To: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL	From: Ralph G. Tonseth
Subject: SEE BELOW	Date: 5/2703

COUNCIL DISTRICT: City-Wide

SUBJECT:

APPROVAL OF A MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE AIRPORT MASTER PLAN TO (1) USE A PORTION OF THE VACANT AIRPORT PARCEL NORTH OF HWY. 101 FOR INTERIM CONSTRUCTION STAGING, AND (2) CHANGE THE DESIGNATED LOCATION OF FUTURE AIRLINE MAINTENANCE AND EQUIPMENT STORAGE FACILITIES FROM A SITE ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT TO THE SOUTHEAST SIDE

RECOMMENDATION

Adoption of a resolution approving a Minor Amendment to the Airport Master Plan for the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport to (1) use up to five acres of the existing vacant Airport parcel north of Hwy. 101 for interim construction staging, and (2) change the designated location of future airline maintenance/equipment storage facilities from a six-acre site on the northeast side of the Airport to a six-acre site at the southeast corner of the Airport.

BACKGROUND

The Airport Master Plan for Mineta San Jose International Airport, adopted by the City Council in June 1997, serves as a long term guide to airport development and includes a program of specific facility improvements to adequately accommodate projected commercial aviation demand by the year 2010. The San Jose Municipal Code contains a number of provisions regarding implementation of the Airport Master Plan, including requirements for capital project consistency with the adopted Airport Master Plan and formal amendment of the Master Plan to modify or add capital projects to maintain consistency.

The existing 10-acre vacant Airport parcel located on the north side of Hwy. 101 is designated in the Airport Master Plan for the phased development of a new jet fuel storage facility, to be connected by pipeline to dispensing units adjacent to the airfield north of Terminal A (Master Plan projects “S-1”, “S-5”, and “S-9”). The current Master Plan also designates a six-acre site at

the existing cargo airline ramp north of Terminal A for the phased expansion and consolidation of airline maintenance and equipment storage facilities (Master Plan projects “S-8” and “S-10”), currently located at multiple sites along the east side of the Airport.

To support the forthcoming implementation of terminal area development projects over the next few years, including the Cargo Ramp Security and Taxiway Improvements project (concurrently agendized for Council action), Airport staff is proposing to designate a portion of the vacant parcel across Hwy. 101 for interim construction staging support uses such as materials storage, concrete batch plant, and other temporary construction contractor needs. The Airport is also proposing to change the designated location of future airline maintenance and equipment storage facilities to a six-acre site at the southeast corner of the Airport where the recently-vacated general aviation aircraft “t-hangars” are currently undergoing removal pursuant to the Airport Master Plan.

The attached exhibit graphically identifies these existing and proposed Airport Master Plan elements. Under the San Jose Municipal Code, both of these proposed changes to the Airport development program require approval of a “minor amendment” to the Airport Master Plan.

ANALYSIS

Chapter 25.02, Part 3, of the Municipal Code requires Council approval of a Minor Amendment to the Airport Master Plan for capital improvements which are not consistent with the projects explicitly identified in the Master Plan but which (a) are consistent with the overall development goals of the Master Plan; (b) would not, in any way, potentially increase the design capacity of Airport facilities to accommodate the projected numbers of passengers or the projected numbers of aircraft operations for any segment of aircraft activity beyond the projections identified in the Master Plan; and (c) would not modify the noise impact boundaries beyond those projected in the Master Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR). To date, eight minor amendments to the Airport Master Plan (as well as one major amendment) have been approved.

Interim Construction Staging on Vacant Airport Parcel North of Hwy. 101

The Airport’s severe space constraints and daily operational requirements present logistical problems for construction of Master Plan projects in terms of available locations for construction materials storage, concrete batch plants, contractor field offices, and construction worker parking. Adequate sites immediately adjacent to the airfield are no longer available for future projects. In anticipation of the need for construction staging/support sites, the City’s adopted Guadalupe Gardens Master Plan designates approximately 10 acres of vacant Airport property along Coleman Avenue between Hedding and Taylor streets for interim Airport project support use, and the City had initiated the potential acquisition and Airport lease of a 15-acre vacant parcel from Novell adjacent to the Hwy. 101/Guadalupe Parkway interchange for interim Airport project support use. The Novell property is no longer available to the City, and the Guadalupe Gardens site, aside from being somewhat remote from projects on the northeast side of the Airport, is encumbered by FAA restrictions and nearby land uses that make it unsuitable for certain construction-related functions such as a batch plant operation.

