REGIONAL PLANNING GUIDANCE:

AIRPORTS-IN-THE-REGION (AIR) Initiative

 

 

APA Transportation Planning Division

October 2004

 

 

 

 

Last April in Washington, DC as part of the 2004 National Conference of the American Planning Association, more than 60 regional  and aviation planning professionals shared news and views at a forum on Airports-in-the-Region (AIR). It was sponsored by APA’s Divisions Council, made up the chairs of almost 20 professional interest groups, initiated and organized by the Transportation Planning Division. TPD had previously held a day-long workshop on this topic during the 2003 National Conference in Denver, CO.

 

The 2004 forum took the form of a panel, moderated by TPD Chair Whit Blanton. Panelists were Lynne Pickard (FAA), Stephen Kiehl (Puget Sound Regional Council), and Mark Johnson (aviation consultant). Ralph Wilmer (APA Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Division), Lawrence Fabian (TPD/Trans.21), and Terry Holzheimer (APA Economic Development Division) made presentations. Discussion groups then tackled key issues. This is a summary of the issues and a proposed APA Work Program.

 

 

 

 

MAJOR ISSUES

 

  1. Immediately apparent from the high-level April forum was the fact that the urban and regional planning communities have paid little attention to airport issues beyond their substantial environmental impacts.  Significant use of airports by the general population has only emerged in the last decade or two. Air travel is now common for all, as well as air cargo, in an age when the Internet has drawn us into a global economy and society. The APA has little in the way of planning guidance or vision on what an airport should be, or on how best to envision and shape the growing commercial facilities that now tend to locate in the adjacent “airfront” district. We need to mobilize resources for research and consensus-building to “catch up” with these fast-emerging realities.

 

  1. The need for better lines of governance and inter-governmental coordination that encompasses many public-private partnerships is also apparent. What are the most effective make-up of airport boards and commissions? What is the proper policy context for setting policies to deal with noise impacts and land-takings? Reverse condemnations? What is effective coordination between airport owners and operators, the MPO, adjacent cities, towns, and unincorporated areas? What are the state and federal government roles? What are sound policies for dealing with the variety of airports of different size and role within a metropolitan area or rural areas?

 

  1. There are major issues of access and inter-modal policies to be analyzed and resolved. How do national and regional goals of providing public transport to and from airports relate to airport parking policies and revenues? What are standards and uses for the many fees being imposed on airport car rentals? How should freight policies at local, state, and national level relate to efficiency and security?

 

  1. There is need for integration of regional land-use planning and airport planning. How is the private sector to be involved, particularly realtors and the commercial and residential development communities? Given the strong link to economic development, is there a role for special development authorities? How important are free trade and enterprise zones? Given the growth in reliever and general aviation airports, how are local and regional growth plans and policies coordinated? How can wildlife impacts best be incorporated?

 

  1. There are several specific technical issues deserving immediate attention and support, including basic research, training, planning clarification, information dissemination, and public education:

 

    1. The differences between aircraft noise impacts and public perceptions and responses to them.

 

    1. Detailed delineation of compatible and incompatible land uses in areas surrounding airports. This must be clear and concise for community decision makers and able to withstand legal review.

 

    1. What are current and future “airfront” infrastructure requirements?  This can include “airfront” climate control, telecommunications, physical and facility security, parking/transiting for different modes, mobility (connecting people with transportation modes to destinations), and cargo logistics (moving cargo in, around, and out of the district). Key issues relate to planning community infrastructure to achieve desired development characteristics that support enhanced multi-modal access and integration of uses.

 

    1. What are current development standards and trends? For example, how do parking requirements for offices and hotels differ when the district also provides access to needed services?   What modes can be substituted to accommodate travel requirements? What standards need to be established to encourage sustainability (reducing energy requirements while managing energy and natural resources) using “green” architecture (e.g., to reduce the heat island effect)?

