Planning and Legal Tools

A variety of planning and legal tools are available for your airport sponsor (typically a city or county) to employ to establish and maintain compatible uses near your airport. The usage of each of these tools is dependent on a variety of factors and what may be useful for your airport may not be useful for another. ACRP Report 27 Enhancing Airport Land Use Compatibility, Volume 1, Land Use Fundamentals and Implementation Resources includes a table that outlines the techniques that might be most appropriate to use at your airport depending on where the land use in question is located. ACRP Report 27 Enhancing Airport Land Use Compatibility, Volume 1, Land Use Fundamentals and Implementation Resources also provides a summary of each of the following tools and techniques:

Planning and Zoning Techniques
- Comprehensive Plan
- Area Plans
- Joint or Regional Planning and Extraterritorial Zoning
- Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans
  - Federal Aviation Regulation Part 150 Study (Noise)
  - Vision 100 Section 160 Program
  - Height Limitation Maps/interactive GIS tools
- Airport Master Plan/ALP
- Site Plan Review and Plat Review
- Deed Restrictions
Natural Features Techniques (Environmental)
- Wildlife Management Plan
- Natural Features Inventory and Mitigation
Acquisition and Notification Techniques
- Fee Simple Acquisition
- Aviation and Noise Easements
- Conservation Easement
- Transfer of Development Rights
- Purchase of Development Rights
- Non-Suit Covenants and Hold Harmless Agreements
- Disclosure Notices
- Real Estate Disclosure Notice
Noise Mitigation Techniques (Noise)
- Noise Compatibility Program
- Building Codes
- Sound Barriers
- Sound Insulation

ACRP Report 27 Enhancing Airport Land Use Compatibility, Volume 1, Land Use Fundamentals and Implementation Resources
Chapter 8, Tools and Techniques for Land Use Compatibility summarizes a collection of generally accepted tools and techniques for the prevention and mitigation of incompatible land uses.
The FAR Part 150 Airport Noise Compatibility Planning Program Overview
This document gives an overview of what FAR Part 150 Studies are, what they should provide from a compatibility planning perspective, and how the FAA goes about using a Part 150 Study upon completion.
ACRP Legal Research Digest 14 Achieving Airport-Compatible Land Uses and Minimizing Hazardous Obstructions in Navigable Airspace
This document dives into legal issues discussing how minimizing or even eliminating hazardous obstructions can help achieve compatible land use in the airport vicinity.

Sample Height Limitation Maps to Guide Future Development near Airports

MassPort Boston-Logan International Airport Composite of Critical Airspace Surfaces
This map portrays surface elevations in critical airspace surrounding Boston-Logan International Airport.
La Crosse Municipal Airport Height Limitation Zoning Map
This map portrays height limitations separated by zones surrounding La Crosse Municipal Airport.

Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans and Zoning Samples

These two airport plans show (via maps) and discuss their zone and land use compatibility surrounding their respective airport.

ACRP Report 27 Enhancing Airport Land Use Compatibility, Volume 1, Land Use Fundamentals and Implementation Resources
Chapter 8, Tools and Techniques for Land Use Compatibility, Table 1.8-1, Techniques for land use compatibility overview allows the user to evaluate a series of land use compatibility techniques for effectiveness in achieving land use compatibility in different areas around the airport.