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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-06-12 Airport Commission SummaryKENAI AIRPORT COMMISSION Kenai City Council Chambers Chairman Tom Thibodeau June 12, 1997 at 7 p.m. ***AGENDA*** 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES May 8, 1997 4. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD 5. PUBLIC HEARING a. Kenai Municipal Airport Master Plan--Aries Consultants 6. OLD BUSINESS 7. NEW BUSINESS 8. AIRPORT MANAGER'S REPORT a. Update on Projects *Vending Machines *ARFTF *Taxiway C *Crack Sealing 9. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS 10. PERSONS NOT SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD 11. INFORMATION ITEMS a. Kenai City Council Agenda (6/4/97) 12. ADJOURNMENT KENAI AIRPORT COMMISSION Kenai City Council Chambers Chairman Tom Thibodeau June 12, 1997 at 7 p.m. ***MINUTES*** 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Members present: Members absem: Others presem: Tom Thibodeau, Henry Knackstedt, Barbara Edwards, Sandra Hudson (arrived at 7' 15 p.m.) Bonnie Koerber, Ron Holloway, James Bielefeld Airport Manager Randy Ernst, Administrative Assistam Marilyn Kebschull, City Engineer Jack La Shot, Keith Holland (Airport Operations), Aries Consultams, David Bush of Dynatest Consulting, Phil Bryson of Wince, Corthell, Bryson When roll taken, quorum not present. Decision to proceed with Aries presemation. Commissioner Hudson arrived at 7:15 and after presentation, Commission returned to agenda. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA KNACKSTEDT MOVED TO APPROVE'AGENDA. MOTION SECONDED BY EDWARDS. AGENDA APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES May 8, 1997 EDWARDS MOVED TO APPROVE MINUTES OF MAY 8, 1997. MOTION SECONDED BY KNACKSTEDT. MINUTES APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT. 4. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD 5. PUBLIC HEARING a. Kenai Municipal Airport Master Plan--Aries Consultants John Sanders of Aries introduced himself and explained the they would be giving a brief summary of the master plan. Sanders stated he would present the proposed master plan. Freddie Comperchio would discuss phasing and financial aspects of the plan. Phil Bryson will provide an overview of the initial phase work. Dave Bush of Dynatest Consulting will discuss the pavement programs. Sanders stated then he would discuss the environmental portions and other related documents. Then, Sanders stated they would appreciate comments and questions. Sanders stated that if they could not answer the questions tonight, they would get back with an Airport Commission Page 2 Minutes June 12, 1997 answer. Sanders stated he understands there will be another meeting next month if any need to follow-up or any additional information needs to be provided, for that meeting. Sanders advised one of the first things they do is forecast activity for 20 years. Sanders stated that for passengers showing growth from 130,000 enplanements to increase to 170,000 over the 20 years. Aircraft operations 78,000 estimated during hours that control tower open (6 a.m. and 10 p.m.) and at nighttime they made a special survey. Sanders stated they are forecasting operations to increase from 85,000 to 105,000 for 24 hour day. Based aircraft, aircraft physically located here, from 101,000 to 120,000 over the 20 years. Sanders advised they prepared several alternatives that were reviewed with the commission at meetings like this. As a result of those meetings and comments received, Sanders stated they came up with a recommended plan that has been refined. Sanders shared an overhead. Sanders stated the key features of the plan are to acquire 40 acres at the north end for a runway protection zone to serve furore extension by 600 feet north. Sanders stated that with the 600 foot extension to the north, there would be a 200 foot extension to the north at the south end that would bring the runway protection zone shown in red. Sanders stated 2 acres south of Spur Highway they recommend that an easement be obtained over the area. The furore runway would be 8000 feet long instead of the present 7,500 feet. The float pond which is now 3500 now recommending extending 500 feet to the north and 500 feet to the south and widen it and provide separate water channel on the west side and more slips in southwest corner. Sanders noted this was a smaller float pond than was included in the previous plan. The grass strip has some operational problems with aircraft on the grass strip and other aircraft using taxiways to the south and north. Sanders stated they are recommending a new gravel ski strip be built on northeast side that would be 2000 feet long. Sanders then discussed 'the terminal area. Sanders stated they are proposing moving the end of the runway 200 feet to north so the runway safety area (an area 1000 feet off the runway, will be clear of cemetery to the south. Sanders (pointing to the overhead) recommended retaining this area for commercial/general aviation area. They are proposing a wash rack on general aviation apron. Recommending extension of the transient aircraft parking to the south and development of additional lots between the apron and Willow. Sanders stated the passenger terminal is capable of accommodating the 20 year needs. Sanders state they show where they can accommodate 6 commuter type aircraft and assume the same type of service as now but with larger aircraft over time. The apron will be widened to allow larger aircraft to taxi. Sanders stated they are proposing additional auto parking across Willow and to south to address the shortage of spaces they foresee at the end of the 20 year period. Sanders stated the area to the north will be retained for more cargo activity and lease lots. Beyond the FAA tower, the city proposing a maintenance facility and a new crash fire