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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/05/2000 Study Session MinutesII. PLACE AND DATE Marana Town Hall, September 5, 2000 CALL TO ORDER By Mayor Sutton at 6:07 P.M. PLEDGEOF ALLEGIANCE Led by Mayor Sutton III. ROLL CALL IV. · COUNCIL Bobby Sutton, Jr. Mayor Present Ora M. Harn Council Member Present Ed Honea Council Member Present Herb Kal Council Member Present Jim Blake Council Member Present Roxanne Ziegler Council Member Present STAFF Michael Hein Michael Reuwsaat Jocelyn Entz Jim DeGrood Joel Shapiro Brad DeSpain Jane Howell Roger Dougan Town Manager Assistant Town Manager Town Clerk Development Services Administrator Planning and Zoning Director Utilities Director Human Resources Director Airport Manager CALL TO THE PUBLIC There were no speakers. GENERAL 'ORDER OF BUSINESS A. COUNCIL ACTION 1. Update of the Northwest Marana General Plan Amendments Process a. Agriculture and Rural Preservation b. Airport Mr. DeGrood explained that two items were contained in the handout distributed to the Council. One item outlined development considerations for agriculture and rural preservation and how the Town intended to address these topics within the General Plan update. The other item dealt with airport issues pertaining to the development of the area surrounding the Marana Northwest Regional Airport (MNRA). This handout is a permanent part of this record. Maria Masque, representing The Planning Center, began the study session discussion with a brief presentation regarding the airport study. She explained some of the guidelines and legislation established by the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), the State of Arizona and the Airport Master Plan. These regulations protect the airspace around the airport and the approaches to each runway from potential hazards. Ms. Masque further explained various definitions pertaining to airport planning including Airport Influence Area (AIA), Approach Profiles, Runway Protection Zones, Civil Airport Imaginary Surfaces, Compatible Use Zones, and the On-Airport Land Use Plan. Comments provided during the airport focus group meetings were as follows: 4. 5. 6. Include Exhibit showing the proposed Airport Influence Area (AIA) Runway Safety Zones and Approach Zones. Provide very flexible design standards for the Airport Services area. Prepare an Economic Development Plan to attract businesses to the airport area. Acquire land from the State Department. Expand water and sewer facilities. Proposed runway should be moved. Its Runway Safety Zone passes over the prison, a public congregation facility. Mayor Sutton asked about the movement of the proposed runway. He asked for clarification on that point. Mr. DeGrood replied that there was some discussion about revising the Airport Master Plan and explained that a new runway would only be constructed after an increase in air traffic warranted it. MINUTES OF coUNcIL STUDY sESSIoN MARANA TOWN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 Mr. I-Iein said that this runway may or may not be built but the fact that it was mentioned in the Master Plan would assist the Town in planning not to provide any additional congregated areas. Mayor Sutton asked if planning for the relocation of the main should be completed at this time or if this was an issue that could be dealt with later. Mr. DeGrood replied that there was no law that precluded the Town from planning the runway relocation at a future date when the air traffic needs were greater. Council Member Kal asked what the rough diameter of the Airport Influence Area was. Mr. DeGrood answered that this figure was arrived at using a measurement of 10,000 feet from the center line of the main runway. He commented that all potential buyers and property owners within the circle of influence would be put on notice that they were within the AIA. He stated that the Town would also require studies by the homebuilders for noise in order to ensure that the homes had proper insulation. Council Member Blake said that the illustration seemed to display the AIA as being based on the existing main runway only and that the proposed new runway area had not been considered. He asked if that was the correct calculation or if the proposed runway should be included in this measurement. Mr. DeGrood replied that the AIA represented on the presentation materials was the recommended influence area from the study performed and that the new or alternative runway was a much shorter runway with less traffic. He added that the main runway was the governing force for establishing the AIA as well as the location for the majority of the airport operations to occur. Council Member I-tarn asked Ms. Masque to point out several landmarks and roads on the illustration map. Ms. Masque showed the Council members the location of Avra Valley Road, the Santa Cruz River, Sanders Road and Moore Road in relation to the main runway at the MNRA. MARANA TOWN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 5~ 2000 Council Member Honea commented that the secondary runway proposal would go right over an existing neighborhood just beyond the Marana Treatment Facility. He said that this fact could cause a problem in the future. Mayor Sutton asked when the appropriate time was to address these potential problems with the existing residential areas and the AIA. Mr. DeGrood replied that it was appropriate to start thinking of these conflicts now and