The following proposed policy
statement was presented at the PDK Airport Advisory Board
meeting April 10, 2002. Since there was no quorum at that
time, this proposal was sent to the members for consideration
at their May 8, 2002, meeting. At that meeting the members of
the board decided to review the document further and act on
it at their June meeting. (See Policy
Goes to BOC for the document approved at the
June meeting.)
The DeKalb Peachtree Airport (PDK) is owned and operated by
the citizens of DeKalb County to support business and
recreational aviation interests in the metropolitan
area. PDK is recognized as a significant airport in the
national airport system. PDK is a self-sufficient
enterprise fund and does not require any financial support
from the general and/or operational accounts of DeKalb
County. The primary continuing citizen link to the
governing authority (Board of Commissioners and Chief
Executive Officer) is through the Airport Advisory Board
(AAB), which was created by ordinance, Article II, Section
6-16.
This AAB has the duty to consider, evaluate and initiate
recommendations to the governing authority on a wide range of
matters. The proposed policy sets a tone for the basis
of recommendations from the Airport Advisory Board and as a
method for keeping the citizens of DeKalb County informed
about this unit of DeKalb County government.
It is recommended that this policy be forwarded to the
governing body for consideration, modification and ultimate
adoption. It will help direct AAB efforts and provide a
guide for airport development.
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Proposed Policy Statement
This DeKalb Peachtree
Airport policy of the Board of Commissioners seeks
a balance between the aviation
industry and the residents and businesses
of DeKalb County which are
affected by operations at and from PDK.
Six levels of activity ensure
this policy is applied openly, honestly and with
full knowledge by all groups
affected by PDK operations.
1) PDK has, and will continue to have, a "good
neighbor" relationship with the communities and
businesses existing on, around and affected by airport
operations. PDK airport management will meet with
representatives of these groups to discuss existing and all
planned airport activity. The Airport Advisory Board
will be consulted by airport management to determine the
activity that should be discussed in the "good
neighbor" context. Without specific approval of
the Board of Commissioners, PDK activity will not cause
additional harm to the quality of life for homeowners around
and affected by airport operations.
2) PDK was designated by the Federal Aviation Administration
as a reliever airport without approval of this designation by
the Board of Commissioners. The partnership with the
Federal Aviation Administration is essential for the safe and
responsible administration of airport activity and it will
continue to be a foundation for DeKalb County aviation
activity. It is the expressed policy of the DeKalb
County Board of Commissioners that PDK was not intended to
become an airport for scheduled passenger and/or cargo
operations. This policy has been publicly noted and it
is reinforced through this policy. Airport
management will take all steps allowable under FAA
requirements to ensure scheduled passenger and/or cargo
service does not operate at PDK. PDK will not expand its
boundaries beyond the fence line existing in 1995. PDK
will not expand or extend current runways not will it
construct new ones. PDK will not allow aircraft to use
airport facilities if they exceed the published weight limits
approved by the governing authority.
3) As the aviation industry changes, PDK continually
changes. Since many of these changes have a direct
impact on citizens of DeKalb County, all impacts from the
proposed changes will be analyzed by airport management to
determine all impacts on the aviation industry and the
community on, around and affected by the proposed
change. These impacts will be subjected to a cost
analysis by airport management. A cost and operational
plan for implementing eliminating or reducing these impacts
will be presented to the Board of Commissioners prior to
seeking funds for the proposed change. No plans will be
executed until these impacts are cared for in advance.
4) PDK is a self-sufficient entity in DeKalb County. It
is the policy of the Board of Commissioners that PDK will
remain self-sufficient and all needs beyond being
self-sufficient will have the express approval of the Board
of Commissioners.
5) PDK will develop a noise mitigation/reduction policy
containing written procedures, which will have the express
approval of the Board of Commissioners prior to
implementation.
6) To provide a continuing status report for PDK, Airport
management will prepare an annual "State of PDK"
report for delivery to the governing board, the citizens of
DeKalb County and the AAB. This report will be released
every January and will document the number and type of
operations, the mix of aircraft, costs and benefits to DeKalb
County from PDK operations, trends in the aviation industry
which might impact PDK, results accruing from the noise
mitigation/reduction plan, plans that will require changes in
airport property or operations for the coming year, steps it
has taken to ensure a "good neighbor" attitude and,
a brief financial summary of airport revenues by source and
by expenditure.