1.0 STUDY INTRODUCTION AND GOALS

Transcription

1 1.0 STUDY INTRODUCTION AND GOALS This Airprt Master Plan (AMP) fr Frnt Range Airprt ("FTG" r the "Airprt") has been cnducted t prvide Adams Cunty (the "Airprt Spnsr" r "Spnsr") with a lng-range plan fr reasnable and rderly airprt develpment designed t prduce a safe, efficient, ecnmical, and envirnmentally acceptable air transprtatin facility that meets existing and prjected aviatin demand levels in a thughtful manner. This Master Plan alng with the accmpanying Airprt Layut Plan (ALP) have been prepared in cmpliance with the Federal Aviatin Administratin (FAA) Advisry Circular (AC) 150/5070-6B, Airprt Master Plans. The previus Frnt Range Airprt Master Plan was cmpleted in This study was funded by the FAA, the Clrad Department f Transprtatin (CDOT) Divisin f Aernautics, and Adams Cunty. Technical wrk was cnducted by a study team led by Jviatin and supprted by Wlpert, Inc. The ultimate gal f the AMP is t prvide a carefully cnsidered, systematic apprach t the Airprt s verall maintenance, develpment, and peratin ver a 20-year planning perid. At its cre, this planning effrt is designed t identify and then plan fr current and future airprt facility needs well in advance f the actual demand fr thse facilities. The AMP is als designed t review and assess the Airprt s current cnfrmance with federal and state airprt design and peratinal standards t help ensure that the Airprt cntinues t perate as safely as pssible. It will als ensure that FTG can apprpriately crdinate prject apprvals, design, financing, and cnstructin, while aviding the ptentially detrimental effects caused by inadequate r nncmpliant airprt facilities. The FAA requires that an airprt undertake a master plan effrt every five t ten years. Funding is prvided by a cmbinatin f federal, state and lcal surces. An Airprt Master Plan dcuments an airprt spnsr s shrt-, mid-, and lng-term strategies fr peratin and develpment ver a 20-year perid. 1.1 Master Plan Purpse and Objectives The verall purpse f the FTG AMP is t define the Airprt Spnsr s strategy fr the lng-term develpment f the Airprt. This AMP prvides the framewrk t guide future airprt develpment that will cst-effectively satisfy current and future aviatin demand in a lgical and financially-feasible manner, while als cnsidering relevant envirnmental and cmmunity factrs. Cnsistent with this purpse, the prject team crdinated with the Airprt t establish general bjectives fr the AMP, listed belw. Becme an ecnmic engine fr Adams Cunty and surrunding areas, prviding jbs, revenue, and viable aviatin services fr a grwing market. Serve as a mdel airprt fr aircraft peratins, efficiency, and safety. Prvide its tenants, users, business cmmunity, and travelers with a prfessinal experience. Guide the develpment f the Airprt with the gal f prviding a safe, efficient, and effective facility as aviatin demand, market cnditins, and technlgies evlve. Cntinue t cmply with all apprpriate federal regulatins, bligatins, and design standards. An effective AMP will reflect the gals and purpses f the airprt spnsr and its assciated stakehlders. 1-1

2 Present a recmmended curse f actin fr helping the Airprt achieve and maintain shrt- and lng-term financial self-sustainability. Be cnsistent with Adams Cunty s gals fr its public-use facilities. Cnsider and ptentially integrate ther Cunty-related develpment initiatives, including Spaceprt Clrad. Analyze the cnditin f existing facilities and their effectiveness serving current and future aviatin needs, as well as cnfrmance with federal airprt design and peratinal standards. Prvide a planning dcument fr the next 20 years that is technically accurate, realistically executable, and financially feasible. Fcus n envirnmental sustainability. Cnsider the current and prjected security requirements fr general aviatin airprts. Incrprate public invlvement thrughut the AMP prcess t ensure that the Airprt's future aligns with the values and visin f the cmmunity. It shuld be acknwledged that these specific airprt gals are als cnsistent with the descriptins prvided by the 2011 Clrad Aviatin System Plan f an efficient and well-functining airprt system. In essence, that plan ntes that fr an airprt system t perate effectively, its individual airprts must exhibit similar characteristics. Specifically, an ideal airprt system (and by extensin the airprts that cmprise that system) shuld be characterized by the fllwing traits: Prvides sufficient capacity t meet current and future needs; Pssesses the ability t respnd t unfreseen changes in the aviatin industry r in the lcal market area; Supprts the lcal and state ecnmy; Leverages histric investment and makes the mst ut f future investment and Operates in such a way as t address security and safety cnsideratins, relative t perceived risks. In additin t addressing these bjectives, the AMP must als fulfill the brad master planning gals established by the FAA in AC 150/5070-6B, Airprt Master Plans. These gals include the fllwing: Dcument issues that the prpsed develpment will address. Justify the prpsed develpment thrugh the technical, ecnmic, and envirnmental investigatin f cncepts and alternatives. Prvide an effective graphic presentatin f the develpment f the Airprt and anticipated land uses in the vicinity. Establish a realistic schedule fr implementing the develpment prpsed in the AMP, particularly the shrt-term capital imprvement prgram. 1-2