that the Airport Master Plan was on a ten- year cycle for updates. He said that the last update was in 1989. He predicted that at least ten years would pass before the need for another runway existed but said that planning ahead for this runway was useful in guiding the Town in its interim land use decisions. Another concern raised in regard to the proposed runway location was that it would interfere with the existing parachute operation. Mr. Reuwsaat said that housing was not precluded from the AIA but that there would be a significant amount of restrictions and requirements placed within that area. He stated that the reason for the AIA was as a safety precaution and that if development occurred in the future then additional aggregate public facilities' would be prohibited in that area. An assessment of area traffic patterns would be required in the future to assist the control tower in guiding air traffic away from public facilities and residential areas. Council Member Ziegler asked if the Town's liability was lessened by the notice to property owners of their location inside the AIA. Mr. Reuwsaat answered that existing land uses were grandfathered into the planning area and these areas may be studied in the future for additional land use densities. He said that, more importantly, it should be required for realtors to send a notice to any potential buyers that these properties are subject to the AIA and this would reduce the Town's liabilities. This type of notice would also be incorporated within the Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions (CC&Rs) for the subdivision. SE~EMBER ~; 2000 Council Member Ziegler asked if this type of requirement would hold up legally for the Town and eliminate the liability. Mr. Hochuli replied that as long as the notice was in place at the time of the sale and that the property was purchased on notice then Marana would be covered legally. Council Member Honea voiced his concern regarding this problem as well. He said that this problem was not far off into the future and he questioned the planners regarding the placement of the proposed auxiliary runway. He wondered why it was not placed parallel with the Santa Cruz River than with the Avra Valley Road side of the airport. He said that he was aware of the concern regarding an increase of aviary population by the construction of retention basins or any project believed to increase bird population within the designated AIA. Mr. DeGrood answered that a number of alternative runway locations were considered when the study was originally performed. He said that the runway alignment shown on the illustration was the location recommended by the airport consultants. Council Member Honea commented that Council Member Ziegler had raised a solid point when she worried about the results for existing property owners with the placement of the proposed secondary runway. He said that individuals, not large scale developers, would stand to lose the most with the present positioning of the AIA. He continued by saying that these property owners might find their properties devalued when attempting to sell them and that they might also find the Town at fault for this devaluation. Mr. DeGrood said that the Town did recognize that this potential problem existed. He stated that one of the purposes for the covenant was to serve notice on any potential buyer and inform them of the existence of the AIA. He added that the Town needed to examine the approach restriction area for the proposed second runway and, possibly, shortening it and making it consistent in size with the crossing runways. The only factor that limits the size of the approach restriction area is that it extends out to the edge of the AIA. MARANA TOWN COUNCIL . SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 Mayor Sutton said that was a good point and that the secondary runway should be closer in size to the crossing runways. He stated that Council Member Honea was correct in his statement that, even with a re-configuration of the runway length and placement, the existing property owners would be subject to the AIA. He asked how this fact would be handled and if the property owners and potential buyers would be notified now that in October or December, 2000 the properties in question would go into the Airport Influence Area and be subject to aircraft noise and overflight. Mr. DeGrood said that, following federal regulations, a formal adoption process must take place and what the Town is doing is showing the consultant's recommended AIA. He remarked that, on its own volition, the Town has added the Airport Restriction Area (ARA) to the AIA because it would be appropriate in preventing schools and other congregation facilities from locating under the approaching flight pattern areas. Mayor Sutton said that the ARA was designated solely by the Town and was beyond the federal requirements for the AIA designation. Mr. Hein commented that there was no special notification requirement for the ARA and further explained that this area had been designated as a proactive measure by Marana. He said that this ARA designation was for the land use planning process in order to avoid zoning properties that provided for congregate facilities. He said that the major issue related to surrounding properties was with the AIA, which was determined by the 10,000- foot radii measurement standard. He commented that properties within this area would receive notices of being inside