facility with access to the airfield. They are recommending more lease lots be developed to the north as needed with access to the airfield on the west side and to Willow on the east side. Sanders stated they are Airport Commission Page 3 Minutes June 12, 1997 showing that over time more lease lots can be developed to the no as needed. Sanders. stated they are showing the Alaska Regional Fire Training Facility on a ten acre site with access off Marathon. Sanders stated these are improvements over the 20 year period. Sanders stated it was then converted into 5, 10, and 20 year phasing plan. Sanders stated that based on comments received at the last meeting they revised some of the items and some of the dollars and included costs for pavement overlays. Freddie Comperchio, Aries--Comperchio stated she would like to go over the Phase 1 projects, those expected to be implemented in 5 years, shown in red on the overhead. Comperchio noted that some of the projects are in various stages of implementation, including the extension of the parallel taxiway, and the new grass strip and access road. Also the development of the ARFT facility. Comperchio stated that they are recommending acquiring the property at north about 40 acres and to acquire the avigation easements on the two acres on the south for the runway protection zone. Comperchio stated they recommend the removal of two city 12,000 gallon fuel tanks next to terminal. FAA has stated they will not extend deadline for removing city should implement as soon as possible. Comperchio stated that in redefining the capital improvement program based on the master plan, they have identified $3.4 million dollars in cost for the city over the initial 5 years. A little over $3 million is for the ARFT facility. Comperchio stated they looked at the combined special revenue fund and enterprise fund to see if the operating revenues and expenses would meet the requirements to implement the capital improvement program over the first five years. Historically the city has received around $700,000 year in operating revenues and expenses surplus over the past three year period. Over the next five years looking at more like $35,000 a year based on adjustments to one of the enterprise funds and money is being shifted to implemented the ARFT facility. Comperchio stated that one of the things that FAA is very concerned about, not directed at Kenai, but say if they would like to spend so many millions of dollars they would like to know that the city has been able to identify the matching share of fundS. They looked at sources of funds the city could reasonably expect to get. One was the annual entitlements which average about $500,000 annually. There was more in the past because of enplanements. Conceivably, your entitlement funds with a minimum of $500,000 a year could give you $2.5 over five years. Comperchio stated that will be coming out of the FAA airport improvement funds program. Comperchio noted that in the early 90's that program was funded to the rune of $2.4 or $2.6 billion dollars a year. Last year cut by congress to $1.6 billion and Clinton has asked for a $1 billion fund next year which says AIP funds are not as dependable and some question of receiving entitlement funds going into the next five year period. Possibility exists that those funds might not be available or be available at a reduced level. Comperchio stated they looked at passenger facility charges and there is a maximum of $3 per Airport Commission Page 4 · ) Minutes June 12, 1997 enplane passenger that the City of Kenai could charge. The money is put into a fund that goes towards eligible projects at the Kenai Municipal Airport. Comperchio stated looked at four years could be a possible $1.7 million. Comperchio stated it takes time to put together a program that FAA will certify. Comperchio stated these are more guaranteed as long as you have passengers so something that the city may want to consider. They also checked on State grants which you have gotten in the past which funded a 50 percem of the matching federal share. Those are approved by the legislature for municipal airports. They have been allowed to lapse in the past and Comperchio stated it was her understanding that the recent legislature hasn't approved but money available to match through FY98. Comperchio stated they didn't look at those as a solid source of funds in the future. Comperchio stated they looked at and made recommendations that might be of interest for the city to consider at this time because of the uncertainty of the AIP funds and where the airport is. They suggest an annual traffic and earnings report which tracks passengers, operations, and activities and ties those activities into revenue generating and expenses. A lot of bigger air carrier airports use them because you can look at them annually and notice problems. They are recommending the city consider doing this to plan on annual basis. Also recommended preparing a strategic business plan for the airport. Comperchio stated there are a lot of properties available for lease, some of properties can be sold and those funds go into a special revenue account where you never touch the revenue but use the interest. If you lease properties, you will increase funds. Comperchio stated there are enough properties out there to benefit the city. The other recommendation is that the city consider a lease review and evaluation of existing leases and set future guidelines for leasing airport properties for rates and charges. Phil Bryson--Advised they recently bid a portion of the phase one facilities and next Wednesday council will award to the responsive apparent low bidder. The work will be an extension of Taxiway C to the north to be renamed Taxiway P. The road which is presemly Taxiway C will stay C. The new access at the end of main runway will become Taxiway D. Bids have been opened