Chapter 14.02 GENERAL PROVISIONS

Chapter 14.02
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sections:

14.02.050 Application of this title to existing leases.

14.02.010 Declaration of authority.

The rules and regulations for the Sunnyside Municipal Airport (“airport”) are promulgated in this title pursuant to the power granted by the Municipal Airports Acts of 1941 and 1945 and Chapters 14.07 and 14.08 RCW. For the purpose of this title, unless specifically otherwise provided, the descriptions and definitions of words, terms, and phrases appearing in this chapter shall apply throughout and shall be liberally construed, consistent with the authority granted under State law, to accomplish the purpose of regulating and operating said airport. [Ord. 2016-14 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016.]

14.02.020 Airport description.

A. Location. The airport is located at Latitude 46 degrees 19’ 40” North, Longitude 119 degrees 58’ 14” West, at the northeast end of the Sunnyside City limits and Urban Growth Area (UGA) boundary, approximately two miles east of the City center and one mile north of U.S. Interstate 82 (I-82). The airport is immediately east of Washington State Highway 241 with surface access provided by East Edison Road. Washington State Highway 241 connects Mabton and Sunnyside, and extends north to Washington State Highway 24, which connects Moxie and Richland. The airport elevation is 767 feet above mean sea level and has an area of approximately 80.9 acres.

B. Runway. The airport has one runway, Runway 07/25 designed to accommodate small aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or less with single wheel landing gear configurations. Runway 07/25 is paved and lighted with a published length of 3,422 feet and width of 60 feet. The runway has basic (visual) markings, runway edge lighting, threshold lighting and visual guidance indicators (VGI) at both ends. The runway has an effective gradient of approximately 0.643 percent, with a high point located at the east end of the runway.

C. Taxiways. Runway 07/25 has a south side parallel taxiway that extends outward from the ends of the main aircraft parking apron to each runway end. The east section of parallel taxiway (approximately 1,100 feet long) ends approximately 165 feet west of the Runway 25 threshold. The west section of parallel taxiway is approximately 1,600 feet long and extends fully to the end of Runway 07. The west section of parallel taxiway is 25 feet wide; the east section of parallel taxiway is 30 feet wide. Both sections of parallel taxiway are located 150 feet from the runway centerline. There are four connecting taxiways between the parallel taxiway and runway (one at each runway end and one at the connections to the main apron.) The connecting taxiways vary in width from 50 to 60 feet.

D. Hours of Operation. The airport operates under day and night visual rules (VFR). Runway lights are left on all night and the airport is operational 24 hours a day.

E. National Airport System. The airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS).

F. State Airport System. The airport is identified as a public use “General Aviation” airport in the Washington Aviation System Plan.

G. Facility Ownership. The airport is owned by the City of Sunnyside (“City”) and administered by the City of Sunnyside Airport Manager. [Ord. 2016-14 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016.]

14.02.030 Definitions.

A. “Aircraft movement area” or “movement area” means the area designated by marking as the area intended exclusively for aircraft operations such as takeoff, landing, taxiing and safety areas.

B. “Airport” means the Sunnyside Municipal Airport.

C. “Airport elevation” means the highest point of an airport’s usable landing area measured in feet from sea level.

D. “Airport Manager” means the Public Works Director for the City of Sunnyside, unless otherwise designated by the City Manager of the City of Sunnyside.

E. “Airport use” means any facility or activity directly associated with the air transportation of persons or cargo or the operation, storage, or maintenance of aircraft at an airport or heliport. Such uses specifically include runways, taxiways, and their associated protected areas defined by the Federal Aviation Administration, together with aircraft aprons, hangars, fixed base operations, etc.

F. “Approach surface” means an imaginary surface longitudinally centered on the extended runway centerline, extending outward and upward from the end of the primary surface and at the same slope as the approach zone height limitation slope.

G. “Apron” means the paved area used for aircraft parking or tie-down but which is not intended to be used as an aircraft movement area, such as a taxiway.

H. “City” means the City of Sunnyside, Washington.

I. “Conical surface” means an imaginary surface extending outward and upward from the periphery of the horizontal surface.

