§ 10-6.808. Airport regulations.

(a)

Definitions. As stated in section 10-1.101, section 10-1.101 applies to this section. The following words, terms and phrases used in this section shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

(1)

Airport shall mean the Tallahassee Regional Airport. The airport boundary is described by metes and bounds as follows, all sections referred to herein being in Township 1 South, Range 1 West. The airport comprises portions of sections 7, 8, 16, 17, 19, 20 as follows: The east 660 feet of section 7; the west half of section 8; the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 16; the south half of section 17; the northwest quarter of section 17; the west 660 feet of the northeast quarter of section 17; the south half of section 18; the east 660 feet of section 19; the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 20 and the west half of section 20 North and west of the railroad right-of-way.

(2)

Airport elevation shall mean the highest point of an airport's usable landing area measured in feet above mean sea level.

(3)

Airport hazard shall mean any structure located within a ten-nautical-mile radius of the geographic center of a publicly owned or operated airport, military airport, or an airport licensed by the state for public use, which obstructs the airspace required for the flight of aircraft in approaching, landing, taking off or departing such airport.

(4)

Airport primary surface shall mean a surface longitudinally centered on a runway. When the runway has a specially prepared hard surface, the primary surface extends 200 feet beyond each end of that runway. The width of the primary surface of a runway will be that width prescribed in Part 77 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) for the most precise approach existing or planned for either end of that runway. The elevation of any point on the primary surface is the same as the elevation of the nearest point on the runway centerline.

(5)

Airport zoning chart refers to a chart or map of the area affected by the airport zoning, which shows the layout of the runways, the airport boundaries and the airport elevation. The chart also sets forth the various zones with the applicable height limitations for each. The chart identifies topographic features such as major streams, rivers, railroads, roads and streets.

(6)

Airspace height. For the purpose of determining the height limits in all zones set forth in this section and shown on the zoning map, the datum shall be mean sea level elevation unless otherwise specified.

(7)

Control zone shall mean airspace extending upward from the surface of the earth which may include one or more airports and is normally a circular area of five statute miles in radius, with extensions where necessary to include approach and departure paths.

(8)

Decision height shall mean the height at which a decision must be made during an ILS instrument approach, to either continue the approach or to execute a missed approach.

(9)

Heliport shall mean a designated landing area, other than an airport, used primarily for the operation and basing of rotorcraft.

(10)

Heliport primary surface shall mean the area of the primary surface coincides in size and shape with the designated landing and takeoff area of a heliport or helistop. This surface is a horizontal plane at the elevation of the established heliport or helistop elevation.

(11)

Helistop shall mean a designated landing area other than an airport, used for the operating of rotorcraft where no basing facilities are provided.

(12)

Instrument runway shall mean a runway having an existing instrument approach procedure utilizing air navigation facilities or area type navigation equipment, for which an instrument approach procedure has been approved or planned.

(13)

Minimum descent altitude shall mean the lowest altitude, expressed in feet above mean sea level, to which descent is authorized on final approach or during circle-to-land maneuvering in execution of a standard instrument approach procedure, where no electronic glide slope is provided.

(14)

Minimum en route altitude shall mean the altitude in effect between radio fixes which assures acceptable navigational signal coverage and meets obstruction clearance requirements between those fixes.

(15)

Minimum obstruction clearance altitude shall mean the specified altitude in effect between radio fixes on VOT airways, off-airway routes or route segments which meets obstruction clearance requirements for the entire route segment and which assures acceptable navigational signal coverage only with 22 miles of a VOR.

(16)

Runway shall mean a defined area on an airport prepared for landing and takeoff of aircraft along its length.

(17)

STOL (short takeoff and landing) primary surface shall mean an imaginary horizontal plane, 300 feet wide centered on the 236 runway. Its length extends 100 feet beyond each runway end. The elevation of any point on the primary surface is the same as the elevation of the nearest point on the runway centerline.

(18)

Tallahassee Commercial Airport shall mean the airport known as such. The airport boundary is described as follows, the airport being in Township 2 North, Range 1 West, and comprising the west half of section 30 north of the road.

(19)

Visual runway shall mean a runway intended solely for the operation of aircraft using visual approach procedures with no straight-in instrument approach procedure and no instrument designation indicated on an FAA-approved airport layout plan, a military service's approved military airport layout plan, or by any planning document submitted to the FAA by competent authority.

