXISTING ZONING Conditional Use Permit to operate an "Aircraft Landing Strip" Mark and Lisa Balcomb Sections 23 and 24, Township 7 South, Range 92 West on West Divide Creek, 10879 CR 311 CR 311 (West Divide Creek) Approximately 100 acres Well / ISDS ARRD I. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL A. Proposed Request The Applicant requests approval from the Board to allow an "Aircraft Landing Strip" on their property. An Aircraft Landing Strip is allowed in the ARRD zone district but requires approval of a Conditional Use Permit. Section 2.02.03 of the Zoning Resolution of 1978, as amended, defines an Aircraft landing Strip as follows: "A private facility for accommodation and servicing of aircraft, the use of which shall be limited to the owner or owners of the lot upon which the facility is located." More specifically, the Applicant requests the ability to land a small single -prop Piper Super Cub plane for personal use on a dry land pasture grass strip (40 feet x 1250 feet) on their property which is depicted in the photograph on the cover of this memorandum. The strip is designed to lie in a north to south configuration on a relatively flat portion of dry land pasture. The Applicant intends to base the plane out of the Glenwood Springs Airport but wishes to occasionally land at the property with the ability to secure the plan on the property over night. No fuel will be stored on the property and there will be not be any physical structures needed on the property in support of the airstrip. The use of the aircraft is for recreational purposes with five to ten flights per year for agricultural / ranch purposes including ditch inspections and livestock location (West Divide Cattle Pool). Average flights to and from the property will be limited to one vi ' er week with little to no winter use of the strip. B. Site Description The subject property is located in the West Divide Creek drainage approximately 6 miles south of the Town of Silt. The property is improved with a single-family residence and a variety of agricultural barns / structures and traversed by both West Divide Creek on the eastern edge and by West Divide Creek Ditch on the western edge. The property can be characterized as having two benches; a lower bench where the residence and several agricultural structures are located and an upper bench (40 feet higher) which is characterized as lightly undulating upland dry pasture land where the aircraft landing strip is located. The area is considerably rural in character and predominantly used in agricultural uses / operations from hay production to livestock / elk farms. There are no significant natural topographic features on the upper bench affording vast high plains views. II. AGENCY and OTHER COMMENTS A. Referral Agencies: The proposed use was referred to these agencies: 1) Garfield County Sheriff: Provided a comment stating, "The only airplane allowed to land on the requested strip is the airplane owned by the requesting parties. It is understood, in an emergency, other aircraft may use the landing strip if necessary." (See Exhibit F) 2 2) Garfield County Airport Manager: Reviewed the proposal against the FAA Regulations 157 and the airport master plan and found the proposed landing strip to be compatible with the County Airport operations. For safety reasons, the County should require a wind indicator be installed at the airstrip. The wind indicator must be visible to pilots of aircraft approaching to land and well as aircraft taxiing into position for takeoff. It should conform to AC 150/5345-27D — FAA SPECIFICATION FOR WIND CONE ASSEMBLIES. (See Exhibit G) 3) Garfield County Oil & Gas Liaison: No Comments Received III. REVIEW STANDARDS A. Zoning: The Applicant's property is located in the Agricultural/Residential/Rural Density (A/R/RD) zone district, in which an Aircraft Landing Strip is a Conditional Use. As stated above, the Zoning Resolution defines an Aircraft Landing Strip as, "A private facility for accommodation and servicing of aircraft, the use of which shall be limited to the owner or owners of the lot upon which the facility is located." Conditional Uses are subject to the standards in Section 5.03 of the Zoning Resolution. Staff has provided the standards in bold italics below followed by a Staff Response. Section 5.03 Review Standards 1) Utilities adequate to provide water and sanitation service based on accepted engineering standards and approved by the Board of County Commissioners shall either be in place or shall be constructed in conjunction with the proposed use; Staff Comment The airstrip will not need any additional domestic water or sewer service. This standard has been met There is no emergency plan provided in the application, identifying how water would be provided in case of an emergency. An emergency response plan needs to be developed, to identify the method and materials that will be utilized in the case of an emergency. The property is not within any fire district boundary and as a result, may have deal with their own emergencies. 