Existing Incompatible Land Uses

If incompatible uses exist near your airport today, the tools and techniques you use should be focused on maintaining that same level of compatibility and not letting it get any worse (i.e. more incompatible). A more limited number of options exist in cases where incompatible uses already exist; however they are still effective.

Options for establishing compatibility measures where incompatible uses already exist may include:

Develop an airport land use compatibility plan and zoning ordinance
Inclusion in local comprehensive plan and area plan (if applicable)
Identification in an airport master plan and/or ALP
Establish a wildlife management plan
Acquire incompatible uses through fee simple acquisition or avigation and noise easements

For additional information on each of these options, and examples of successful airport land use plans and zoning ordinances, visit Planning and Legal Tools.

Resources

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 presents and explains a variety of mitigation and preservation techniques for airport land use compatibility including planning and zoning techniques, natural features techniques and acquisition and notification techniques.
FAA AC 150/5200-33B Hazardous Wildlife Attractants on or near Airports
This AC provides guidance on certain land uses that have the potential to attract hazardous wildlife on or near public-use airports. It also discusses airport development projects affecting aircraft movement near hazardous wildlife attractants.
University Park Airport Master Plan, State College, PA
Chapter 6 of this airport master plan includes text that addresses land use compatibility of adjacent and nearby uses.

Tools

ACRP Report 27 Enhancing Airport Land Use Compatibility, Volume 1, Land Use Fundamentals and Implementation Resources
Appendix C, Airport Land Use Compatibility Model Local Zoning Ordinance provides a model ordinance intended to help local governments and airports codify airport land use compatibility zoning standards including a variety of zoning standards and approaches including straight-forward, minimum standards as well as national “best practices.” The model ordinance can be tailored to fit the needs and preferences of a specific jurisdiction.
ACRP Report 27 Enhancing Airport Land Use Compatibility, Volume 1, Land Use Fundamentals and Implementation Resources
Appendix D, Sample Easements includes sample avigation easements for property located both inside and outside of the RPZ. The suggested avigation easements in Appendix D, Sample Easements are written to apply to any level of aircraft operations, type of aircraft, or future flight patterns.
Airport Land Use and Height Overlay Zoning Ordinance Template from Iowa DOT
This tool is a condensed sample airport zoning ordinance that can be used for smaller general aviation airports.