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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-03-13 Airport Commission Summary KENAI AIRPORT COMMISSION Kenai City Council Chambers Chairman Tom Thibodeau March 13, 1997 at 7 p.m. ***AGENDA*** 1. Roll Call 2. Approval of Agenda 3. Approval of Minutes February 13, 1997 4. Persons Present Scheduled to be Heard a. John Sanders & Freddi Comperchio -- Aries Consultants Airport Master Plan Update 5. Old Business a. Car Rental Proposal b. Lori Davey--Phone Card Proposal c..Payless Car Rental Update 6. New Business 7. Airport Manager's Report a. Enplanement Report b. Aircraft Fire Training Center c. Overhead roll-down grill door for restaurant 8. Commission Comments and Questions 9. Persons Present Not Scheduled To Be Heard 10. Information Items a. City Council Agenda (2/19/97 and 3/5/97) b..Letter to Lori J. Davey dated 2/19/97 11. Adjournment Agenda March 13.doc Airport Commission ***Minutes*** March 13, 1997 - 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers Chairman Tom Thibodeau lo CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Members Presem: Bonnie Koerber, Tom Thibodeau, Henry Knackstedt, Ron Holloway, Barbara Edwards, James Bielefeld Members Absent: Sandra Hudson Also Presem: Airport Manager Randy Ernst, Councilman Ray Measles, Contract Secretary Debby Fahnholz 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Knackstedt MOVED to approve the agenda. Commissioner Koerber SECONDED the motion. Motion approved by unanimous consem. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Bielefeld MOVED to approve the minutes. Commissioner Knackstedt SECONDED. Minutes approved by unanimous consent. ® PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD Ao John Sanders of Aries Consultams gave an update on the Airport Master Plan Update based on recommendations and commems from the September and October meetings. The plan recommends that 40 acres be acquired on the north end of the airport to tie in for furore runway expansion. Also, two acres of the trailer park at the south end, which are within the avigational easemem, should be acquired since it falls within the runway protection zone. In terms of Runway 1-19 they recommended that the south end of the runway be relocated 200 feet to the north against the runway safety area, clear of the cemetery to Airport Commission March 13, 1997 Page 1 the south. It also brings the runway protection zone north of the Spur Highway. This enlarges the current runway protection zone and protects for the capability of future instrument approaches. The north end of the runway would be moved 200' but also an extra 425' which makes 8,000' for the future. This is shorter than in the old plan. He recommended the float pond be extended 500' to the north and 500' to the south, and widened from 150' to 200' on the west side and a future taxi lane on the west Side for the float planes to taxi independent of the water runway. He suggested that the existing grass stip be abandoned since it interferes with aircraft taxiing on Taxiways Alpha and Bravo. He recommended it be relocated to the north end of the airport. He suggested putting in a 2000 by 60 foot gravel strip on the north end to provide space for an access road and parking on the east side. He recommended that the capability for a parallel paved general aviation runway be dropped based on the forecast level of activity. The preference was for a parallel gravel strip. This allows for a parallel taxiway that would mn the entire length of 1-19 600' from the center of the runway rather than 400'. He suggested the navigation aids and VASI's be relocated to the north end when the runways are extended. He felt the passenger terminal area was adequate. He proposed to widen the apron taxiway to allow for C- 130 criteria and widen the apron to the north to allow for aircraft parking along the east side. He proposed that the current cargo area could be developed for additional cargo lease lots. The control tower stays as it is and north of there could be the site of future city maintenance and crash fire rescue facility. He suggested widening furore lease lots to the north and taxiways between. He suggested preserving space in the north for smaller executive hangers and possibly T-hangers. These would be close to the furore gravel strip. He felt additional parking space was available across Willow Street and three acres at the south end near the present transient aircraft parking would cover future parking needs. He suggested space on the city's airsraft parking ramp for a future wash ramp. This would best tie in with the required utilities. He suggested improving the service road to the localizer and a furore maintenance road on the north side. This would require the existing fencing be moved back to the property line. He stated these improvemems would be spread out over a 20 year plan with each of the projects phased into five year phasing plans. Freddie Comperchio imroduced the five year phasing plans. The first phase would be to acquire the 40 acres to the north and easements of the mobile home park. The next phase would be to extend parallel taxiway C and relocate the grass strip with an aircraft parking area on the side. The next thing is to remove the tree obstructions from the protection zones to the north and build a new access to the access with vehicle parking and a security gate. The next item that is already programmed for the Airport Commission March 13, 1997 Page 2 airport this year is to develop the Alaska Regional Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Training Facility. Some miscellaneous items are to construct a snow removal equipment building in the area north of the air traffic control