2) Street improvements adequate to accommodate traffic volume generated by the proposed use and to provide safe, convenient access to the use shall either be in place or shall be constructed in conjunction with the proposed use; Staff Comment The aircraft usage is for personal use and will not result in any additional daily trips to and from the property than what occurs presently. This standard has been met. 3 3) Design of the proposed use is organized to minimize impact on and from adjacent uses of land through installation of screen fences or landscape materials on the periphery of the lot and by location of intensively utilized areas, access points, lighting and signs in such a manner as to protect established neighborhood character; Staff Comment As noted previously, the ranch is located in a fairly wide open valley. As scaled directly from the USGS Quadrangle Map, the nearest residential homes include the Rippy residence (1,200 linear feet northeast of the strip), the Rippy Modular (1,650 linear feet southeast of the strip), and the Patterson residence (1,600 linear feet southwest from the airstrip). The application contains a site plan showing the strip itself will take the form of a mowed strip of grass which, by it self, will have no impact on neighboring uses whatsoever, does not need to be screened, and will not be lighted. The aircraft approach for landing on the strip will follow a flight path parallel to and west of the strip by about 500 feet in a south to north direction. The aircraft will then make a U-turn approximately 500 feet beyond the end (north) of the strip and land in a north to south direction. Take off will be from the south to north direction. It appears that the flight path for take -off and landing will not be in line with any of the three nearest residences. Staff suggests that the applicant be limited to take -off and landings between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except in emergencies. This standard has been met Section 5.03.04 Aircraft Landing Strip Such strip may not be in conflict with any reservation, regulation or requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration. Staff Comment: The Applicant has filed FAA Notice of Landing Area Proposal (Form 7480) for an approval pursuant to 14 CFR Part 157. The application states that the Applicant has spoken with Chris Scaffer, FAA Denver ADO which is the regional airport division office. 4 Chris Scaffer indicated that a "no objection" determination would be issued. In past applications, Brian Condie, Garfield County Airport Manager has stated verbally that all enforcement of FAA regulations should be left with the FAA. The County can suggest a preferred route for landing and taking off, but it should not be a mandated route. If there were and accident as a result of following a prescribed route, the County may have some liability. The Applicant is required to follow all FAA flight rules and procedures, to which he can be held accountable for any violation. IV. RECOMMENDED FINDINGS 1. That proper publication and public notice was provided as required by law for the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners. 2. That the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners was extensive and complete, that all pertinent facts, matters and issues were submitted and that all interested parties were heard at that hearing. 3. That the application is in compliance with the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978, as amended. 4. For the above stated and other reasons, the proposed use is in the best interest of the health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity and welfare of the citizens of Garfield County. V. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the Board of County Commissioners APPROVE the Conditional Use Permit for an Aircraft Landing Strip with the following conditions. 1. All representations of the Applicant contained in the application and made during the public hearing on the application shall be considered conditions of approval, unless they are modified by the Board of County Commissioners. 2. The Aircraft Landing Strip will be limited to use by the applicant unless it is used for emergency purposes by another person. 3. The Applicant shall be limited to take -off and landings between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except in emergencies. 4. The Applicant shall install a wind indicator at the airstrip so that it is visible to pilots of aircraft approaching to land and well as aircraft taxiing into position for takeoff. This wind indicator shall conform to AC 150/5345-27D — FAA SPECIFICATION FOR WIND 5 CONE ASSEMBLIES. 5. Prior to issuance of the permit, an emergency response plan will be provided to the County, identifying methods and techniques to be utilized in dealing with a aircraft related accident and the source of accessible fire protection water. Lou ''alario Sheriff of GarfielcfCounty Date: October 31, 2005 To: Fred Jarman Garfield County Building nd Planning From: James H. Sears f Emergency 0 Commander Garfield County Sheriff's Office Ref: Conditional Use Permit request for Air Landing Strip Mark & Lisa Balcomb deny EXHIBIT i f Eax• 970-945-6430 After review of the referenced Conditional Use Permit request, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office only comment is that: The only airplane allowed to land on the requested Air Landing Strip is the airplane owned by the requesting parties. It is understood that, in an emergency, other aircraft may use the landing strip if necessary. October 25, 2005 Mr. Mark Bean Garfield County Planning Department 108 8th Street, Suite 201 Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 EXHIBIT G Garfield County Regional Airport Dear Mr. Bean: I am responding to a land use request concerning a conditional use permit for an aircraft landing strip. I have reviewed the application, the Federal Aviation Regulations 157 and the airport master plan. I find that the proposed aircraft landing strip is compatible with regards to the airport operations. For safety reasons I recommend the County require a wind indicator be installed on the proposed site. The wind indicator must be visible to pilots of aircraft approaching to land as well as to pilots taxiing into position for takeoff. It should conform to AC 150/5345-27D - FAA SPECIFICATION FOR WIND CONE ASSEMBLIES. I hope you have found this information useful in this decision. Please let me know if I can assist further. Sincerely, Brian Condie C.M. Airport Manager 0375 County Road 352, Bldg. 1070, Rifle, Colorado 81650 (970) 625-1091 Fax (970) 625-8501 email: gcra2@earthlink.net