Tim Scully 9/17/95 Charles Peterson and Frank McMichael Planning, Transportation, Health and Welfare Committee Board of Supervisors Courthouse Ukiah, CA 95482 Gentlemen: I am writing as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Airport Advisory Committee at Little River Airport. We met 9/10 and have several issues to report on. day use fee ----------- We were asked by Mr. Peterson to report on the pros and cons of imposing a $5 day use fee at Little River Airport. pros: might increase airport revenue might discourage visitors who don't spend money, reducing noise cons: research shows this is VERY unusual for airports of this size might reduce net income by discouraging paying traffic We provide the data below to help you gauge the risk that imposing a day use fee might DECREASE income from the airport, and we suggest some ways of managing this risk, Andy Becker did a survey some time ago, asking visiting pilots how they felt about the possibility of increased fees at Little River. That survery consisted of 29 responses. Only 8 pilots were unopposed to increased fees. More recently a more targeted survey was done, asking specifically about a $5 day use fee. We have a sample of 30 responses, so far. Eighteen of the 30 pilots said that a $5 day use fee would affect their decision to return to Little River. Of the twelve pilots who said they would still come to Little River in spite of the fee, four said that the fee is a bad idea. The survey also asked if it would be acceptable if the fee were waived with a minimum fuel purchase. Twenty five of 30 said this was acceptable. Here are some of the comments from the survey, identified by aircraft number: "If pilots and passengers pay for cabs, hotels, food merchendise, etc. the County is already getting revenue. A day use fee is the quickest way to reduce visitors and tourism. Ask any jurisdiction that has tried! As a Chamber of Commerce Director in a town that relies on airport visitors, I would urge defeat of such a poor idea" N1569H "I've flown into Little River 3 times this summer and I spent an average of $75-$125 each trip on fuel and gifts. The day I have to spend $5 for this privelage will be my last" N2180S "Flying is very expensive for most of us. Extra fees are hard to cope with," N1685P "Not a great plan - but if it is required to keep Little River in operation, then it is O.K." N6845S We recommend that if the County imposes a day use fee, that it be a $4 day use fee for aircraft staying at least 3 hours, and that the fee be waived with a 10 gallon minimum avgas purchase. The $4 fee is roughly equal to the gross margin on 10 gallons of gas. We further recommend that the airport manager monitor fuel and tie-down revenue from the airport closely for the next few quarters to watch for a possible decrease in revenue, an indication that the fee should be adjusted downward or removed. We further recommend that there be a modest publicity program (perhaps a simple sign in the airport office) telling visiting pilots that this unusual fee is necessary to support continued operation of the airport. If given authorization for such a sign, local pilots are willing to produce a sign at no cost to the County. In an earlier meeting we agreed that "enveloping" aircraft would be a good way to increase tiedown revenue. If the day use fee is adopted, we recommend that envelopes be printed which state both the day use and tiedown fees, AND which explain that collection of these fees is essential to the continued operation of the airport. A lock-box should be installed so that envelopes can be deposited after hours or if the airport manager is unavailable. Additionally, we believe it would be beneficial to work out some kind of co-marketing program with local merchants. One suggestion is to allow merchants a small space for signage at the airport advertising a discount to pilots who show a receipt for fuel or the day use fee. This would promote good will in the pilot community. There would be no cost to the County. The merchants would get advertising in return for offering the discount. The merchant would pay for the cost of the sign. The Ad Hoc Committee plans to work further to suggest ways of increasing airport revenue and decreasing airport expenses. underground fuel tanks ---------------------- In our earlier report, we believed that the underground fuel tanks at the airport will have to be removed at a cost of possibly $150,000 by 1998. We now have more complete information on this topic and are happy to report that the 1998 regulations can be complied with at a much lower cost, probably less than $10,000. Enclosed a copy of a brochure from the State Water Resources Control Board, Underground Storage Tank Program. It outlines steps that must be taken before December 22, 1998. These include: - cathodic protection for the two 2000 gallon metal tanks - spill containers around the filling areas - a bump plate at the bottom of the 12,000 gallon fibreglass tank - add automatic shut-off and leak detection equipment As long as the tanks are not leaking, it is our understanding that they may remain in service. noise abatement --------------- In our earlier report we reported on preliminary recommendations for a noise abatement policy. We now suggest a two step process for implementing noise abatement, with step one beginning as soon as we have your approval. step one: we will produce (at no cost to the County) and place in the airport office a simple cardboard sign neatly printed with the following message: "This is a highly noise sensitive rural residential community. Please reduce power as soon as safe and practical after takeoff. Please climb at best angle to 2000 feet MSL and maintain at least 2000 MSL in the area." step two: with your approval, we will convene a community meeting to collect public comments on a more comprehensive noise abatement policy. We will propose the following: - Please reduce power as soon as safe and practical after takeoff. Please climb at best angle to 2000 feet MSL. Make a 15 degree left turn after takeoff from runway 29. Avoid right-hand departures from 29. - pattern altitude is increased from 800 AGL to 1000 AGL - approach and landing to be made with minimum safe power and at the steepest safe approach angle permitted by weather conditions - aircraft are requested to maintain 2000 feet AGL clearance in the Albion-Little River-Mendocino area. - the airport manager shall maintain a clipboard with noise complaints in a publicly accessable area - the airport manager shall maintain a large scale map of the airport area with a pushpin indicating the source of each noise complaint - the airport manager shall send the noise abatement data to publishers of pilot guides - signs will be posted at each end of the runway (at no cost to the County) stating the noise abatement procedures. A local pilot has volunteered to produce these signs. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting on Monday the 18th. Respectfully Yours, Tim Scully, Ph.D. Chairman cc: Budge Campbell, Public Works P.S. After FAXing the initial draft of this report to you on 9/14, I finally received a more detailed booklet on underground tanks from the State. It hilights an additional upgrade requirement for lining metal tanks. This additional requirement may make it cheapest to consider retiring the metal tanks from service, but leaving them buried (if they pass vapor tests). If the larger fibreglass tank has metal plumbing, this may need to be lined.