However, the vacant 10-acre property across Hwy. 101 from the northeast side of the airfield offers an opportunity to provide a potential additional site for construction staging/support. The Airport Master Plan designates most of this parcel to be developed for a new jet fuel storage facility. The first phase of the fuel storage facility (“Project S-1”), which has been under design by an airline consortium for several years, would only use approximately half of the parcel. Until such time as the full project is implemented, up to five acres of the parcel could be made available for Airport construction staging uses. Access to and from the site would be off of Trimble Road/Seaboard Avenue, reasonably close to an airfield construction vehicle entry/exit gate along De La Cruz Boulevard. Environmental mitigation requirements for the fuel storage project, such as riparian setbacks, screening, and burrowing owl protection surveys, would be applied to the interim construction staging uses as well.

If approved, the site would be immediately available for use by the Cargo Ramp Security and Taxiway Improvements project contractor, and for subsequent projects. Implementation and operation of the first phase of the fuel storage facility project would be unaffected. Upon implementation of the later phases of the fuel storage facility development (projects “S-5” and “S-9”), the interim construction staging uses would be terminated.

Change in Designated Site for Future Airline Maintenance/Equipment Storage Facilities

There are currently no dedicated facilities at the Airport for the storage and maintenance of airline equipment and materials. The airlines and their contract ground service providers either lease space in the old City hangar buildings on the southeast side of the Airport, or utilize apron space around the aircraft parking positions at the terminal buildings. To allow for the expansion and more efficient operation of airline support functions, the Airport Master Plan currently calls for the phased relocation of these airline facilities to a consolidated site at the existing 6-acre north cargo airline ramp (Master Plan projects “S-8” and “S-10”). This phased relocation of the airline storage and maintenance facilities would take place subsequent to the relocation of cargo airline facilities to the northwest side of the Airport. In turn, the old southeast City hangar buildings would be either demolished or reused for other air carrier-related purposes.

The planned location for the new cargo airline facilities on the west side of the Airport is currently occupied by the interim public long-term and employee parking lot. It is apparent that new west side cargo airline facilities will not be constructed in the timeframe anticipated under the Airport Master Plan, given that the interim public long-term and employee parking must remain in operation until new garages are constructed and in operation in the terminal area. In the meantime, the Cargo Ramp Security and Taxiway Improvements project, to be followed in turn by the North Concourse and other terminal construction projects, will displace some airline equipment storage in the existing terminal area and impact airline utilization of facilities at the southeast City hangar buildings.

The Airport Master Plan designates the southeastern corner of the Airport for “air carrier and support use”, without identifying a specific facility, upon completion of the removal of the general aviation t-hangars (Project “G-2”). Since the t-hangar removal project is currently underway, and the area to be vacated comprises approximately six acres, Airport staff now proposes to utilize this site for future airline maintenance/equipment storage rather than the north cargo airline ramp. Design of the site, including pavement restoration and construction of a warehouse building, would be initiated next fiscal year. The existing north cargo ramp would retain its Master Plan “air carrier and support use” designation, but with a specific facility use to be determined at a later time, once the cargo airlines ultimately relocate to the west side. The proposed switch in location for a future 6-acre airline maintenance/storage site does not expand or alter capacity of this or any other Airport facility called for in the Master Plan.

Conclusion

Both of these proposed modifications represent a refinement of the Airport Master Plan development program that would also facilitate the implementation of specific terminal area projects. Neither of these proposed changes to the Airport development program would have any affect on the existing Master Plan’s projected design capacity, passenger or aircraft activity levels, or noise impact boundaries beyond those projected in the Master Plan EIR. Thus, pursuant to the provisions of the Muncipal Code, these proposed modifications can be incorporated into the Airport Master Plan through a Minor Amendment.

PUBLIC OUTREACH

Not applicable.

COORDINATION

This proposed Airport Master Plan Minor Amendment has been coordinated with the Public Works Department and City Attorney’s Office.

CEQA

Resolution No. 67380 and 71451, PP 03-05-159.

RALPH G. TONSETH

Director of Aviation

Airport Department