(b)

Intent. In order to carry out the provisions of this section, there are hereby created and established certain zones which are depicted on the county airport zoning chart. A copy of the official airport zoning chart, marked as exhibit A, is on file at the airport. An area located in more than one of the following zones is considered to be only in the zone with the more restrictive height limitation. The various zones are hereby established and defined as provided in this section.

(c)

Public airport height zones and limitations.

(1)

Horizontal zone. The land lying under a horizontal plane 150 feet above the established airport elevation, the perimeter of which is constructed by swinging arcs of specified radii from the center of each end of the primary surface of each runway of each airport and connecting the adjacent arcs by lines tangent to those arcs. The radius of each arc is 5,000 feet for all runways designated by the Federal Aviation Administration as visual only and 10,000 feet for all Federal Aviation Administration designated instrument runways. The radius of the arc specified for each end of a runway will have the same arithmetical value. That value will be the highest determined for either end of the runway. When a 5,000-foot arc is encompassed by tangents connecting two adjacent 10,000-foot arcs, the 5,000-foot arc shall be disregarded on the construction of the perimeter of the horizontal surface. No structure shall exceed 150 feet above the established airport elevation in the horizontal zone as depicted in exhibit A to Ord. No. 92-10.

(2)

Conical zone. The land lying under a surface extending outward and upward from the periphery of the horizontal surface at a slope of 20 to one for a horizontal distance of 4,000 feet. No structure shall penetrate the conical surface in the conical zone as depicted in exhibit A to Ord. No. 92-10.

(3)

Primary zone. The land lying under a surface longitudinally centered on a runway. When the runway has a specially prepared hard surface, the primary surface extends 200 feet beyond each end of that runway; but when the runway has no specially prepared hard surface, or planned hard surface, the primary surface ends at each end of that runway. The elevation of any point on the primary surface is the same as the elevation of the nearest point on the runway centerline. The width of a primary surface is as follows:

a.

For runways having only visual approaches and load limits of less than 12,500 pounds, 250 feet.

b.

For runways having nonprecision instrument approaches and load limits of less than 12,500 pounds, 500 feet.

c.

For runways having load limits greater than 12,500 pounds the length shall be:

1.

For visual only runways, 500 feet.

2.

For nonprecision instrument runways having visibility minimum of greater than three-fourths statute mile, 500 feet.

3.

For nonprecision instrument runways having visibility minimums of less than three-fourths statute mile and for precision instrument runways, 1,000 feet.

The width of a primary surface of a runway will be that width prescribed in this section for the most precise approach existing or planned for either end of that runway. Height restrictions in the primary zone shall be in compliance with current Federal Aviation Administration directives.

(4)

Approach zone. That land lying under a surface longitudinally centered on the extended runway centerline and extending outward and upward from each end of the primary surface. An approach surface is applied to each end of each runway based upon the type of approach available or planned for that runway end and is depicted in exhibit A to Ord. No. 92-10.

a.

The inner edge of the approach surface is the same width as the primary zone and it expands uniformly to a width of:

1.

For that end of a runway with only visual approaches and load limit of less than 12,500 pounds, 1,250 feet.

2.

For that end of a runway with only visual approaches and load limit of greater than 12,500 pounds, 1,500 feet.

3.

For that end of a runway with a nonprecision instrument approach and load limit of less than 12,500 pounds, 2,000 feet.

4.

For that end of a nonprecision instrument runway, having visibility minimums greater than three-fourths statute miles and load limits greater than 12,500 pounds, 3,500 feet.

5.

For that end of a nonprecision instrument runway with visibility minimums less than three-fourths statute miles and load limits greater than 12,500 pounds, 4,000 feet.

6.

For precision instrument runways, 16,000 feet.

b.

The approach zone extends for a horizontal distance of:

1.

For all visual only runways, 5,000 feet at a slope of 20 to one.

2.

For all nonprecision runways, 10,000 feet at a slope of 34 to one.

3.

For all precision instrument runways, 10,000 feet at a slope of 50 to one with an additional 12,000 feet at a slope of 40 to one until intersection with a plane 500 feet above the airport elevation, then continuing at 500 feet above airport elevation for 28,000 feet.

