Airport Hazard Area Regulations
&
Airport Compatible Land Use
Regulations
Bill Zrioka
Division Manager
Airport Spatial Information Systems (ASIS)
Houston Airport System
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
ORIGINS OF AN ORDINANCE
Extension of Runway 15R-33L Impacts Greenview Manor
Runway 15R-33L
Greenview Manor
Subdivision
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
ORIGINS OF AN ORDINANCE
2005-2006 IAH Master Plan
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
ORIGINS OF AN ORDINANCE
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
PURPOSE OF THE AIRPORT LAND USE
COMPATIBILITY ORDINANCE
2006 FAA Letter
 Admonished the City of Houston for allowing incompatible
development to encroach into areas affected by airport
operations
 Asked the City to adopt measures that ensure compatible
land development and would protect the FAA’s investment of
grant funds in the three airports
 FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR FUTURE AIRPORT
DEVELOPMENT AND BUY-OUTS MAY BE LIMITED WITHOUT
CONTROLS AND MAY EVEN REQUIRE CITY TO REPAY PAST
GRANT FUNDING
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
PURPOSE OF THE AIRPORT LAND USE
COMPATIBILITY ORDINANCE
 Incompatible land uses hinder airport expansion
 Development could encroach on airport operations
 Threat to the public’s quality of life and safety
 Prevention is cost efficient
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM’S IMPACT
 Provides more than $27 billion to Houston’s economy
annually.
 Creates or supports more than 230,000 jobs.
 4th-busiest multi-airport system in the U.S.
 6th-largest multi-airport system in the world.
 New Federal Inspection Services Building being built at Hobby for
International Flights.
 International Terminal Renovation Planned at Intercontinental.
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
AIRPORT GROWTH
 Over 50 million passengers in 2013
 Passengers projected to grow to 80 million by 2020
 To accommodate this growth, will need to continually
improve and expand airport facilities and capacity
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
AUTHORITY TO REGULATE LAND USE
Chapter 241 of the Texas Local Government Code
 Cities with public airports can adopt compatible land use and
height regulations around the airport (s)
The regulated area is 3 miles by 5 miles long
 1.5 miles on each side of the center line of each runway
 5 miles from the ends of the runways
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
REGULATING THE LAND AND THE AIR
Two Types of Regulation Around Airports
 Land Use
 Height Hazard.
Since a Height Hazard Ordinance exists, Land Use
was given priority.
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
DESIGNATION OF TEIRS
Tier 1 – Primarily based on future noise contours,
including 65 DNL extended to property line boundaries
Tier 2 – Followed natural boundaries (i.e. streets,
bayous, etc.)
Tier 3 – Predefined by state law (3 x 5 mile box)
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
NOTES:
1 Must meet certain notification requirements.
2 Sound insulation required if enlargement of the structure is more than 51% of the appraised value of the livable area.
3 “Casualty” means destruction by accidental or natural causes.
Legend:
Compatible
Compatible Only With Sound Insulation Measures
(May be subject to further conditions or exceptions)
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
Not Compatible
OPEN DIALOGUE
Jurisdictional Agency Involvement
 Land Use Team briefed City of Houston Council
members.
 Land Use Team met with nearby and affected
jurisdictional representatives.
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT
Development Community Revisited
 Land Use Team gathered information involving sound
attenuation products and associated costs.
Land Use Team was educated on how the development
community does business.
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
LOCAL PUBLIC OUTREACH
Community Meetings to Inform the Public
 Affected property owners were notified.
 Community meeting for public near each airport.
 Questions and comments were submitted by written
media in order to control meeting.
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
ORDINANCE APPROVAL
City Council Approves The Land Use Ordinance
 Land Use Ordinance was passed without City Council
tag in 2007 and was put into effect in early 2008.
