The A-O, airport overlay zone is intended to be an overlay zone to other zones within the City to provide for additional property development standards for those areas of the City located within the approach zones, transitional zones, horizontal zones, and conical zones as they apply to the Modesto City-County Airport. These zones are shown on the Modesto City-County Airport Approach and Clear Zone Plan, consisting of one sheet, prepared by the City of Modesto Planning and Community Development Department and may also be included in the Stanislaus County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan.

The purpose of this zone is to prevent hazards that may endanger the lives and property of the users of the airport, the residents and property in the vicinity of the airport, and in effect reduce the size of the area available for landing, takeoff, and maneuver of aircraft, thus tending to destroy or impair the utility of the airport.

(Ord. No. 2020-1059, § 1, 3-23-2020)

The following property development standards shall apply to all land, buildings, and structures within the A-O zone.

A.

Airport zone height limitations. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no structure or tree shall be erected, altered, allowed to grow or be maintained in any overlay zone created by this chapter to a height in excess of the applicable height limit established for such zone. Such applicable height limitations are hereby established for each of the overlay zones in question as follows:

1.

Utility runway visual approach zone. The height limit for the utility runway visual approach zone slopes upward 20 feet horizontally for each foot vertically, beginning at the end of and at the same elevation as the primary surface.

2.

Non-precision instrument approach zone. The height limit for the non-precision instrument approach zone slopes upward 34 feet horizontally for each foot vertically beginning at the end of and at the same elevation as the primary surface.

3.

Precision instrument runway approach zone. The height limit for the precision instrument runway approach zone slopes upward 50 feet horizontally for each foot vertically beginning at the end of and at the same elevation as the primary surface and extending to a horizontal distance of 10,000 feet along the extended runway centerline; thence slopes upward 40 feet horizontally for each foot vertically to an additional horizontal distance of 40,000 feet along the extended runway centerline.

4.

Transitional zones. The height limit for the transitional zone slopes upward and outward seven feet horizontally for each foot vertically beginning at the sides of and at the same elevation as the primary surface and the approach zones, and extends to a height of 150 feet above the airport elevation which is 247 feet above mean sea level. The height limit of the transitional zone also slopes upward and outward seven feet horizontally for each foot vertically beginning at the sides of and at the same elevation as the approach zones, and extending to where they intersect the horizontal surface. Where the precision instrument runway approach zone projects beyond the conical zone, height limits sloping upward and outward seven feet horizontally for each foot vertically shall be maintained beginning at the sides of and at the same elevation as precision instrument runway approach surface, and extending to a horizontal distance of 5,000 feet measured at 90 degree angles to the extended runway centerline.

5.

Horizontal zone. The height limit for the horizontal zone is 150 feet above the airport elevation or a height of 247 feet above the mean sea level.

6.

Conical zone. The height limit for the conical zone slopes upward and outward 20 feet horizontally for each foot vertically beginning at the outer periphery of the horizontal zone and beginning at 150 feet above the airport elevation and extending to a height of 350 feet above the airport elevation or a height of 447 feet above the mean sea level.

7.

Excepted height limitation. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting the growth, construction, or maintenance of any building, structure or tree to a height up to 35 feet above the surface of the land in any zone. This exception does not apply to any navigation easement owned by the City.

B.

Lighting and electrical interference.

1.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, no use within the A-O zone may be made of land or water within any zone established by this chapter in such a manner as to create electrical interference with navigational signals or radio communications between the airport and aircraft, make it difficult for pilots to distinguish between airport lights and others, result in glare to the eyes of pilots using the airport, impair visibility in the vicinity of the airport or otherwise in any way create a hazard or endanger the landing, takeoff, or maneuvering of aircraft intending to use the airport.

2.

The owner of any existing nonconforming building, structure or tree shall be required to permit the installation, operation, end maintenance thereon of such markers and lights as shall be deemed necessary by the airport manager to indicate to the operators of aircraft in the vicinity of the airport, the presence of airport hazards. Such markers and lights shall be installed, operated, and maintained at the expense of the City.

(Ord. No. 2020-1059, § 1, 3-23-2020)