the AIA environ zone and that the developers would be required to conduct noise studies as well as provide for proper building insulation. He stated that there would not be any negative impact on the Airport Restriction Area's existing residential units and that the proposed secondary runway is consistent with the Airport Master Plan. He added that the Town felt that it was prudent to extend out from the Airport Influence Area for precautionary planning purposes. Council Member Kai inquired about the possibility of getting the main runway extending in length. He said that this additional length would be an excellent tool for attracting larger corporate aircraft to the MNRA. Mr. DeGrood replied that a short runway extension was called for in the Airport Master Plan and that it was approximately 400 feet. Mayor Sutton asked Roger Dougan to explain the growth expectations and plans for the Marana Northwest Regional Airport. Mr. Dougan replied that the Airport Master Plan called for an ultimate length of 7, 500 feet for the main runway. He said that this length would allow the MNRA to safely accommodate aircraft sizes up to medium corporate jets. He explained that larger aircraft have difficulty safely taking off from shorter runways during periods of hot weather. Council Member Kai asked what the next size the MNRA had to go to before an extension was necessary for the runway. Mr. Dougan said that the Airport was presently st~'ucturally equipped and authorized to handle aircraft up to the size of a 737. He stated that the problem with takeoff and arrivals for those sizes of aircraft was that the runway and taxiway safety zones aren't stabilized and the large engines can intake debris. Mr. Hein said that the lengthening of the main runway would not change the status of the Airport Influence Area because the radius stays the same. Council Member Ziegler mentioned that the operators of Ryan Airfield had purchased surrounding properties because of the necessity for airport expansion. She said that this was an option for Marana to consider as well. Mr. Reuwsaat stated that Mr. Dougan had developed a five-year Capital Improvement Program where each of the issues discussed at this meeting was addressed. Each year as the Town budget is developed these issues will be taken into consideration. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of the advance notification to property owners and potential buyers and the significant savings in the legal arena for the Town to have this liability covered up front. MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY sEssION At this time, Mayor Sutton asked Ms. Masque to continue the study session with the agricultural topics. Ms. Masque discussed the comments that were gathered from the agricultural focus groups. These comments included such issues as street width for agricultural equipment accommodation, buffer zones for pesticide use, disclosures for dust, noise and smell nuisances, preservation of agricultural land, and numerous issues related to water costs and irrigation rights. Council Member Honea commented that the agricultural interest was in Marana first and that the Town was going to be urbanizing around these existing fields. He said that if the Town allows a zoning change for residential development to occur then the ability for the agriculturist to spray the crops is lost. He said that the planners needed to pay special attention to this factor and be careful not to encroach onto the agricultural lands. Mayor Sutton asked that Ms. Masque be sure that this subject was fully addressed at the next agricultural focus group. Mr. Hein said that the information and comments gathered from the agricultural focus group was very beneficial for the Town staff. He said that preserving the agricultural tradition and ensuring the continuance of agricultural operations in a transitioning environment was extremely important to the Town. He said that this could be accomplished in many ways such as respecting the agriculturalists rights-of-way and designing proper roadways, etc. He stated that the next phase of the discussions with the agriculturalists would be concerning the transitional zoning and methods that would be used to move from agricultural zoning to industrial, residential, high density and so on. He remarked that the consultants and staff had taken great steps to ensure that Marana's agricultural heritage was not separated from the rest of the community. He explained that there were two main issues relating to the agricultural community. One issue was how Marana preserved the agricultural fields in areas that were zoned for agricultural production and rural ranchette lifestyles. The other issue was how Marana preserved theirs agricultural operations in a period of transition. He said that the economic situation was going to drive development into higher density such as production housing and commercial development during this transition 8 period. These policies and precautions would be in place to protect agricultural interests and not jeopardize the agriculturalists livelihood. VI. ADJOURNMENT Upon motion, the adjournment of the study session was unanimously approved. The time was 6:48 p.m. CERTIFICATION · I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are the true and correct minutes of the Marana Town Council Study Session held on September 5, 2000. I further certify that a quorum was present. MA. RANA TOWN COUNCIL MEETING Public A~endees Address