12-40-80 APPROVAL CRITERIA APPLICABLE TO AREAS AROUND AIRPORTS AND HELIPORTS
A. In areas around Airports and Heliports, all applications shall be reviewed and land uses shall be regulated in order to:
Avoid danger to public health and safety or property due to aircraft crashes.
Protect residential and other noise sensitive land uses from aircraft noise.
B.The following criteria apply to land use in areas around Airports and Heliports.
The Board will approve an application only upon finding that the Project will not derogate safety of persons in the air or on the ground because it may result in any of the following:
(a) Create electrical interference with navigational signals or radio communication between the Airport or Heliport and aircraft;
(b) Make it difficult for pilots to distinguish between Airport or Heliport lights and other lighting;
(c) Create glare in the eyes of pilots using the Airport or Heliport;
(d) Impair visibility in the vicinity of the Airport or Heliport; or
(e) Endanger the landing, takeoff, or maneuvering of aircraft intending to use the Airport or Heliport.
The Board will approve an application only upon finding that the Project will not constitute a nuisance, which shall be determined by the Project’s consistency with the following noise-related standards:
(a) Areas above DNL 65 db: On property exposed to noise in excess of DNL 65 dB, all uses other than public airport and transportation uses, short-term accommodations, office buildings, retail facilities, movie theaters, restaurants and certain open space uses (including agricultural and recreation uses not causing high concentrations of people) are prohibited.
(b) Areas between DNL 60 and 65 dB: On property exposed to noise between DNL 60 dB and DNL 65 dB, uses such as schools, churches, hospitals, libraries, auditoriums and outdoor amphitheaters and concert halls, are discouraged, and the Board may deny the application based on the specific nature of the Project, including without limitation such considerations as the proximity of the Project site to the Airport or Heliport, the current and forecast cumulative and single-event noise exposure at the Project site, and the nature and scope of the proposed land use.
(c) Areas above DNL 55 dB: On property exposed to noise above DNL 55 dB, the granting and recording of an avigation easement shall be required prior to construction of any new or expanded use. Such avigation easement shall be in the form prescribed by the County and shall grant the right of flight over the land, together with the right to cause noise, vibrations, odors, fumes, vapors, air currents, illumination, particulates, smoke, dust or other effects as may be inherent in the operation of aircraft.
(d) Residential uses in permitted areas shall be designed and constructed to minimize impacts of aircraft noise, by utilizing techniques that will reduce interior noise levels by not less than 25 dB or other suitable evidence that noise can be mitigated.
The Board will not approve an application for a Project that is determined by the Federal Aviation Administration to constitute a hazard to air navigation.