tower. Also to remove the two city 12,000 gallon jet fuel tanks located on the apron south of the terminal building. She felt the .city is going to have to take into consideration getting the tanks out and tested prior to December of 1998. She stated the EPA is possibly considering relaxing the roles on that depending on quality and testing. But as far as they know now that will not even be considered until sometime in June. She stated that there is a capital improvement item to acquire an additional piece of snow removal equipment and creation of a new sand stockpile at the time of construction. She stated that in phase I the total estimated cost of $12.7 million, with the city's share being $845,000, and FAA's share being close to $12 million. She stated these are preliminary numbers and they are still working on FAA and that they are working with the city to refine them. She stated FAA has already made a significant commitment somewhere between $9 and $10 million towards these projects. She stated that the first phase is significant. She reported that the airport entitlement funds that have been accumulating for the past couple of years will go towards the city's share for making up the local contribution. In summary of the Capital improvemems, she stated that the phase II projects would include the extension of Taxiway C, widening of the aircraft parking apron, and additional automobile parking lot. The total estimated cost of phase II would be $6 million with $803,000 from the city. Taken over a four year period it comes out to $200,000 a year and if you use the state's contribution of 1/2 of that it comes out to about $100,000 a year to implemem phase II. That also assumes that there will be around $1.3 million available from FAA. For phase III of the capital improvemem program, the airfield shows widening of the water runway with some new additional parking strips at the south end. The extension of the main runway and the relocated threshold on the south end also add the emry/exit taxiways, provide new auto parking facilities and some new aircraft hangers. The total estimated cost of the third phase of the capital improvemem project is about $11 million with $1.7 million being the city's share and FAA's being $9.6 million. This works out to approximately $1.4 million a year. Again that's $200-214,000 a year for the city and if the state continues to comribute half of that it works out to about $100-107,000 a year. But again that assumes that FAA will comribute $1.2 million a year. The total capital improvemem costs come up to be around $30 million. This comes out to approximately $1.6 million a year, $187,000 a year for the city, again that assumes that the FAA will be able to come up with an estimated $1.5 million over the planning period. A lot of the numbers are preliminary and they are cominuing to work with FAA on what is or is not going to be eligible. This will be refined prior to the draft being put in the master plan. They will be doing a financial plan after completing the Draft Master Plan and Airport Commission March 13, 1997 Page 3 will be included in the Draft Final Master Plan. The financial plan will include funding sources, including FAA. Mark Blanning was imroduced to discuss the initial master plan. He explained reported on taxiway C extension, the gravel runway relocation and parking. He stated the taxiway C extension was moved to the south to eliminate about 10 acres of wetlands. The Corps is curremly advertising for commems. Based on the commems they will determine whether a public hearing will be necessary. The existing sand pit has 40,000 yards of sand. Some can stay in place and the excess can be used for construction of the parking area and the access road. He felt they don't need the sand for the floatplane base extension. He proposed a new stockpile pit near the end of Willow Street to replace. He stated the city is discussing with FAA for utilizing this as part of the project. He stated the access road is now coming from the south near the end of Willow Street. This also moved it out of the wetlands area. The new designation would have the extension designated as Taxiway C. What is now the runway access would be designated as Taxiway D, and the end would be Taxiway E. The tie would be "L" allowing for a furore taxiway at the end. There will be three access from the gravel runway to the gravel parking at both ends of Taxiway L. The gravel runway would have 4" of crashed rock surface and the parking area would be gravel. He stated that they are proposing two gates. One would be a standard bar gate that would preclude traffic into the apron area and the other would provide security between the public and the access road. They are unsure whether it will be an electric gate or a card gate. Commissioner Thibodeau asked how funding works on parking and general aviation projects. He felt the city paid a heavier burden. She responded that the FAA does not participate in projects that generate revenue. Commissioner Holloway felt that the runway exits should be alphabetically sequenced for clearer understanding to unfamiliar pilots. Sanders responded that this was their suggestion also, but the tower requested that taxiway C remain the same. Sanders reported that the initial improvemems have been put together imo a draft environmental assessmem and is curremly with the city. He stated that the furore fire training environmemal assessmem has been completed and is waiting for review and comments. He would like commems from the commission. He is looking at a meeting in June being a public hearing and would like to address commems and questions then. Sanders stated they are looking at the environmental impacts to the 20 year master plan. He