As the local area and use of the City's Airport continues to grow, a number of future developments will need to be considered and placed within the limited space that is currently available on the Airport property. Subsequently, staff identified the need to undertake a master planning effort to help analyze the scope in size, and the potential location of some of these future developments. Additionally, in order to ensure the continuation of Federal funding to help offset the large investment in airfield infrastructure needed to ensure the needed capacity, safety, and proper security of the Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that airports complete a master planning effort on a regular basis.

An Airport Master Plan provides a comprehensive approach for the future development of the Airport over the next twenty years. FAA Advisory Circular 150/5070 Airport Master Plan, includes the following elements to be addressed within a Master Plan: Environmental Considerations; Existing Conditions; Aviation Forecasts; Facility Requirements; Alternative Development and Evaluation; Facilities Implementation; and Financial Feasibility Analysis. On August 20, 2007, Council approved an Agreement with Mead & Hunt to do the Master Plan work required by the FAA's Advisory Circular. At the January 4, 2010, Work Session staff provided the Council with an overview of the Master Plan process and a brief description of some of the major projects identified in the Master Plan document. Now that the Master Plan work is completed, staff is requesting a Public Hearing and subsequent approval of the Airport Twenty Year Master Plan Update document. The planning portions of the document, Chapters 1-6, can be accessed at http://www.meadhunt.com/Billings/elements.html.

The Council must hold the public hearing and then may:

• Accept and approve the Twenty Year Master Plan document, or
• Reject the Master Plan document as is, and request that changes or enhancements of some nature be addressed (at an additional cost).

An approved Master Plan for the Airport is needed by the City so that all future projects identified within the Master Plan can be placed in the final section of the Master Plan document, the Airport Layout Plan (ALP), and submitted to the FAA for approval. Once the ALP is approved by the FAA, the eligible projects identified on the ALP can then be funded with an Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Federal Grant. Subsequently, this Master Plan document will help to ensure that the Federal funding at the Airport will continue into the future. This annual funding is approximately $3-4 million.

Staff recommends that after the Public Hearing, Council approve the Airport Twenty Year Master Plan Update.