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Receive a presentation regarding the proposed amendments to the Travis Air Force Base (AFB) and Rio Vista Airport land use compatibility plans (LUCPs)
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BACKGROUND:
On March 14, 2024, the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) formed an ad hoc committee to consider the need to amend the Travis AFB and Rio Vista Airport LUCPs, based on current operational information and FAA guidance. The ad hoc committee included three members of the ALUC, ALUC staff, City of Rio Vista staff, and a consultant who specializes in airport land use compatibility. The ad hoc committee met several times between April and June 2024 to discuss potential amendments to the LUCPs.
The purpose of the item on July 11, 2024, is to receive a presentation, discuss the recommendations, and provide direction to the ad hoc committee.
ALUC staff provided courtesy notices to the City staff of the jurisdictions within the Solano Airport Influence Area (AIA) such as the City of Fairfield, City of Suisun City, City of Dixon, City of Vacaville, City of Benicia, City of Rio Vista, and City of Vallejo; and made the Public Draft TAFB and Rio Vista Airport LUCPs available on the Solano ALUC website. Public comment may be received during this meeting or submitted via email to SolanoALUC@solanocounty.com.
The ALUC may act on the amendments on the next meeting date, August 8, 2024.
Discussion:
Travis Air Force Base Land Use Compatibility Plan
The ad hoc committee met with Travis AFB personnel to better understand the nature of the Assault Landing Training Overlay Zone (ALZ) tactical maneuvers and the importance of protecting Travis AFB tactical training missions. The Travis AFB is a major Air Force tactical training base for large mobility aircraft in the USA, and during these discussions, it was determined that a new zone, the Low Altitude Maneuvering Zone (LAMZ) is necessary to be established to provide additional protection in areas overflown during Travis AFB tactical maneuvers.
The proposed LAMZ, depicted in Attachment A, combines the two-nautical-mile radius (based on the typical airspeed of an aircraft while turning) around two tactical waypoints located southeast of Travis AFB. The suggested two-nautical-mile radius would allow aircraft in these areas to turn towards the runway environment from most entry headings over protected lands that are free of large structures or dense population centers. To maintain the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) requirements for low altitude flying below 1,000 feet, it is necessary to restrict underlying land uses to low population and density. The LAMZ has been defined to implement this requirement.
The LAMZ shown in Figure 1 lies underneath FAA special use airspace alert area A-682, as depicted on the FAA San Francisco sectional aeronautical chart, and has been identified through analysis of historical flight traffic patterns and aircraft performance parameters. The FAA has established special use airspace alert area A-682 surrounding Travis AFB to warn other aircraft transiting the area of the potential for a high volume of pilot training, or an unusual type of aerial activity. Tactical flying within the ALZ Training Overlay Zone will be at random altitudes and routes simulating combat arrivals and departures. They can be flown day or night, and at higher or lower altitudes.
Development within the LAMZ should be limited to low-density or intensity land uses, and prohibit land uses that attract wildlife, in order for tactical maneuvers to be performed at low altitudes. The proposed amendment prohibits the following:
• New conservation banks and aviation habitats;
• New residential development within two nautical miles of two tactical waypoints that are used during tactical maneuvers;
• Hazards to flight;
• Children’s schools;
• Day care centers;
• Libraries; and
• Hospitals / nursing homes
Additionally, the proposed amendment states that non-agricultural land uses are incompatible within the LAMZ but allows development of non-agricultural development on properties currently zoned industrial (M-G-3) or commercial recreation (C-R) (as effective August 8, 2024), subject to ALUC review.
Development conditions are also proposed for the LAMZ. These include: a height limitation of 200 feet and compliance with Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 77, a limit of two residential dwellings per agriculturally zoned parcel (as effective August 8, 2024), coordination with the Travis AFB Bird Aircraft Strike Hazards (BASH) program, ALUC review and coordination with Travis AFB for commercial solar projects and outdoor lighting that may interfere with nighttime tactical flying, including the use of night vision goggles. Finally, the maximum densities/intensities of Zone C must be used for development within the areas zoned M-G-3 or C-R Zone as of August 8, 2024 and development of these areas are subject to ALUC review.
