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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10242006 Special SEBASTIAN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PROPOSED AIRPORT BUSINESS PLAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24,2006 -7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1225 MAIN STREET, SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 1. Mayor Burkeen called the Workshop to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 3. ROLL CALL City Council Present: Mayor Brian Burkeen Council Member Sal Neglia Council Member AI Paternoster City Council Absent: Council Member Andrea Coy (excused) Council Member Nathan McCollum (excused) Staff Present: City Manager, AI Minner City Attorney, Rich Stringer City Clerk, Sally Maio Airport Director, Joe Griffin MIS Systems Analyst, Barbara Brooke Also Present: Dr. Dave Byers, Airport Consultant City Council Workshop October 24, 2006 Page Two 4. PROPOSED AIRPORT BUSINESS PLAN (No Backup) A. AIRPORT DIRECTOR PRESENTATION The City Manager gave an opening presentation, citing that this was an opportunity for the new Airport Director to offer new ideas and for the public to provide input on the Airport Business Plan before a second draft is prepared. He said the second draft will be posted on the City website when ready. The Airport Director said the Airport Business Plan was begun by the former Airport Director approximately one year ago to provide a guiding document for fair and equitable treatment of future airport users in light of new post 9/11 federal rules and regulations that, he said, even general aviation airport users must follow, and particularly since the City has accepted FAA funds. He noted a consultant was utilized to prepare the document, introducing Dr. Dave Byers, and noted Dr. Byers has been working on the document since February 1, 2006. He then stated the former Airport Director moved on and the City Manager resurrected the plan, held a meeting on it in August, and during that meeting he himself heard that people wanted to air their concerns. He said most of the recommendations submitted during that meeting and after the meeting have been included in the document and that tonight's meeting would offer an opportunity for further public input. Dr. Byers then addressed Council, stating the ultimate goal of the airport is to become financially self-sufficient and this plan will set out a strategy to get there, noting the burden for funding its operation should fall to its users. He went on to say there is only so much the City can do with aviation activities and it should look to market its undeveloped property such as establishing compatible development for lease. He said he would need a consensus as to how Council wishes to move forward and they need to come up with answers as to what rates and charges should be and how they want to develop the land. He said for instance they could limit development in the Roseland Road corridor, or maybe subdivide the uses. In response to Mr. Neglia, the City Manager said Council would probably see a second draft of the plan in approximately two weeks. The Airport Director said there have been revisions made based on input from the public and his review. He said he is now working with Growth Management on land development regulations affecting the airport and rather than piecemeal the plan he wanted to wait until we have a clean document to provide to Council and the public. He said it was originally his intent to have it back for approval on November 8 but would vacate that idea for a cleaner document, noting material and input were still coming in. In response to Mayor Burkeen, the Airport Director said he had met with all the major airport tenants. He went on to say that the first draft included some classic overreaching of government and that some of the heavy handedness had been softened. 2 City Council Workshop October 24, 2006 Page Three Dr. Byers said the new regulations will affect new users but those currently at the airport will be grandfathered; that they have agreed with Growth Management that for any plan standards that are in conflict with land development regulations, the more stringent of the two will apply. He talked about changes to the landscape and lighting provisions in concert with public recommendations. In response to Mr. Paternoster who expressed concern that current users will not be required to comply with the new standards, Dr. Byers said the federal government regulates aviation safety issues and insurance companies regulate fire codes, and that in fact the City is not required to adopt these standards but should to provide a level playing field for all new users so that each is treated equally. The Airport Director said he considers himself the safety officer for the airport and for flagrant violations he has the ability to notify them though he cannot cite them. He said in his six weeks he has seen a very safe operation and at some point there will be 24/7 security with a Sebastian police officer. B. PUBLIC INPUT Lee Skinner, Roseland, expressed concern that residents are not aware of what is being planned and they have concerns of liveability, and asked what will security do about people flying over her house every 35-35 seconds and where will she go to seek refuge. Bob Musante, Roseland, said there had been a master plan