 

    1. What are the latest practices for appropriately zoning areas connecting airports and the surrounding “airfront” district?

 

 

PROPOSED TPD WORK PROGRAM

 

  1. 2005: In the next year,  limited  volunteer efforts  will include:

 

 

a.        Identification of state legislation and policies that deal with the integration of local communities, regions and airport planning. Examples will include solutions found outside the U.S.

b.       Identification of MPO policies and programs that deal with airports and airfronts, including investment strategies, economic development, environmental impacts and social equity issues.

c.        Coordination with the new Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) sponsored by USDOT and Transportation Research Board to identify potential planning research topics

d.       Coordination with the FAA Centers of Excellence programs

e.        Generation of four articles appropriate for the TPD newsletter and other APA Division newsletters. Potential topics and authors  include:

-          Ground Transport Modal Policies – Dan Wong (San Francisco Airport Authority)

-          Green Design and Building Practices – Mike Callahan (Parsons Corporation)

-          The Land-use Imperative – Chris Duerksen (Clarion Associates)

-          Airport Growth and Impacts – An Overview – Jeff Gosling

-          Others articles from APA Divisions and organizations outside APA (e.g., AIA, USGBC, ASLA, ACI-NA ,and AAAE)

f.         Continuing efforts to present “Airports-in-the-Region” session(s) at  the APA National Conference

g.       Presentations to outside groups, including the University of California’s Environmental Aviation Symposium, scheduled for March 2005 (New Approaches to Land-Use Planning  track)

h.       Generation of a summary article and other material as features for a late 2005 or 2006 article in Planning Magazine by Whit Blanton and Larry Fabian

i.         Establishment of a web-based “Airports-in-the-Region” forum, potentially housed within APA’s website, to share information, post notices and facilitate dialogue within the profession and with outside groups.

 

  1. 2006-2008 and Beyond: In the longer run, the planning aspects of airports and airfronts need to be addressed. This relates to the goal-setting functions of the planning profession. Although no funding resources are yet committed to this, it is assumed that with the increased emphasis of this subject, they may become available. Thus, much of the future work will depend on what information can be developed and what funding can be secured.  This effort could take the form of workshops, conferences, independent or sponsored research, and website development.

 

a.        What is a good airport? How is it measured? What is an “airfront” how should it be developed and designed? Is it a concentric ring around the boundaries of an airport or is part of the linear transportation corridor connecting a Central Business District (CBD) and other local and regional commercial centers?

b.       How will rail, high-speed rail, and bus rapid transit be included as transportation modes contributing to future aviation forecasts?

c.        What densities of commercial development are appropriate? What are options for development mechanisms?

d.       How can federal policies from the various agencies – FAA, FHWA, FTA, FRA, TSA, HSA, EPA, DOT, etc. –  best be coordinated to assist the emergence of safe, secure, and economically competitive airports and airfronts?

e.        Coordinate with APA staff and outside organizations to develop work products from the Planners Advisory Service, policy briefings, white papers, etc.

 

 

  1. Relationship with other APA Divisions: While this initially began as a TPD initiative, it has broadened to become a Divisions Council initiative that incorporates the interests and participation of other APA divisions.  Other divisions are invited to review this document, make contact with TPD Chair Whit Blanton to offer suggestions and ideas for collaboration. Work products created through the AIR Initiative, with APA division participation, will bear the name of the APA Divisions Council as a way to promote the value of inter-division coordination and cooperation  on inter-related technical policy and interested and participating contact resources.

 

 

SUMMARY -- FUNDING REQUIREMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

 

Funding is essential to the development, production, and distribution of quality work products and guidance for the AIR Initiative.  Possible sources include the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA and USDOT), ACRP, state departments of transportation, environmental quality, and other federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO), consulting firms and professional aviation and airport associations.  In 2005, an APA Task Force will be established to explore options, identify funding sources, develop proposals, and seek funding participation for specific work products.