J. “SMC” means the Sunnyside Municipal Code.

K. “FAA” means the United States Federal Aviation Administration and includes any party with whom the United States Federal Aviation Administration has contracted to perform duties otherwise under its jurisdiction.

L. “FAA Form 7460-1, Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration” means a form which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) required to be completed by anyone who is proposing to construct or alter an object that could affect airspace within the airport influence area and allows the FAA to conduct an airspace analysis to determine whether the object will adversely affect airspace or navigational aids. All site elevations and constructed elevations required by the 7460-1 and 7460-2 processes shall be performed by a licensed land surveyor or a professional engineer.

M. “FAR Part 77 surfaces” means the part of 49 CFR of the Federal Aviation Regulations that deals with objects affecting navigable airspace.

N. “Fixed base operator” (“FBO”) means a tenant authorized by written agreement with the City to provide a variety of aeronautical services at the airport under compliance with such agreement and pursuant to these regulations and standards. By definition, an FBO has a “fixed base” of operations, i.e., an office, hangar, or shop on the airport approved for commercial operations.

O. “Hazard to air navigation” means an obstruction determined to have a substantial adverse effect on the safe and efficient utilization of the navigable airspace.

P. “Hazardous materials” means any material designated as a hazardous or dangerous waste pursuant to or exhibiting any of the physical, chemical, or biological properties described as hazardous substances in Chapter 173-303 WAC.

Q. “Minimum functional standards” means standards to protect and promote the best interests of the public by providing competent and qualified operation of aviation activities at the airport.

R. “Nonconforming use” means any use, situation, lot, building or structure that legally existed prior to the adoption of a development regulation that would otherwise prohibit its use.

S. “NOTAMS” means notice to airmen containing information concerning the establishment, condition, or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedures, or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations.

T. “Operator” means any person who uses the airport for purposes of taxiing, flying, or maintaining an aircraft.

U. “Primary surface” means a surface longitudinally centered on a runway with a width for visual approaches. When the runway has a specifically prepared hard surface, the primary surface beyond each end of the runway as established by the Federal Aviation Administration. The dimensions of the primary surface are based on the latest edition of the airport master plan update and Federal Aviation Administration requirements. The elevation of any point on the primary surface is the same as the elevation of the nearest point on the runway centerline.

V. “Runway” means a defined area on an airport prepared for landing and takeoff of aircraft along its length.

W. “Transitional surfaces” means the imaginary surfaces that extend outward at 90-degree angles to the runway centerline, and runway centerline extended, at a slope of seven feet horizontally for each foot vertically from the sides of the primary and approach surfaces to where they intersect with the horizontal and conical surfaces.

X. “Taxiway” means all areas designated as public use taxiways and used for exclusive use of aircraft movement while on the ground, but shall not include any areas under lease to a tenant or lessee on the airport grounds.

Y. “Tenant” means a person who enters into a written or oral agreement with the City for the purpose of engaging in a business or other authorized occupancy on airport premises. [Ord. 2016-14 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016.]

14.02.040 Airport Manager.

A. Appointment. The Airport Manager shall be the City Manager or a director of the department to which the airport is assigned.

B. Authority. Subject to SMC and applicable State and federal law governing municipal airports, the authority for the construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, management, operation, and regulation of the airport and airport property is vested in the executive branch. The Airport Manager shall be the executive manager of the airport and shall be responsible for the management and operation of the airport. [Ord. 2016-14 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016.]

14.02.050 Application of this title to existing leases.

The City acknowledges that lease agreements currently exist between the City, as landlord, and third parties, as tenants, for property located at the airport. The terms and provisions of these existing lease agreements may not conform to the rules and regulations of this title. To the extent that rules and regulations of this title are inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the lease agreements which existed as of the date this title became effective, the terms and provisions of the lease agreements shall control so long as they remain otherwise lawful. The rules and regulations of this title shall be fully effective upon the execution of a new lease or at the next lease renewal date for existing leases, regardless of lease term. [Ord. 2016-14 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016.]