prepared ten years ago at which time the consultants brought all parties together to work out the most compatible plan and that in the past there had been voluntary rules which required pilots to climb higher before making their turns. He said the runway being used now affects Roseland residents more than Sebastian residents. Mr. Musante said Velocity planes are giving them the worst problem, and he asked if Council could reenact the voluntary rule. The Airport Director said he has found and FAA concurs that by closing runway 13-31 the City has reduced the airport's capacity by 40%, and that the City has done its part to mitigate problems with Roseland residents. He said Ms. Skinner is just to the right of the runway 31 path and she no longer has planes taking off and landing over her house and in fact any planes over her house are at 1000 feet. He said he had visited Flight Safety three weeks ago and been told that their numbers of pilots had dropped from over 500 pre 9/11 to approximately 120 post 9/11 and they are spreading the wealth around various local airports so as not to impact residents. He said he has asked them to turn earlier so as not to impact residents; and noted the airport has approximately 40-50 operations per day which equates to about 25 planes per day max and seldom at night. Scott Baker, Velocity Aircraft, thanked everyone for the opportunity to provide feedback, noting he had met with the new Airport Director on a number of occasions and found him to be very cordial and sincerely interested. He requested tax relief for lessees who do not own the property on which their businesses reside, because as time goes on the 3 City Council Workshop October 24, 2006 Page Three closer they get to the end of their 30 year leases, the less valuable the business becomes yet they are charged full taxes by Indian River County. George Scelzi, Collier Club, recommended the City construct more hangars and collect rents on them, noting he had been on a hangar list with Sheltair for three years. The City Manager said the waiting list was at 25 at the end of 2005 and the Airport Director said he had five more people call today and had talked to FAA about this issue. Damian Gilliams said he applauded this meeting and commended the City Manager for hiring the new Airport Director because he is out talking to people. He said people need to realize that the airport was here but we have to work with everyone, encouraged economic development at the airport, recommended investigating how the hangars are being utili~ed and that there may be boats and cars in them, said he was interested in industrial property and that we need a master plan, and urged Council not to compete with private enterprise. The City Manager in response to Mr. Baker said lessees do not have a land investment. Eugene Wolff, Wimbrow Drive, Sebastian, said in regard to the goal of financial self- sufficiency, that Council might consider a property management person. Mayor Burkeen called recess at 8:25 pm and reconvened the meeting at 8:36 pm. John Oakes, Collier Club, read from statistics from AOPA relative to airport noise, discussed decibel levels which included a conversation at 60 decibels, piston powered single engine plane at 65 decibels all the way up to an ambulance at 140 decibels. He said when you build near an airport you will hear airport noise and you always have the option of moving. He said he lives in Collier Club and was a part of Flight Safety and they do not want to fly here because of skydiving in the area. Neil Lagin, Wentworth Street, Sebastian, said he came here tonight to hear a business plan and was disappointed. Michael?, Gossamer Wing Way, said Saturday morning planes were landing every eight minutes, asked how it can be stopped and about touch and goes, and Mayor Burkeen said the City cannot prohibit them from doing this. Holly Dill, Roseland, said as well as economic issues there are natural resources that have to be addressed and suggested the Environmental Advisory Committee be asked to look at the plan relative to native habitat, gopher tortoises, and proximity to a park. Bob Ingram, said hiring Mr. Griffin was a great idea, that people who have been at the airport should be shown preferential treatment, in reference to climbing to 1000 feet there are many different types of aircraft that use the airport and this would not work for all, and suggested people who live near the airport sell their property now. 4 The Airport Director said in his discussions with FAA, their goal is that we be economically self-sufficient, and he said we need to plan how we will do that through economic development. He advised that people download the first draft of the business plan and review it again; and said it is his goal to get more input and bring the Council the best plan he could. C. COUNCIL DISCUSSION Mayor Burkeen invited anyone listening at home to contact the City Manager with any other ideas; and said he would withhold any further comments until he had time to review the second draft of the plan. Mr. Paternoster and Mr. Neglia agreed and Mr. Neglia added he would like to see environmental and economic aspects included. 5. Being no further business, Mayor Burkeen adjourned the Workshop at 9:00 p.m. Approved at the November 8,2006 Regular City Council Meeting. ,/ "') .-':" '/")~ Bricim Burkeen, Mayor ..- A~ Sally A. Maio, ~ 5