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11/03/2004 . . . AIRPARK ADVISORY BOARD MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER November 3, 2004 Present: Bruce Miller Tom Calhoun Donald "Scott" Armstrong Vacant Seat Vacant Seat Acting Chair Board Member Board Member Chair Board Member Also Present: Bryan Ruff William Morris Gordon Wills Brenda Moses Assistant City Attorney Marine & Aviation Director Airport Operations Manager Board Reporter The Acting Chair called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. Board members expressed condolences to the family of former Chair Bob Lunt who passed away recently. 2 - Approval of Minutes The Chair noted the last meeting was cancelled due to the lack of a quorum. Member Calhoun moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of September 1, 2004, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3 - Tenant & Lease Report from FBO David King, FBO (Fixed Base Operator) expressed condolences to Mr. Lunt's family. He reported the number of tiedowns and hardstands has not changed since September. He reviewed airpark use based on the tenant base. All aircraft are required to have annual inspections. He said only 7%, or 23 of 160 airpark tenants, had their annual inspections done at the Clearwater Airpark. He said the price charged at Clearwater Airpark for annual inspections is reasonable and the service is comprehensive. He was unsure where else tenants have their inspections done. He said many pilots from other airports have their inspections done at Clearwater Airpark. In response to a question, Mr. King said pilots are responsible for obtaining insurance on their aircraft. He does not have the means to inspect all pilot licenses prior to each flight to verify insurance coverage. He said checking an aircraft's license number would not be helpful. Assistant City Attorney Bryan Ruff will research City liability related to accidents caused by airplanes that lack annual inspections. Mr. King said he tracks aircraft weights and Airpark Advisory 2004-11-03 1 . . balances. He said flight school patrons are required to provide copies of their license. He said he would comply with a City directive to verify pilot documentation regarding annual inspections, insurance, etc. Mr. King said the airpark's costs related to fuel, insurance, and basic operations continue to rise. He stated he has paid for necessities out of his own pocket. He said the few tenants who support the airpark would be most impacted if fuel prices were increased. He said many airpark tenants do not fly their aircraft often and purchase fuel infrequently. 4 - New Business FBO explain IFR (Instrument Fliaht Rules) Mr. King said the FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) established IFR (Instrument Flight Rules). Pilots must abide by flight path instructions when using the airpark. In response to a question, Mr. King said aircraft from Tampa and St. Petersburg/Clearwater airports often affect airpark flight paths. Airport Operations Manager Gordon Wills said the St. Petersburg/Clearwater airport website lists each flight's number and the type of aircraft used. It was stated that two additional pilots previously were members of the AAB. Currently, the board has two vacant seats. Marine & Aviation Director Bill Morris said the City Council must approve all additional responsibilities imposed on the FBO and have them included in the lease agreement. Member Calhoun moved to adopt the proposed changes to the Airpark Operating Rules and Regulations, Article 7: 1) Schedule AAB meetings quarterly, and 2) Limit public comment to three minutes. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Appointment of a Vice-Chair Member Calhoun moved to appoint Member Miller as Chair and Member Armstrong as Vice-Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5 - Other Business One resident requested the AAB agendas be posted on the City's website prior to scheduled meetings. Stormwater Fee Mr. Wills reviewed the recent stormwater fee increase passed onto pilots by the FBO. A letter was mailed to all airpark tenants regarding the new fee, described as a water fee Airpark Advisory 2004-11-03 2 . . . increase. The fee specifically is for airpark stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces. Even though the airpark was not billed appropriately for stormwater fees over the past 13 years, the City agreed not to charge the airpark for those costs retroactively. As the change increased the airpark's monthly bill from $700 to $4,000, the FBO requested permission to pass additional costs to airpark tenants. Three airpark tenants, one resident, and two nonresidents opposed the increase. Mr. Morris said the airpark is an enterprise fund and charged a surcharge by the City, which expects enterprise funds to operate as businesses and turn a profit. Tax dollars are used to fund services such as police, fire, library, etc. Mr. Morris said Assistant Engineering Director Glenn Bahnick was instrumental in postponing some fees for a year. In response to a question, Mr. Morris said whenever the airpark's impervious surface is increased, related stormwater fees increase. Discussion ensued regarding impervious surfaces. Mr. Wills said the taxiway became impervious when blacktop covered the crushed material. Mr. Morris said staff fought the stormwater fee increase for six months to no avail. Mr. Morris said the airpark never was intended to be a commercial airfield. Neighbors view the airpark as a recreational airpark as long as it complies with safety and regulatory regulations and has no night flights. Nearby residents do not want ball fields or an industrial park on the site. Previously, the Marina subsidized the airpark. Mr. Morris said the stormwater fee increase was unexpected. It was remarked the AAB is an advisory board and lacks authority to make policy decisions regarding stormwater fees. Mr. Wills said detailed information regarding allocation of the fee is available for review. Mr. King said the City receives a portion of all fuel sales. He also must pass on the January 2005 CPI increase to airpark tenants. He hoped to break even this year. He said with higher costs, he only receives a portion of revenues. In response to a question, Mr. Morris said the City would not consider subsidizing the airpark. Mr. Wills said tax dollars to not pay his salary or the salaries of airpark staff. 6 - AQenda for next meetinQ It was suggested a brief presentation related to airpark operations and the master plan would benefit new board members. It was recommended the first quarterly meeting for 2005 be scheduled on January 5, 2005. Member Armstrong moved to schedule the next meeting on January 5, 2005. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. It was reported that board applications are available from Official Records and Legislative Services. Airpark Advisory 2004-11-03 3 (. ,'- . . . 7 - Adiournment The meeting adjourned at 4:52 p.m. 4ut:~p' h Z ~gA Chair Airpark Advisory Board Attest: ~~Ap-~ oard Reporter Airpark Advisory 2004-11-03 4