on construction of the gravel runway 119. This will have a crushed rock surface and the adjacent apron parking for airplanes. Bryson stated there will be an adjacent access road from the end of Willow Street. The borrow and waste from the site will come off the airport property from the infield from the proposed Taxiway P. The existing sand stock pile for airport maintenance will be relocated to this area. Bryson stated that is something FAA will approve with the construction project. Dave Bush of Dynatest--Bush advised they had been asked to evaluate the pavement and test it and come up with a maintenance strategy or rehabilitation to meet the existing or forecasted operations. Bush stated they used a few different approaches. Bush explained they use a piece of equipment called a FWD which is a trailer with a weight mounted that drops onto a plate Airport Commission Page 5 Minutes June 12, 1997 which simulates a wheel onto pavement. This can determine the strength of each pavemem layer. The information is put into software using an engineering formula which has been worked on for years and also use the old FAA empirical design. Bush stated they compared those and also did a PCI survey (Pavement Conditioning Index) developed by the Army. Bush stated they go out and visually assess and rate it and deduct points for certain stress such as cracking. Bush explained the results of these evaluations is that for the forecasted traffic, the first 5200 feet needs a 2 inch overlay to meet the structural capacity for the forecasted traffic. From 5200 to 7200 would be a surface treatment which could be a seal or an overlay. This would be nominal and less than .5 inches. Bush stated they suggest a nominal overlay. Taxiway A and B need approximately 1.5 inches to meet the structural capacity. Taxiway P needs two inches and Taxiway J needs 2 inches. The biggest concern is the apron. Bush stated it is under- designed quite a bit in certain locations for forecasted traffic. Bush stated that in the master plan the first 250 feet is considered the general aviation apron. Bush stated this is addressed in the master plan and not a concern. The 250 to 1700 feet 2 inches, and four inches on the end which was is also addressed in the plan and will be addressed when widened at Phase 2. Bush stated the condition index shows that the pavement is in generally good condition visually. Bush noted when tested it shows not as in as good of condition as it looks. They would make a recommendation to council that this has been combined into a database for the micropaver and would suggest that you can purchase it for an additional $300 a year. With a weeks training, Bush stated the city would have all they would need to run it. Bush stated that all of the square footage of asphalt can be recorded and would have a good way to perform estimates such as from a seal to an asphalt. John Sanders stated he would talk briefly about some of the enviromemal analysis which were prepared as part of the project. Sanders stated the impacts over the 20 years, Chapter 7, was added to report. Sanders noted there has been action on a couple of separate environmental assessments. The FAA issued finding of no significant impact on those projects (Taxiway and gravel strip improvements and the ARFT project). Sanders noted Mr. Christian's concern over noise adding it is always an enviromental concern with airports. Sanders stated they looked at the noise situation for two periods. The 1995 contours based on the average daily aircraft operations for 24 hours. Sanders explained how they had included the night time operations because they get a penalty in developing noise contours because more sensitive to people living around an airport. Sanders explained that the FAA uses the 65 contour generally considered to be the noise level considered compatible with residential development. Below 65, all uses are considered compatible. Sanders explaining looking at the noise contours in Kenai, they go off at the north end a little with 65 and at southwest corner there are five residential lots that are within the 65 but only Airport Commission Page 6 Minutes June 12, 1997 one occupied. Sanders stated that the noise contours not only depict operations but depict flight paths flown by the fixed wing aircraft using whichever runway. Sanders noted they had extensive discussions to get an agreement on the contours for the flight tracks. For the 20 year plan similar contours were developed. In this case, the number of residemial units impacted at the southwest corner went from 5 to 4 but again only one residence occupied. Sanders explained by extending the runway and moving the grass strip it reduces over flights over the city area. Sanders stated there is very small noise impact beyond the aircraft properties. Sanders stated they also looked at the wetlands area. In 1988 the Corps of Engineers and FAA looked the area around the airport and reduced the impact of area and noted no high or medium value wetlands just low value, primarily to the north. Hudson asked Sanders to explain the recommendation for the runway length. Sanders explained in looking at different airCraft and activity that use the airport, the existing length of 7500 feet is adequate for activity at present. One of potential use or use from time to time are diversions. Sanders stated that based on information received to accommodate most of the air carriers need 8000 feet to accommodate up to a 747. Sanders stated that was one reason they suggested to the 8000 length compared to the previous plan that recommended 10,500 feet. That was to compete for transpacific activity that Anchorage and Fairbanks are getting. Sanders explained that in the intervening years, both have increased their runway lengths adding they didn't see Kenai as competitive in that type of market. Sanders noted this is in Phase 3. Hudson