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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Aviation Advisory Commission - Meeting Date: 11/12/2015 MINUTES AVIATION ADVISORY COMMISSION GLENDALE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 6801 N. GLEN HARBOR BLVD- SUITE 201 GLENDALE,ARIZONA 85307 AIRPORT CONFERENCE ROOM NOVEMBER 12,2015 6:00 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Chair Quentin Tolby with the following Commissioners present: Vice Chair Walt Chaney, Leonard Escudero, Larry Rovey and Linda Yeager. Also present were Kenn Potts, Airport Administrator; James Gruber, Assistant City Attorney; Jack Friedline, Public Works Director; John Padilla, Luke Air Force Base; Michael LaBianca, HDR; Trevor Ebersole, Transportation Department; Patrick Sage, Transportation Department; Ron Kolb, citizen II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING Commissioner Rovey motioned to approve the October 14, 2015 meeting minutes as written. Vice Chair Chaney made the second. The motion carried 5—0. III. REQUEST FOR CONTINUANCE OR WITHDRAWAL OF ITEMS. None. IV. AIRPORT BUSINESS Mr. Potts provided an update on the following: 1. Loyalty Oath for Vice Chair Chaney Vice Chair Chaney signed his Loyalty oath for his 6-month term extension. 2. Glendale Transportation Master Plan Update and Interactive Session A presentation was given by Michael LaBianca of HDR. Mr. LaBianca displayed the 18 month project timeline, which began in June 2015. Mr. LaBianca's presentation included the following information: • Project Overview o Existing Conditions • Demographics • Roadway • Transit • Bicycle/Pedestrian o Gap Analysis • Outreach and Engagement • Corridors/Nodes o Transportation Scenarios • Population Projections and Changing Demographics o Changing projections affecting travel forecasts o Changing demographics affecting needs o Statistics provided 1 • Planning Coordination o Envision Glendale 2040 • Coordination with the Planning Department • Presentations to the General Plan Committee o Other Ongoing Project Coordination • Pavement Management Program • Northern Parkway • Glendale Airport Layout Plan and Forecasts • Valley Metro Transit Projects • Identifying Transit Opportunities o Leverage transit investments by other cities—especially Phoenix o Prioritize corridors and projects for future regional funding o Maps of alternative route options were displayed • Bicycle Pedestrian Opportunities o What does Glendale want next? o Build on current plan o High-level planning to detailed solutions o Complete streets • Outreach Program for Glendale o Community Events, Open Houses, Informative Graphics, Diverse Notification, TV, Radio and Other Media, Work with Local Service Clubs, Work with Community Organizations, Online Tools, Bilingual, Interviews, Community Meetings, News Releases, Have a Compelling Message • Focus Interviews o School District Transportation, ADOT, MCDOT, Glendale Airport, Chamber of Commerce, Midwestern University, Banner Health, Westgate, Fire and Police Departments, Luke Air Force Base, ASU West, Honeywell, BNSF Railway, Sun City West, Westmarc, Valley Metro, El Mirage, Phoenix, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Sustainable Communities Collaborative Mr. LaBianca opened up the meeting to focus interview questions for the Commissioners. Questions and Commissioner's responses are noted as follows: 1. In your opinion, what is the major transportation issue affecting Glendale and why? a. Glendale is affected by neighboring cities. People are moving further west but taking jobs in the east and are traveling back and forth through Glendale. b. There is a large retired population in Glendale and so there is really no empty traffic period. Summer temperatures affect travel too. c. Most Glendale residents work elsewhere. There are not many good bus routes operating at the best times for working residents. d. Kudos to the Glendale Dial-A-Ride. It has improved my handicapped son's life. e. Baby Boomers are aging and will need more transportation options. f. There is a time trade off when using shared ride services. g. Are we throwing a lot of money into light rail which is only serving a small segment of the population? We should consider expanding existing transportation options. h. Once the light rail tracks are installed, the permanent route is set. Bus routes are more flexible and can be changed as needs change. What about the needs of residents not right beside the tracks? i. The fare-box model does not even cover the cost of construction or train operation. It is a poor economic model. 2 2. What would you say are the top three improvements needed to existing roads and transportation services in Glendale and why? a. The intersections at 51st Avenue and Bethany Home Road and 51st Avenue and Indian School are inadequate to handle rush hour traffic. b. When busses cross through the intersection and stop to pick up passengers, traffic becomes backed up in the intersection. c. Left turn arrows. d. More synchronized traffic lights. 3. What improvements or changes to Glendale's transportation system could be done that would support your agency's/entity's long-range vision or goals? a. Extend Glen Harbor Boulevard so that users can access the Airport from both north and south. b. Tap into a partnership with the new casino, such as a shuttle bus. A shuttle from the Airport to popular destinations would be beneficial. c. The Airport has threats of potential development encroachment and is also impacted by decisions made by the City of Phoenix. 4. What major changes/trends/developments affecting transportation do you see occurring over the next 20 years in Glendale or the region and how do you see them affecting the transportation system and needs of the City? a. When people fly into the Airport, they need transport from the Airport to their destinations. Where do Airport users park their cars? b. Glen Harbor access south of the Airport is needed. c. Reliable transportation service for working residents is important. 