3 Chapter 1 Study Intrductin and Gals Prpse an achievable financial plan t supprt the implementatin schedule. Prvide sufficient prject definitin and detail fr subsequent envirnmental evaluatins that may be required befre the prject is apprved. Present a plan that satisfies lcal, state, and federal regulatins. Dcument plicies and future aernautical demand t supprt municipal r lcal deliberatins n spending, debt, land use cntrls, and ther plicies necessary t preserve the integrity f the Airprt and its surrundings. Set the stage and establish the framewrk fr a cntinuing planning prcess. 1.2 Overview f Airprt Issue and Cncerns FTG s previus AMP was cmpleted in 2004 by Washingtn Grup Internatinal. Since that time, many f the Airprt issues and fcal pints identified in that master planning effrt have been addressed thrugh the cmpletin f specific prjects and/r the updating f specific airprt dcuments. Sme issues may nt have been addressed due t changing industry circumstances and/r master plan assumptins, r have still yet t be reslved. The fllwing issues and cncerns have been identified fr the 2016 AMP: New Landside Develpment Areas: The Airprt must identify future ptential develpment areas t meet demand fr aviatin-related businesses, hangars and ther facilities such as airfield supprt strage and maintenance buildings. Similarly, FTG shuld identify areas n its prperty that culd be made available fr ptential nn-aviatin related develpment t diversify the Airprt's revenue streams and increase its ecnmic benefit fr the lcal area. When starting an AMP, it is imprtant t acknwledge the key issues t be addressed within the planning effrt. Reginal Ecnmic Develpment Initiatives: Adams Cunty is anticipated t realize significant ppulatin and ecnmic grwth as a result f several factrs, including the Denver Aertrplis/Airprt City develpment initiative, the cmpletin f the Reginal Transprtatin District (RTD) University f Clrad A Line prviding mass transit cnnectins between dwntwn Denver and Denver Internatinal Airprt, as well as Denver metr area develpment that cntinues t prgress east. The ptential impact f these factrs n the Airprt must be prjected. Pavement Strength: FTG was explicitly designed as a General Aviatin Reliever airprt. The actual pavement design f the Airprt's airfield infrastructure has strength ratings cnsistent with smaller general aviatin aircraft. As crprate aircraft cntinue t increase in size and in frequency f peratin at FTG, the pavement strength f this infrastructure must be reassessed. Pavement Maintenance: The Airprt must establish a pavement maintenance prgram that cnsiders the age and cnditin f existing airprt pavements, ptins fr maintenance r repair, and apprximate csts fr these imprvements. Frnt Range Airprt Master Plan

4 Clrad Spaceprt Initiative: FTG is the site f an exciting develpment initiative t establish the Airprt as Clrad's first and nly spaceprt facility. While the specific details f that initiative are revisited within the AMP, cnsideratin fr its ptential develpment requirements n the Airprt must be anticipated. Airprt Security: The Airprt needs t evaluate its current security systems and plicies, including airprt fencing, cameras, security plans, etc. All f these issues, as well as thers that are uncvered during the planning prcess, are discussed in subsequent chapters. 1.3 Master Plan Cmmunicatin & Crdinatin Critical t the success f any AMP is an effective cmmunicatin and crdinatin effrt with the airprt s key stakehlders. Public invlvement is an integral part f any significant airprt planning study since it encurages infrmatin sharing and cllabratin amng the cmmunity and the airprt stakehlders that have a cllective interest in the utcme f the study. Stakehlders typically include airprt management, the airprt spnsr, tenants, users, lcal businesses and residents, resurce agencies, elected and appinted public fficials, and the general public. With such a diverse stakehlder grup, a variety f frums are ften emplyed t enhance the effectiveness f the prject crdinatin effrt. A Planning Advisry Cmmittee (PAC) was established t serve as a resurce t ensure the Master Plan addressed the key issues facing the Airprt and its surrunding cmmunity tday and int the future. The PAC members represent: Adams Cunty Ecnmic Develpment Cuncil Adams Cunty Planning Department Adjacent prperty wners Airprt businesses and tenants, City f Aurra Planning Develpment Services Department Denver Internatinal Airprt FTG Airprt Advisry Bard Metr Denver Aviatin Calitin Reginal Ecnmic Advancement Partnership Twn f Bennett CDOT Aernautics FAA Their rles were t review and cmment n draft study prducts, and t prvide links t agencies and ther cnstituencies represented by the PAC membership. Three PAC meetings were held thrughut the prject. 1-4