stated that her research showed that 8000 feet was inadequate and was told they would use Elmendorf or Fairbanks adding that there is so much more needed to accommodate these flights. Sanders reiterated this is to be used as an alternate destination. Christian asked if they extend the runway further north does that mean that planes will be starting out closer to terminal. Sanders advised they would be starting their takeoff 200 feet further to the south end. Hudson stated that they did point out that people don't want larger aircraft. Sanders stated he meant larger commuter aircraft which is already happening. Sanders stated they are still talking about the propeller aircraft. Holland commented that some of the newer, larger commuter aircraft are quieter than smaller craft. Thibodeau commented on the aircraft increase shown in 20 years and stated he felt it was low. Thibodeau commented that they are increasing the parking area for aircraft and only planning Airport Commission Page 7 Minutes June 12, 1997 for 5 single engine aircraft and it doesn't seem accurate. Knackstedt commented on Figure 14 stating he would like to see a date on the figure. Sanders advised this is the new 1996 map. Knackstedt stated there are no high value wetlands and it is in the legend so perhaps remove it and add a footnote stating none. Sanders stated this is the Corps map and used for all airports. Knackstedt again commented it would be easier to read because of the hatch marks being so similar and if not needed feels it should be removed. Thibodeau noted the species of wildlife does not specify eagles. Hudson commented that she is still confused about extending the runway to facilitate the airport as an alternate and that the facilities being inadequate. Sanders reiterated it is in blue and proposed for in the last phase. Holland noted that is far enough down the timeline that it may be reevaluated before then. Christian voiced concern about cutting down trees that buffer the residents. Christian commemed on the area being privately owned and that there is a plan is to develop. Christian stated he feels the city and airport should consider purchasing that area. Christian commemed on a couple 737 takeoffs last week that took a right turn and were right over the buffer zone. Christian stated they were Air Force medivac planes training. Sanders stated someone may need to talk to the Air Force and Christian stated the point is they will get planes that do this in the future. Christian stated the property is very small now and will be less money than the city is paying for the animal comrol shelter and will alleviate future complaints. Christian commemed that he lives in that subdivision and it needs that buffer zone. Ernst stated they will leave the comment period open for 30 days and bring it back to Airport Commission for final review and approval and then send it to council for their approval. 6. OLD BUSINESS 7. NEW BUSINESS 8. AIRPORT MANAGER'S REPORT a. Update on Projects *Vending Machines *ARFTF *Taxiway C *Crack Sealing Airport Commission Page 8 Minutes June 12, 1997 Ernst advised they awarded the vending machine contract for 5 years for an additional $100 month to Vic Tyler, the same vender. The ARFT Center bids were opened today which is for phase one. Ernst noted this is for infrastructure for the facility and award will be determined by tomorrow. Ernst noted the actual awarding of the bid will be forwarded to council on the 18th. The bids for the taxiway project will be forwarded to council on the 18th for approval. Ernst advised that with respect to those two projects, he will be applying for grams for the hard dollar amounts. Ernst stated the inspection and management of the taxiway will amoum to a little over $195,000. The overall project came in at about $1.5 million which is about $700,000 less than anticipated. Ernst stated those revenues will hopefully be rolled to ARFT project. Knackstedt 'asked what the bids were for the ARFT project. Ernst stated there is some discrepancy but right at the engineers estimate at $2.5 million. The FAA portion at this point stands at $1.8 million. With entitlements and the possible rollover of the $700,000, there should be enough to get first phase on and completed. Ernst explained the reason they have not done the second phase is they are pending the engineering of the building and hope to have those ready to bid by mid-July to award around the first of October which gives the city time to find out how FAA discretionary funds for FY98 will fall out. Ernst advised the crack sealing project includes repainting will hold off until the end of August because of fish hauls etc. and try to minimize the impact as it does require drastic closures. Ernst stated they have notified all users (23) of the pending project. Ernst stated they expect the impact to last a maximum 6 days and it will be graduated. The real impact of 50 percem will only be for a day or so. Ernst stated they don't amicipate an impact to traffic in doing Taxiway C. The only impact is when they get ready to join the taxiway to end of 19 and hopefully it can be done during time weather conducive to VFR traffic and can close it. Ernst noted it will impact it somewhat and this information included in the letter to users. Ernst reported enplanements for the month were as follows: Southcentral--1284; ERA--6962, and Yute 140. This was a total of 8,386 and that was 121 less than May of 1996 which was 8,507. 9. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS Ernst thanked Aries and Mr. Bush for their presentation. 10. PERSONS NOT SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD 11. INFORMATION ITEMS Airport Commission Minutes Page 9 June 12, 1997 a. Kenai City Council Agenda (6/4/97) 12. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:22 p.m. Res~ctfuly submitted: /' Ma~rilyn Kebschull :" Administrative Assistant