The outer width of an approach surface to an end of a runway will be that width prescribed in this subsection for the most precise approach existing or planned for that runway end. No structure shall exceed the height of any point of the approach surface of the most precise approach existing or planned for the runway end as depicted in exhibit A to Ord. No. 92-10.

(5)

Transitional zone. That land lying under these surfaces extending outward and upward at right angles to the runway centerline and the runway centerline extended at a slope of seven to one from the sides of the primary surface and from the sides of the approach surfaces. However, when the slope of seven to one intersects a plane 500 feet above the established airport elevation, the transitional surface becomes a plane 500 feet above the established airport elevation as depicted in exhibit A to Ord. No. 92-10.

No structure shall be erected that raises the published minimum descent altitude or decision height for any instrument approach to any runway.

(d)

Heliports.

(1)

Heliports and helistops with visual approaches only. The area described as an approach zone for a heliport with visual approaches is a trapezoidal area increasing in width from the coincident width of the primary surface to a width of 500 feet at a horizontal distance of 4,000 feet from the primary surface. Its centerline is the continuation of the centerline of the primary surface. This area shall be clear of all obstructions above a glide path of eight to one from the primary surface of each designated landing and takeoff area. The side slope in all other directions shall be clear of all obstructions above a glide path of five to one for a horizontal distance of 500 feet.

(2)

Heliports with instrument approaches. The area described as an approach zone for a heliport with instrument approaches is a trapezoidal area increasing in width from the coincident width of the primary surface to a width of 3,400 feet at a horizontal distance of 10,000 feet from the primary surface. Its centerline is the continuation of the centerline of the primary surface.

This area shall be clear of all obstructions above a glide path of 15 to one from the primary surface of each designated instrument takeoff and landing area. The side slope in all other directions shall be clear of all obstructions above a glide path of five to one for a horizontal distance of 500 feet.

(e)

STOLport. The area described as an approach zone for STOLport is a trapezoidal area increasing gradually in width from the coincident width of the runway primary surface to a width of 3,400 feet at a horizontal distance of 10,000 feet from the primary surface. Its centerline is the continuation of the primary surface. This area shall be clear of obstructions above a glide path of 15 to one from the primary surface of each runway. When the approach zone to any runway crosses a road or railroad, the glide path must pass at least 15 feet above the edge of the nearest traffic lane, 17 feet above interstate highways and at least 25 feet above the nearest railroad. The glide slope in all other directions shall be clear of all obstructions above a glide path of five to one for a horizontal distance of 500 feet.

(f)

Use restrictions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no use may be made of land or water within ten nautical miles of the airport reference point of a public airport in the county in such manner as to interfere with the operation of an airborne aircraft, unless such structures do not exceed the above requirements; meet the criteria of FAA rules and regulations, Part 77 with amendments, and hold a valid license or construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission. The following special requirements shall apply to each permitted use:

(1)

Within three nautical miles of the airport reference point of a public airport in the county, all lights or illumination used in conjunction with streets, parking, signs or use of land and structure shall be arranged and operated in such a manner that it is not misleading or dangerous to aircraft operating from a public airport or in vicinity thereof.

(2)

No operation from any use shall produce smoke, glare or other visual hazards within three statute miles of any usable runway or a public airport.

(3)

No operations from any use in the county shall produce electronic interference with navigation signals or radio communication between the airport and aircraft.

(g)

Lighting. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this section, the owner of any structure over 200 feet above ground level must install on that structure lighting in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration advisory circular 70/7460-IC and amendments.

(h)

Variances. Any person desiring to erect or increase the height of any structure, or use his property not in accordance with the regulations prescribed in this section may apply to the board of adjustment and appeals for a variance from such regulation. No application for variance to the requirements of this section may be considered by the board of adjustment and appeals unless a copy of the application has been furnished to the manager of the Tallahassee Regional Airport.

(i)

Hazard marking and lighting. Any permit or variance granted may be so conditioned as to require the owner of the structure or growth in question to permit the county at its own expense to install, operate and maintain thereon such markers and lights as may be necessary to indicate to pilots the presence of an airspace hazard.

(Ord. No. 07-20, § 2, 7-10-07)