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
Airport Compatible Land Use Planning Tiers
IAH – George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Legend
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Airport
Property
NOTE: All acreage
figures are net airport
property and net
each Tier
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
Airport Compatible Land Use Planning Tiers
HOU – William P. Hobby Airport
Legend
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Airport
Property
NOTE: All acreage
figures are net airport
property and net
each Tier
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
Airport Compatible Land Use Planning Tiers
EFD - Ellington Field
Legend
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Airport
Property
NOTE: All acreage
figures are net airport
property and net
each Tier
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
IMPLEMENTATION
 The Houston Airport System has staff members working in
conjunction with both the Planning and Development
Department & the to review all incoming plats and replats for
compliance with the regulations
 These same staff members also works with Public Works
and Engineering’s Code Enforcement Division and has
integrated this function into the building permit plan review
and inspection process
AIRPORT COMPATIBLE LAND USE ORDINANCE
AIRPORT HAZARD AREA REGULATIONS
Statutory Governing Authority:
Chapter 241 of the Texas Local Government Code
 Cities with public airports can adopt compatible land use and
height regulations around the airport (s)
The regulated area is 3 miles by 5 miles long
 1.5 miles on each side of the center line of each runway
 5 miles from the ends of the runways
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
AIRPORT HAZARD AREA REGULATIONS
City Ordinances For Height Already Existed – Except For
Ellington
 Intercontinental - Height Ordinance In Effect Since 1983
 Hobby - Height Ordinance First Passed in 1957 – Last
Amended in 1986
 Ellington - No Height Ordinance Existed Before or After
Transfer of Air Force Base to City of Houston in 1984
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
AIRPORT HAZARD AREA REGULATIONS
Proposed Action
 Modernize Existing Ordinances For Intercontinental & Hobby
 Follow Both FAA Rules AND Federal Requirements for
Aircraft Operators
 Create Regulations for Ellington
 Protect Airspace for FAA Approved Master Planned Runways
for All Three Airports
Work Closely with Stakeholders to Develop a Regulation that
Does Not Over-Regulate
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
AIRPORT HAZARD AREA REGULATIONS
Airspace Surfaces – Three Kinds
 Protect aircraft approaches and departures and aircraft
movement areas from the ground up (Part 77.25 Imaginary
Surfaces)
 Protect aircraft operating during low visibility conditions
using their onboard instruments as pilots monitor signals
emanating from equipment, or NAVAIDS, located in the air
(onboard the aircraft or satellites) or on the ground (Part 77.23
Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS))
 Flight paths for emergency procedures (One Engine
Inoperative (One Engine Out))
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
AIRPORT HAZARD AREA REGULATIONS
Structure of Ordinance
 Hazard Area Regulations Would be Part of Same City
Ordinance Article as Land Use Regulations—Code of
Ordinances of the City of Houston, Chapter 9 for Ease of
Locating Regulations Pertinent to Airports
 Regulations Would Govern Only the Height of New
Construction or Modifications of Existing Structures Whose
Proposed Structural Heights Would Penetrate the Airspace
Surfaces
 Maps will identify permissible heights as part of the
regulations.
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT
Maximum Building Height Includes All Rooftop Appurtenances,
Obstruction Lights, Lightning Arresting Devices, etc. as Shown
Below. All Elevations Are Above Mean Sea Level
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
AIRPORT HAZARD AREA REGULATIONS
City Council Approves The Hazard Area Ordinance
 Hazard Area Ordinance was passed without City Council
tag in 2008 and was put into effect in early 2009.
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
INTERCONTINENTAL AIRSPACE SURFACES
Yellow – Part 77
Blue – TERPs
Pink – OEI
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
HOBBY AIRSPACE SURFACES
Yellow – Part 77
Blue – TERPs
Pink – OEI
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
ELLINGTON AIRSPACE SURFACES
Yellow – Part 77
Blue – TERPs
Pink – OEI
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE
AIRPORT HAZARD AREA REGULATIONS
Questions?
AIRPORT HAZARD
AREALAND
ORDINANCE
COMPATIBLE
USE ORDINANCE