This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Savannah International Airport Airspace Zoning Ordinance."

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6001)

This article is enacted for the following purposes:

(a)

To reduce hazards to residents and property located near the Savannah International Airport;

(b)

To prevent hazards to aircraft utilizing the Savannah International Airport;

(c)

To protect the public investment in the airport and its environs;

(d)

To protect the public health, safety, and general welfare; and

(e)

To assure that land surrounding the airport will be developed to the best interests of public and private landowners, and for other purposes.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6002)

Where there exists a conflict between any of the regulations or limitations prescribed in this article and any other regulations applicable to the same area, whether the conflict be with the respect to the height of structures or trees, the use of land, or any other matter, the more stringent limitation or requirement shall govern and prevail.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6003)

The jurisdiction of this article shall be all of that area within the incorporated limits of Garden City, Georgia.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6004)

Unless the context otherwise requires, the following words, as used in this chapter, shall have the meaning herein ascribed to them:

Airport means Savannah International Airport.

Airport elevation means the highest point of an airport's usable landing area measured in feet above sea level.

Airport hazard means any structure or tree or use of land which obstructs the airspace required for the flight of aircraft in landing or taking off at the airport or which is otherwise hazardous to such landing or taking off of aircraft.

Airport hazard area means any area of land or water upon which an airport hazard might be established, if not prevented in this chapter.

Airport reference point means the point established as the approximate geographic center of the airport landing area and which is so designated on the Savannah International Airport Airspace Zoning Map.

Landing area means the area of the airport used for landing, taking off or taxiing of aircraft.

Nonconforming structures means any structure, tree or use of land which does not conform to a regulation prescribed in this chapter, or an amendment thereto, as of the effective date of such regulation.

Nonprecision instrument runway means a runway having a nonprecision instrument approach procedure utilizing air navigation facilities with only horizontal guidance, or area type navigation equipment, for which a straight-in nonprecision instrument approach procedure has been approved or planned, and for which nonprecision approach facilities are planned or indicated on an FAA planning document or military service military airport planning document.

Person means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint stock association or body politic, and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee or other similar representative thereof.

Precision instrument runway means a runway having an instrument approach procedure utilizing an instrument landing system (ILS), a microwave landing system (MLS), or a Precision Approach Radar (PAR). It also means a runway for which a precision approach system is planned and is so indicated on an FAA approved airport layout plan; a military service approved military airport layout plan; or any other FAA planning document, or military service military planning document.

Runway means a defined area on an airport prepared for landing, taking off or taxiing of aircraft.

Structure means any object, constructed or installed by man, including, but without limitation thereof, buildings, towers, smokestacks, utility poles, and overhead transmission lines.

Tree includes any plant of the vegetable kingdom.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6005)

There are hereby created and established certain zones which include all of the land lying within the primary zone, precision instrument approach zones, nonprecision instrument approach zones, transition zones, horizontal zones and conical zones. Such areas and zones are shown on the Savannah International Airport Airspace Zoning Map dated June 1, 1985. Said map is made a part of this article to the same extent as if the information set forth on such map was fully designed and incorporated herein, and may be amended subsequent to the adoption thereof. Said map shall be kept on file in the office of the clerk of council of the city. The various zones established are shown in Illustration Number 1 and are defined as follows:

(1)

Primary zone. An area longitudinally centered on a runway and extending 200 feet each end of that runway. The width of the primary zone is 1,000 feet for a nonprecision instrument runway having a nonprecision instrument approach with visibility minimums as low as three-fourths of a statute mile, and for precision instrument runways. No structure or obstruction will be permitted within the primary zone that is not part of the landing and take off facilities and is of a greater height than the nearest point on the runway centerline.

(2)

Approach zones. An area longitudinally centered on the extended runway center line and extending outward from each end of the primary zone. An approach zone is designed for each runway based upon the type of approach available or planned for that runway end.

a.

Precision instrument approach zone. An instrument approach zone is established at each end of precision instrument runways. The inner edge of the precision instrument approach zone shall have a width of 1,000 feet at a distance of 200 feet beyond each end of the runway. The inner edge shall then widen uniformly to a width of 16,000 feet at a distance of 50,200 feet beyond each end of the runway.

b.

Nonprecision instrument approach zones. Nonprecision instrument approach zones are established at each end of the nonprecision runways. The inner edge of the nonprecision instrument approach zone shall have a width of 1,000 feet at a distance of 200 feet beyond each end of the runway. The inner edge shall then widen uniformly to a width of 4,000 feet for that end of a nonprecision instrument runway having a nonprecision instrument approach with visibility minimums as low as three-fourths statute miles. This type of approach zone extends to a horizontal distance of 10,200 feet beyond each end of the runway.

(3)

Transitional zones. Transition zones are established adjacent to each precision and nonprecision instrument runway. They extend outward from the sides of the primary and approach zones and connect to the horizontal and conical zones. Transitional zones are further established adjacent to the precision instrument approach zone which projects through and beyond the limits of the conical zone, extending a distance of 5,000 feet measured horizontally, from the edge of the precision instrument approach zone perpendicular to the extended centerline of the runway.

(4)

Horizontal zone. A horizontal zone is the area within the perimeter of a horizontal plane that is constructed by swinging arcs of specified radii from the center of each end of the primary surface of each runway of each airport and connecting the adjacent arcs by lines tangent to those arcs. The radius of each arc is 10,000 feet for all runways at the airport.

