Agenda Packets - 1994/07/25 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF CIRCLE PINES TEL :612-785-2859 Jul 20 '94 14 :56 No .003 P .03 - 2 ` consider the addition of facilities or infrastructure to reduce use of the majer airport by transient aircraft. We believe that this reflects a regional interest in providing relief to the major airport for general aviation use, without requiring the Metropolitan Airports Commission to make large capital investments in the reliever airports. Councilmembers should also note that reliever airports in other metropolitan areas which are at or above capacity have not expanded to meet the excess demand. The result has been the development of further outlying airports which function as relievers to the reliever airport system. We believe that this is a realistic alternative to infrastructure investment in the reliever system. The City of Circle Pines specifically opposes, the recommenda- tions for the Anoka County/Blaine airport of parallel runways and an air traffic control tower. There are a number of reasons why we do not feel this is appropriate. First, the long-term plan for the airport is not completed and it would be premature to agree to those improvements before the process is completed. Second, in terms of meeting the reliever airport function, we believe that the lesser step of an instrumentt flight system may be sufficient to provide for the expected business-use growth that the plan attempts to divert from the major airport. Third, when the reliever airport recommendations were made, the site area in Dakota County had not been identified. The current recommendations propose major investment into the reliever airport that is most distant from the alternate site for the major airport. If the major airport is located in Dakota Cokunty, we believe this will require the enhancement or addition of a reliever airport near the major airport. The City questions the Historic General Aviation Aircraft and Future Trend depicted in Figure 14 (p.44) . The 1988 forecast utilizes a very short-term upward trend and projects it far forward. In fact, data for most years indicate that there is a downward trend in general aviation aircraft operations. We therefore question the assumption that the reliever airport system will be over capacity. Statewide general aviation aircraft has mt increased. Please find enclosed a chart of statewide aircraft in use which shows that flat trend over the last 11 years. Finally, the investment of major infrastructure dollars into a tower and runways will relieve the overcrowding that occurs primarily on clear weekend days during the spring and summer. During most operational hours use of the Blaine facility is not near peak constraints. It would thus appear that there is sufficient capacity available during the normal business-use hours to meet any expected increase in flights. The purpose of