In conjunction with this proposed amendment, the example deed language has been updated with specific information regarding Travis AFB tactical training maneuvers.
Amendments to the existing ALZ zone are limited to clarifying the intent to restrict objects or structural heights to 200 feet.
Additional proposed minor amendments include clarification that the maximum residential density calculations shall include primary and secondary or Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) units in the TAFB LUCP.
Rio Vista Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan
The ALZ overlaps within the RV Airport Influence Area (AIA), and therefore, was included in this study. However, the ad hoc committee determined that the proposed LAMZ does not affect the Rio Vista AIA; therefore, LAMZ was not included for Rio Vista LUCP
Amendments to the Rio Vista Airport LUCP include additional guidance to applicants regarding potential wildlife hazards, language requiring analysis, and consultation with the Travis AFB BASH Team is recommended for all safety zones. This will promote the development and inclusion of reasonably feasible mitigation measures into planned land uses.
A deed notice requirement is also proposed to be added to all safety zones. In conjunction with this change, the example deed language has been updated with specific information regarding Travis AFB tactical training maneuvers.
To provide more specific guidance for Safety Zone 7, language for a new Section 4.8 - Safety Zone 7 is recommended. This section presents information in a manner similar to the plan’s other safety zone discussions in Sections 4.2 through 4.7.
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS:
Travis Air Force Base Land Use Compatibility Plan
The proposed amendments are summarized as follows:
1. Update Figure 1 of the Travis AFB LUCP to depict the boundaries of the Low Altitude Maneuvering Zone (LAMZ) (shown in Attachment A) and add a new Section 4.10 describing the prohibited land uses and compatibility criteria. See Attachment B.
2. Add ALUC coordination with Travis AFB in cases for which solar glare analysis is warranted. See Table 1 - Land Use Compatibility Criteria in Attachment B.
3. Add ALUC coordination with the Travis AFB BASH Team for projects that have the potential to attract wildlife that could cause bird strikes. See Table 1 - Land Use Compatibility Criteria in Attachment B.
4. Within the ALZ Training Overlay Zone, changes were made to Table 1 - Land Use Compatibility Criteria in Attachment 2 to prohibit new conservation banks or avian habitat, and the purpose and intent of the ALZ was amended. See Table 1 and Section 4.8 in Attachment B.
5. For Zones B2 and C, add a note stating that primary and secondary or ADU units must be included when calculating residential densities. See Table 1 - Land Use Compatibility Criteria in Attachment B.
6. Update the reference to FAA policy regarding solar glare analysis. See Table 1 - Land Use Compatibility Criteria in Attachment B.
7. Update the Appendix D deed notice example with specific information regarding tactical training maneuvers. See Table 1 - Land Use Compatibility Criteria and Appendix D in Attachment B.
Rio Vista Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan
The proposed amendments are summarized as follows:
1. Add ALUC coordination with the Travis AFB BASH Team for projects that have the potential to attract wildlife that could cause bird strikes. See Table 1 - Land Use Compatibility Criteria in Attachment C.
2. Update the Appendix B deed notice example with specific information regarding tactical training maneuvers. See Table 1 - Land Use Compatibility Criteria and Appendix B in Attachment C.
3. Update Figure 3 to depict the Travis AFB LUCP compatibility zones and Assault Landing Zone and add a new Section 4.8 describing the prohibited land uses and compatibility criteria. See Attachment C.
Attachments
A - Public Draft TAFB Compatibility Zones Figure 1
B - Travis Air Force Base Land Use Compatibility Plan - Public Draft, July 11, 2024
C - Rio Vista Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan - Public Draft, July 11, 2024
D - Courtesy Hearing Notice