ASHLAND AIRPORT COMMISSION
May 5, 2015
 
MINUTES
 
 
 
 
Members Present: David Wolske, Alan DeBoer, Lincoln Zeve, William Butler, Bill Skillman, Susan Moen and Stefani Seffinger
Staff: Scott Fleury, Bill Molnar and Derek Severson
Members Absent: Bob Skinner
Visitors: Doug Burman and Nicole Doran
 
CALL TO ORDER: 9:30AM
 
1.APPROVAL OF MINUTES: April 7, 2015 motion by DeBoer for approval, second by Zeve minutes approved as written.  
 
2.Agenda Item Addition:  Seffinger asks for an agenda item regarding her role as a liaison from to Council. Item added as C in new business.
 
3.Public Forum: No public discussion.
 
4.OLD BUSINESS:
 
A.FBO Lease: No change. Staff is expecting to schedule a meeting with Legal and Skinner next week to discuss insurance and living wage issues.
 
B.AIP Project: Staff is waiting for Precision Approach Engineering to provide final documentation of project for FAA review and approval.
 
C.Airport Zoning: Bill Molnar and Derek Severson from the Planning Department attend meeting to present land use code change overview. Molnar gives a brief overview of the current airport overlay code and how the  unique operations don't necessarily fit in with general planning codes. Planning is looking at the airport as more of a campus facility giving it more flexibility in the code, including an expedited approval process for hangars that will be built to a certain architectural style in a preapproved location per the master plan. Severson presents power point presentation to Commission. Presentation was previously presented before Planning Commission as an initial discussion regarding the code change. Planning is proposing a ministerial process for hobbyist hangars that would allow for an expedited approval as long as the hangar is consistent with the design and location vetted in the master plan process. The code will also address parking and landscaping on a complete site basis. The current E1 code requires 15% lot coverage for landscaping and instead of being associated with individual hangars this could be associated with the complete site. Also a parking requirement ratio for hangars needs to be developed that meets the needs of the airport and users. In addition, tree trimming/topping that avoids removals is recommended as part of the code update with a yearly report given to the Tree Commission on site activities.
Severson asks if the Commission has any questions or recommendations regarding the draft code language in the packet. Wolske states this appears to address a majority of the issues for site development and wants to keep forward movement with regards to the process.
 
Commission asks for clarification between commercial and hobbyist hangars and the process for approval of a commercial hangar. Commission would like to see the process streamlined for commercial hangars as well. Staff states there are only a couple spots left onsite that could be considered for commercial development, which include in front of the ramp adjacent to Sky and a couple larger spots adjacent to Brim. Commission believes a hangar should be defined as a hangar and its use would dictate the required Planning review and approval based on the adopted code and master plan.
 
Severson explains the process from here; The code changes will be reviewed by Advisory Commissions and a recommendation will be developed that will be presented before the Planning Commission for approval and then forwarded to the City Council for formal code adoption. The State must be notified of the pending code changes 45 days prior to the first public meeting.
 
Skillman states the code should address what is reasonable vs. unreasonable with regards to development on the airport site. Zeve would like to know the next steps. Planning will continue to move forward with formalizing the code language and then work through the advisory board process and on to the Planning Commission and City Council. Staff expects work to start on the master plan process in the next budget year and hopefully Planning staff will be available to work with consultants in order to develop appropriate language associated with site planning to work in unison with the new code. Staff to work with Severson on formalizing code language. Planning to bring back the formal code once complete.
 
D.Self Fueling Permit: Staff has made the final strikethrough edits and needs to forward to John Prochniak for comments before sending to the Legal Department for review.
 
E.Airport Budget Update: Staff informs Commission the Public Works budget will be presented before the Budget Committee on May 14. This will be the first step in the formal budget adoption process. The biennium budget will be adopted by Council in June. Staff will forward a final approved copy of the airport budget to Commission for review. The Commission would like to see a quarterly report regarding the airport budget status in the future biennium. Staff to provide Commission quarterly update on airport budget.
 
5.NEW BUSINESS:
 
A.Airport Good Neighbor Items: No discussion.
 
B.Election of Officers: As required by Municipal Code the election of a new chair and vice chair must occur at the first meeting following appointment of members by the Council. Staff asks Commission to discuss and appointment both a chair and vice chair.
 
DeBoer motions: I nominate Butler for chair. All approved
 
Moen motions: I nominate DeBoer for vice chair. All approved.
 
Commission asks if a notice can be posted at the FBO building letting airport users know there are commission vacancies. Staff can work with Skinner on posting. Staff to send an email out to users list informing them of vacancies as well.
 
Staff informs Commission the Council is also discussing the rules and regulations of Commissions and possible changes could be made in the future regarding quorums. The change being discussed is a quorum would be more than 1/2 the current membership instead of 1/2 of the total membership.
 
C.Role as Council Liaison: Seffinger asks how she can support the Commission with respect to her role as Council Liaison. Commission would like to see Seffinger represent Council concerns in general back to the Commission. Commission would like to see and advocate of the airport in general and help clear any governmental road blocks with respect to priority projects and budgeting.  Wolske would like to see the Airport pushed as a benefit to the transportation system of Ashland. It always appears the airport is an afterthought and hardly even mentioned in the City's transportation system plan. Skillman mentions the economic impact of the Airport and how the Oregon Department of Aviations study showed the airport is a positive benefit to the region for jobs and tourism. Commission also agrees that attendance at Commission meetings by the Council liaison is important.
 
 
6.AIRPORT MANAGER REPORT/FBO REPORT/AIRPORT ASSOCIATION:
 
A.Status of Airport, Financial Report, Review of Safety Reports: Skinner absent, no updates.
 
B.Maintenance Updates: Weed spraying still needs to occur and staff needs to schedule the approach slope survey to be completed and verify if any new trees are encroaching into the 20:1 slope.
 
C.Brown Bag: No update.
 
D.Transportation Commission: No update.
 
E.Medford Airport: No update
 
F.Action Item List: No changes.
 
G.Airport Day/Marketing: Airport Day subcommittee meeting is scheduled for right after regular Commission meeting. Final preparations are in the works.
 
H.Airport Users Group:
 
OTHER:
The meeting of the JC airport commission is the third Monday of the month at 12:00 PM.
  
NEXT MEETING DATE:  June 2, 2015 beginning at 9:30 AM
 
ADJOURN:  Meeting adjourned at 11:01 AM