felt they need to address the noise impacts and to develop noise comours. Airport Commission March 13, 1997 Page 4 Se Ao He stated there could be three residemial parcels impacted by predicted noise levels. One is parcel is an occupied residence, one is an abandoned RV/trailer, and one is an abandoned or vacam house and stated these were included in the suggested parcels to be picked up. Commissioner Thibodeau asked about acquiring the land within the noise comour to preclude any furore problems and wondered how necessary the land to the north was since it was wetlands and asked how they arrived at the runway length. Sanders responded that there were two components, one was to relocate 200' because they don't meet the FAA currem runway safety area requiremems on the south end. The other is to determine what are the general aviation type aircraft that use the runway and accommodate those needs. There are times that other airlines need to designate an alternate airport. To accommodate this the designated runway length for these is 8,000 feet. Commissioner Halloway asked where Anchorage's cargo traffic divert to now and asked if FAA would consider designating Kenai as an alternate airport. Sanders responded that in the previous master plan the runway was 10,000 feet. Since that study was done Fairbanks is in the process of adding 1500 feet to their runway. He didn't feel there was the justification to do that. He stated that it is very competitive. OLD BUSINESS Car Remal Proposal - Commissioner Thibodeau asked for commems on the proposed floor plan. Ernst responded that it was do-able, depending on the Council. He asked if $3,975 was the city's cost or Hertz's cost. The response was that it was only a city cost for the ceiling panels and some carpeting to patch where the walls come out. The estimate does not include the costs for three cabinets that they were unable to get costs on yet, but would be approximately $500. They stated that they are willing to pick up all other costs. Commissioner Thibodeau asked if they are still looking at June for the space to become available. Ernst responded that the packet included information showing that bankruptcy was filed with no assets, which should put it on the fast track. They are hoping that it will go sooner than 60-90 days, but don't expect it to. Everything would be contingent on it being released back to the city. Ernst stated that it would require a new lease since they (Hertz) are changing the dimensions of the lease area. Airport Commission March 13, 1997 Page 5 Bo Commissioner Knackstedt MOVED to recommend that Council allow the car rental agency to remodel when the space becomes available and to rewrite or amend the lease at that time. Commissioner Holloway SECONDED the motion. Commissioner Thibodeau felt that if they were willing to cover the costs of remodeling, that the lease be rewritten for a new five years period. It was determined that in the proposal it was determined that the lease would be rewritten. A roll call vote was held. Koerber: A Knackstedt: Y Holloway' Y Edwards: Y Thibodeau' Y Bielefeld: Y Motion passed. Phone Card Machine - Ernst stated that they could accept the proposal to install a phone card machine under a non-exclusive use contract. He stated that if there was other interest in installing another machine then they could take it out to bid. He felt the unit was small enough it could go on the wall by the existing phones. He stated that if it was acceptable with the city attorney, he could have a contract drawn up if the Commission was in favor of the proposal. Commissioner Thibodeau felt that there was potential for misuse and was wondering where to draw the line on vending machines in the airport. He was not in favor of the proposal. Commissioner Knackstedt felt that communications and transportation go hand in hand. Commissioner Holloway MOVED to accept the proposal to install a phone card machine. Commissioner Knackstedt SECONDED the motion. Commissioner Koerber agreed with Commissioner Thibodeau as far as the vending machines go, but felt that since it was so small it could be acceptable. Commissioner Thibodeau stated that it should be made clear that there would be a non-exclusive contract if it was cleared with the city attorney. A roll vote was held: Thibodeau' N Holloway' Y Koerber: Y Knackstedt: Y Edwards' Y Bielefeld' Y Motion approved. Airport Commission March 13, 1997 Page 6 Co Payless Update - No discussion. Refer to information in previous packets. 6. NEW BUSINESS None. 7. AIRPORT MANAGER'S REPORT Fire Training Cemer- Ernst stated that Council approved plan #4 and appropriated $376,000 for the design. Overhead Roll-Down Grille Door - Ernst reported that Council did not approve, but felt that the tenants were welcome to put it in at their own expense if they wanted it. He stated the tenants have not responded to this and are currently doing some renovating. He stated they are looking at May 15th for their startup. There will be sandwiches and expresso. It will be a non-smoking restaurant but they will sell cigars. ge COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS Commissioner Bielefeld stated that he has been getting complaims from people who work at the terminal due to smoke from employee's smoking in the baggage area. Ernst stated he would look into the problem. 9. PERSONS NOT SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD None. 10. INFORMATION ITEMS Included in packet. 11. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Holloway MOVED to adjourn. Commissioner Koerber SECONDED the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 8'35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Debby J. l~a~olz Airport Commission March 13, 1997 Page 7