5. What other groups, agencies, organizations, or individuals do you recommend we include in our outreach efforts? a. The new casino. b. New refugee populations. 6. How would you like to be involved as this study unfolds? a. Mr. LaBianca will ensure that the Commissioners receive email updates regarding the plan update. All information will be posted on the City website as well. 7. Are there any other issues you would like to express? a. Can the BNSF rail line be utilized for transportation services? b. Drone traffic should be considered. c. The future of driver-less cars and technology should be included in plan consideration. Mr. LaBianca thanked the Commissioners for their input. 3. Lease Extension—South Box Hangars Mr. Potts distributed and presented a detailed background timeline for the south box hangar leases from December 1, 1997 to the present. Also included in the report presented were previously posed questions from the Commissioners and Mr. Potts' responses, including lease term advantages and disadvantages. The Commissioners, Mr. Potts and Mr. Friedline commented on term options for the leases. Discussion was held. Vice Chair Chaney motioned to extend the current south box hangar leases with Big Sky, Inc., Café Valley, Inc., James W. Rowan Trust, and Gold Coast Helicopters, Inc. to June 30, 2046 and offer the same lease expiration term to Chin Tu. Commissioner Rovey made the second. The motion carried 5—0. 3 4. Copperstate Fly-In Chair Tolby updated the Commission on his visit to the Fly-In. Chair Tolby stated that there was a $15.00 entrance fee and there were various exhibitors catering more toward the aviation community. Chair Tolby stated that the Glendale Airport Open House should focus more on the general public and families in regards to the exhibitors and activities offered. 5. Transition of Commission Changes Chair Tolby read aloud a statement regarding his past tenure as Chair of the Commission and announced the upcoming Chair as Commissioner Yaeger and Vice Chair as Commissioner Rovey. Chair Tolby asked that his statement be read for the record and included in the minutes: "My year as Chair went by very fast. I believe the Commission in the past did not have a worthwhile purpose or direction. Walt and I considered resigning many times. The Commission was not serving a worthwhile purpose. I do not know how the Commission got into that condition but when I was given the responsibility of Chair, I vowed to change that. I quickly found that it was a bigger job than I expected. We made some progress, but there is much more to be done. Change was very difficult when I took office,but now with a new manager, I believe we are poised to move forward at a much faster pace." "The Commission did step forward and oppose and help kill a zoning change that would have damaged the Airport. We need to be very vigilant on protecting the Airport from uses that would harm the Airport. I hope in the future, there is a subcommittee to protect the Airport. In fact, several committees." "The Commission does not interact or communicate with users of the Airport. Something like "Coffee with the manager and Commission" could help. Gate access should be granted to the Commission. Commission access to the email list was denied in the past. This prevented the Commission from communicating directly with the users. Staff should copy everything it sends to all the users to the Commission. In the coming year, we need to work on building the confidence and trust of the users. Many of our users believe the Commission is just puppets for City staff. We need to prove that is not true. Users should be encouraged to communicate directly with the Commission. The Commissioners' names and phones were not on the City's website. We were able to get the City to list our names on the website, but were unable to get the phone number listed. If a user wants to discuss an issue with a Commission member, why does the website not invite him to call him direct?" "We also need to reach out to the general public. This Airport is something to be proud of. We started to reach out by our efforts to "Run the Runway." Now we must see the "Open House" through. With the interest shown by staff, it can be bigger and better than any we could have done on our own." "In the past, the Commission did not see leases until after they were signed. Now we see and can comment in advance. It is important that there is complete transparency between City staff and the Commission. Without transparency, there is no trust. In the past, financial statements were not available to the Commission. Now we review the financial statement each month. The Commission needs to be concerned that the Airport is not self-sufficient." "The non-flying public should not be taxed to support the flying public. We should continue discussing extending Glen Harbor Boulevard to the south to gain a second entrance and shorten 4 travel for some of our users. Users should be encouraged to bring issues to the Commission. We should be the appeal court for anyone that has a concern with staff There is nothing wrong in the Commission having a different position that City staff as long as we are both working toward the good of the Airport. People have a right to be heard. Again, users should be encouraged to discuss issues directly with the Commission." "Meeting once a month is not sufficient for Commission members to understand and communicate on Airport issues. I would recommend that we post a workshop once a month for the Commission to meet and discuss issues with Mr. Potts. Hold the workshop in the Café and invite the public to sit in. It is going to take a great deal more than sitting at a one hour meeting to make this Commission worth its salt. I started the notebook project. If it were resurrected, it could be a great help, especially to new members. A year ago, there was an issue on who controlled the Commission and who set the agenda. I believe we have cleared that issue up with my seven questions to the attorney. But we must be ever vigilant. Linda, I give you this gavel and trust you will use it to move the Commission forward." Chair Tolby asked Commissioner Yaeger to chair the meeting for the duration. Commissioner Yaeger stated that it is very important to remain transparent, especially with the budget. Commissioner Yaeger commented that the monthly budget presentation has been very valuable. Commissioner Yaeger thanked Chair Tolby for his service and for moving the Commission forward on a great path. 6. Aviation Advisory Commission Goals To be discussed in detail at the December meeting. 