The radius of the arc specified for each end of a runway will have the same arithmetical value. That value will be the highest composite value determined for either end of the runway. When a 5,000 foot arc is encompassed by tangents connecting two adjacent 10,000 foot arcs, the 5,000 foot arc shall be disregarded on the construction of the perimeter of the horizontal plane. The horizontal zone does not include the precision and nonprecision approach zones, and the transition zones.

(5)

Conical zone. A conical zone is established as the area that begins at the periphery of the horizontal zone and extends outward therefrom a horizontal distance of 4,000 feet. The conical zone does not include the approach zones and transition zones.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6006)

Except as otherwise provided in this article, no structure or tree shall be erected, altered, allowed to grow, or maintained in any zone to a height in excess of the height limit herein established for such zone. If any structure or tree is erected, altered, allowed to grow, or maintained in an area located in more than one zone, then that structure or tree will be considered to be only in the zone with the more restrictive height limitation. The various zones are hereby established and defined as follows:

(1)

Precision instrument approach zone. One foot in height for each 50 feet in horizontal distance, beginning at a point 200 feet from and at the center line elevation of the end of the instrument runway and extending to a distance of 10,200 feet from the end of the runway; thence one foot in height for each 40 feet in horizontal distance to a point 50,200 feet from the end of the runway.

(2)

Nonprecision instrument approach zone. One foot vertically for each 34 feet in horizontal distance, beginning at a point 200 feet from, and at the centerline elevation of the nonprecision instrument runway and extending to a point 10,200 feet from the end of the runway.

(3)

Transitional zone. This area extending outward from the sides of the primary zone and approach zones connecting them to the horizontal and conical zones. Height limits within the transitional zone are the same as the primary zone or approach zone at the boundary line where it adjoins and increases at a rate of one foot vertically for every seven feet horizontally, with the horizontal distance measured at right angles to the runway centerline and extended centerline, until the height matches the height of the horizontal zone or conical zone, or for a horizontal distance of 5,000 feet from the side of the part of the precision approach zone that extends beyond the conical zone.

(4)

Horizontal zone. One-hundred and fifty feet above established airport elevation.

(5)

Conical zone. The area extending outward from the periphery of the horizontal zone for a distance of 4,000 feet. Height limitations for structures in the conical zone are 150 feet above the airport height at the inner boundary with permitted height increasing one foot vertically every 20 feet to a height of 350 feet above the airport elevation.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6007)

The regulations prescribed by this article shall not be construed to require the removal, lowering or other change or alteration of any structure or tree not conforming to the regulations when adopted or amended, or to otherwise interfere with the continuance of any nonconforming use. Nothing herein contained shall require any change in the construction or alteration of any structure, the construction or alteration of which was begun prior to the adoption of or to any amendments to this chapter and is diligently prosecuted and completed within six months thereof.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6008)

(a)

No nonconforming structures or trees may be erected, replaced, substantially altered or repaired, rebuilt, allowed to grow higher, or replanted, in any zone created in this chapter unless a permit is secured from the zoning administrator, authorizing such replacement, change or repair, except as follows:

(1)

No permit shall be required for any structure less than 75 feet of vertical height above the ground, except when because of terrain, land contour or topographic features such structure would extend above the height limits prescribed for the following areas:

a.

Within the entire limits of the horizontal, conical, or transitional zones.

b.

Within the limits of the precision instrument approach zones.

(b)

Each application shall indicate the purpose for which it is desired, with sufficient particularity to determine whether the resulting use or structure would conform to the regulations prescribed in this article. If such determination is in the affirmative, the permit applied for shall be granted.

(c)

No permit shall be granted that would allow the establishment or creation of an airport hazard or permit a nonconforming use, structure or tree to be made or become higher, or become a greater hazard to air navigation, than it was on the effective date of this article, or than it is when the application for a permit is made.

(d)

Whenever the zoning administrator determines that a nonconforming use, or nonconforming structure or tree, has been abandoned or is more than 70 percent torn down, destroyed, deteriorated, or decayed, no permit shall be granted that would allow said structure or tree to exceed the applicable height limit or otherwise deviate from the zoning regulations.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6009)

Any permit granted under section 90-308 of this article may, if such action is deemed advisable to effectuate the purposes of this chapter and reasonable in the circumstances, be so conditioned as to require the owner of the structure or tree in question to permit the airport commission, at its own expense, to install, operate and maintain thereon such markers and lights as may be necessary to indicate to flyers the presence of an airport hazard.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6010)

The airport commission may negotiate with owners of nonconforming structures for removal, lighting, or marking of existing nonconforming structures, to be installed, operated and maintained at the commission's expense.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6011)

No variances, special exceptions, or any other appeal within any zone created by this article shall be considered or granted which would violate any restrictions imposed by this article.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6012)

The zoning administrator is hereby designated the administrative agency charged with the duty of administering and enforcing the regulations prescribed by this chapter. The duties of the zoning administrator shall include that of hearing and deciding all applications for permits.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6013)

Any person convicted of violating any provision of this chapter shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $100.00 or imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, or both, and shall be required to remove the subject obstruction.

(Ord. of 10-21-1985, § 8-6014)