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Downtown San Jose is directly under the primary aircraft approach and departure paths for the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport. Historically, in the review of proposed high-rise building projects, the City has relied upon the FAA’s issuance of a project-specific “No Hazard Determination” as the finding that the development would not adversely impact airspace or Airport operations. However, airlines must satisfy other, often more-restrictive, safety criteria mandated by the FAA that may constraint their ability to economically operate due to high-rise buildings which, in turn, can impact City goals to retain or attract airline service. The City, in cooperation with the Redevelopment Agency, has undertaken an Airport Obstruction Study to determine how high-rise development in the Airport vicinity impacts airline service and how to ensure that future development would not worsen current impacts.
The technical analysis for the downtown area has been completed. Essentially, there are two corridors in downtown, one in the core east of Route 87 and one west of Route 87, within which the airline safety criteria, known as One-Engine Inoperative (OEI) surfaces, are more restrictive than the standard criteria used by the FAA to protect the airspace. Staff believes, and recommends Council concurrence, that these OEI surfaces need to be protected in order to maintain the Airport’s potential to provide sufficient and expanded air service to San Jose and Silicon Valley residents and businesses. The study has also illuminated other potential City actions to protect the airspace over downtown.
(Coming Soon!)
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