5 Chapter 1 Study Intrductin and Gals An nline survey f key airprt stakehlders (including users, tenants, based aircraft wners/pilts, transient pilts, and airprt users at large) was cnducted t slicit feedback regarding a variety f tpics, including their existing and prjected activities at the Airprt; FTG strengths, weaknesses, pprtunities, and threats; and the future visin fr FTG. The survey results were utilized t help guide planning actins dcumented in Chapter 4, Airfield Capacity & Facility Requirements. Varius public utreach materials were created and methds emplyed t generate public awareness f the AMP. The materials and utreach prgram served as imprtant surces f infrmatin fr interested parties t keep them infrmed f the planning prcess, t slicit input, and t facilitate decisin making during the prcess. The utreach materials included a prject website, press releases fr lcal media, meeting advertisements, and scial media publicatins. Finally, in additin t the PAC, ther frms f public invlvement included regular public briefings t the Adams Cunty Bard f Cunty Cmmissiners, as well as a public infrmatin meeting/wrkshp. The wrkshp prvided an pprtunity t engage the public in meaningful cnversatin abut the Airprt and the AMP. Other additinal briefings and technical meetings were rganized with key agencies, stakehlders, and public fficials as required. Ntes frm meetings are included in Appendix XX. 1.4 Master Plan Study Elements The FTG AMP has been prepared cnsistent with the guidance prvided in FAA AC 150/5070-6B, Airprt Master Plans, and ther industry-accepted principles and practices. Specifically, this Master Plan s chapters are designed t identify future facility requirements and prvide the supprting ratinale fr their implementatin. Chapter 1, Study Intrductin prvides an verview f the AMP, including its purpse, bjectives, and wrk prducts, and the verall structure f the prject. Chapter 2, Inventry f Existing Cnditins establishes a sund basis fr plan and prgram develpment. The inventry cmpiles essential data regarding the physical, peratinal, and functinal characteristics f FTG, its sub-cmpnents, and its envirns. Envirnmental data is included and cnsidered thrughut the master planning prcess and ptential fllw-n envirnmental effrts. Chapter 3, Aviatin Activity Frecast serves as the hub f the AMP by utilizing lcal sciecnmic infrmatin and natinal air transprtatin trends t prject the levels f aviatin activity that can reasnably be expected at FTG ver the 20-year planning perid. Assessing future airprt utilizatin and peratinal activity levels trends is especially imprtant. Because many f the prpsals and recmmendatins in the AMP are principally based n aviatin activity demand frecasts, it is critical that the frecasts are reasnable and defensible. Nte that the aviatin frecasts must be fficially reviewed and apprved by the FAA. While an AMP must fllw the federally-defined airprt planning prcess, the FAA nly apprves the aviatin activity frecasts and the Airprt Layut Plan. Chapter 4, Airfield Capacity & Facility Requirements utilizes the results f the Frecasts t assess the ability f existing airside and landside facilities t meet the Frnt Range Airprt Master Plan

6 prjected level f demand fr the five-, ten-, and twenty-year planning hrizns. This analysis defines requirements fr additinal facilities, expansin t existing facilities, and determines whether the facilities will meet the frecast f demand ver the 20- year planning perid. Beynd this, airprt facilities are examined with respect t imprvements needed t safely serve the type f aircraft expected t perate at the Airprt in the future, including cmpliance with FAA design standards, as well as navigatinal aids t increase the safety and efficiency f peratins. Chapter 5, Develpment Alternatives & Recmmended Plan cnsiders a variety f slutins t accmmdate the anticipated facility needs identified within the Facility Requirements analysis. Thrugh this prcess, varius facility and site plan alternatives are prpsed and weighed with respect t their ability t meet the prjected facility needs. This analysis ultimately results in the preferred alternative that is deemed t best meet the facility requirements in the mst efficient and apprpriate manner available t achieve the Airprt s lng-term gals. As a tl fr the alternatives review and evaluatin, matrices are emplyed t help identify the strengths and weaknesses f each prpsed develpment alternative in rder t determine a single directin fr develpment. This evaluatin methd fcuses n several key criteria, including cst, efficiency, feasibility, peratinal effectiveness, and ther measures. An envirnmental screening f the preferred develpment plan is als included in this chapter. Chapter 6, Airprt Layut Plan prvides bth a graphic and narrative descriptin f the recmmended plan fr the use, develpment, and peratin f the Airprt. Nte that the Airprt Layut Plan set must be fficially reviewed, apprved and signed by the FAA. Chapter 7, Financial Plan fcuses n the capital imprvement prgram which defines the schedules, csts, and funding surces fr the recmmended develpment plan. It is imprtant that the develpment prgram is practical, reasnable, and capable f enhancing the ecnmic viability fr the Airprt. 1-6