7. Vacant Aviation Advisory Commission Seats Chair Tolby announced that there is one vacant seat,which is a Mayoral appointment. Commissioner Rovey inquired as to the length of a Commission term. Chair Tolby stated that a term consists of two years, which can be renewed for another two years. Vice Chair Chaney noted that he has served two terms, which is four years, but his term was extended by six more months since Council has been unable to fill his seat. Commissioner Rovey felt that four years might be too short of a term as a longer term can lead to more in depth knowledge of the Airport issues. Commissioner Rovey commented that Mr. Ron Kolb would make an excellent Commissioner since he is a pilot and has a business in Glendale; however,because he is not a Glendale resident, he is not eligible. Commissioner Rovey felt that this stipulation should be changed to allow for a business owner in Glendale to be a Commissioner. Chair Tolby suggested a letter from the Commission to Council supporting the case for Mr. Kolb to be a Commissioner. Commissioner Yaeger asked Mr. Kolb if he would accept a Commissioner seat. Mr. Kolb replied in the positive, noting that he has a business in Glendale and is therefore invested in the City's success. Commissioner Yaeger will draft a letter and bring it to the next Commission meeting for review and approval. V. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS Mr. Potts reported on current airport activities: 1. Construction Projects/Grants Status 5 o Apron and Lighting Project: The project has been completed but one light pole needed to be reduced in height and was cut. Mr. Potts is awaiting the invoice for final costs and once received will request a grant amendment to cover the final costs. o North Apron Project: Mr. Potts is working with the engineering Department to draft an RFP. The environmental assessment was completed and final report was approved. o Construction is progressing on the Butler box hangar. o Aerial photography has been completed for the Airport Layout Plan update. o The proposed settlement for the Conair parcel will go before Council for approval. o An update has been requested from Cox Communications regarding the internet installation. A response has not been received yet. 2. Operating Budget/Expenses/Revenues/Rates & Charges o Mr. Potts presented detailed budget information through the month of October. 3. Airport Business Activity/Lease Updates o The ribbon cutting was held for the Airport Café on November 2nd, with the Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilmember Aldama in attendance. Many thanks to the Commissioners who were able to attend as well. o On December 11th, a Commission and Board Appreciation Night will be held at a Phoenix Coyotes game. Please RSVP by December 4th. 4. Land Use Planning/Zoning/Development—No report. 5. College Football Championship Game Planning/2016 College Football National Playoff- National Championship o Glendale Airport Hangars will allow use of their shade hangars for current tiedown users in order to open up space for the additional air traffic during the football games. 6. Air Traffic Operations/Airspace/Community Relations o Operations are up 14% for October 2015 compared to October 2014. o Operations are up 25% year to date 2015 compared to 2014. However, last August, the runway was shut down for some time for the asphalt project. o Planning for the 2016 Open House will begin next week. 7. Luke Air Force Base Operations—Mr. Padilla provided an update: o There are approximately 30 F35's at LAFB. o LAFB will halt flights from 9:00 a.m. on Monday through 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday due to the 2016 College Football Championships. o There are plans for an air show at Phoenix International Raceway in 2017 which will be operated by an out-of-state host. The event will possibly be held in December of 2017. Commissioner Escudero gave Mr. Padilla an old reel-to-reel tape from many years ago which is a motion picture regarding the Thunderbirds. A co-worker of his passed away and his niece gave the reel to Commissioner Escudero. Commissioner Escudero did not have access to a reel-to-reel player and wondered if Mr. Padilla had access at LAFB. Mr. Padilla thanked Commissioner Escudero for the tape and will see if he can have the tape converted for viewing. VI. CALL TO THE PUBLIC None VII. NEW BUSINESS REQUESTS (Future Agenda Items) 1. Possibility of adding the new Commissioner's notebook digitally to the Airport website 2. Development of a new Commissioner training program 3. Addition of a monthly Commission workshop VIII.NEXT MEETING TIME 6 The next meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. on the second floor Conference Room of the Airport terminal building on Thursday, December 10, 2015. IX. COMMISSION COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS Commissioner Escudero stated that he has been spending time at the Airport talking with Airport users in regards to how they use the Airport and if they had any comments to share. Commissioner Escudero has met many people in the Café. Chair Tolby stated that the Café would be a good place for a Commission workshop because Airport users are there and can feel free to provide comments or ask questions. Chair Tolby noted that any quorum must be posted prior to a workshop. X. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 8:04 p.m. The Aviation Advisory '. , ission Meeting Minutes of November 12, 2015 were approved at the Commission Meetingo c be410, 115. Kennet Potts,A.A.E., MBA Airport Administrator 623-930-2188 7