Mendocino County Municipal Code Ch. 8.64 Airport Rules and Regulations

(A) The following rules and regulations are applicable to public use of airports operated and maintained by the County of Mendocino. All persons using said airports shall be subject to, and governed by, these rules and regulations; administrative rules and regulations as may be adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisors; all County Ordinances; State and Federal law; and regulations of the Federal Aviation Agency.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(B) The Airport Manager shall enforce the rules and regulations. Requests for review of a decision of an Airport Manager shall be made in writing to the Director of Public Works. An appeal of a decision of the Director of Public Works may be made, in writing, to the Board of Supervisors. The ruling of the Board of Supervisors shall be final.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(A) "County" means the County of Mendocino, a political subdivision of the State of California.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(B) "Airport" means each and every airport and all airport property owned, operated, or controlled by the County of Mendocino. It includes all improvements, facilities and appurtenances.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(C) "Aircraft" means any contrivance used or designed for navigation in the air, whether self-propelled or not.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(D) "Airport Manager" means a person so designated under the terms of a contract with County or an employee of County appointed to a job classification entitled Airport Manager or Airport Supervisor. If no person is designated or appointed Airport Manager, it means the County Director of Public Works.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(E) "Based Aircraft" means any aircraft assigned a reserved parking space, tie-down space, or hangar space; whether or not such assignment is made under a written lease with the County.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(F) "Operate Aircraft" means the self-propelled, pushed, or towed movement of aircraft on the ground; or movement of aircraft in flight.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(G) "Maintain Aircraft" means any form of service, maintenance or repair of aircraft.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(H) "Owner" means the registered and/or legal owner of an aircraft according to the files of the Federal Aviation Agency.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(I) "Person" means individuals, corporate entities, or public agencies.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(A) BUSINESS ACTIVITY—No person, except operators of commercial aircraft on runways and in designated itinerant parking areas, shall use an airport in any manner whatsoever for any commercial, profit, gainful or revenue producing purpose; including, without limitation, flight instruction or maintenance of aircraft; without written approval of County. No persons shall solicit funds for any purpose on an airport without written consent of the County Director of Public Works. No person shall distribute, post, or display any commercial or noncommercial signs, circulars, handbills, or advertisements on an airport without written consent of the County Director of Public Works.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(B) PARKING OF AIRCRAFT—No person shall park any aircraft in any area not designated for such purpose without prior consent of the Airport Manager. Parked aircraft shall have parking brakes set and/or wheels blocked to prevent movement. Parked aircraft shall be firmly secured to the ground by ropes or other appropriate means when left unattended. No aircraft shall be taxied under its own power into or out of any hangar. Aircraft shall be halted and all engines stopped a minimum of twenty-five (25) feet before entering any hangar.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(C) AIRCRAFT PARKING CHARGES—Itinerant and reserved parking of aircraft in designated areas shall be subject to such fees as may be established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, as may be agreed upon between aircraft owner or operator and County, or as may be established by an Airport Manager pursuant to the terms of said Manager's agreement with County.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(D) CHARTER AND AIR TAXI FLIGHT OPERATION CHARGES—Operations of air charter and air taxi operators, including, but not limited to, passengers, freight, express, or cargo carrying movements of aircraft from an airport shall be subject to such fees as may be established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(E) FIXED BASE OPERATIONS—A fixed base operator is defined as a person, partnership, corporation, unincorporated association; their assignees or sublessees; which operate a business upon County airports. Fixed base operations shall be permitted at the Mendocino County Airport at Little River and at the Round Valley Airport pursuant to the terms and conditions of an agreement between the operator and the Board of Supervisors. The agreement shall require a reasonable fee to be paid to County by the operator.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(F) CAR RENTAL OPERATIONS—No person shall operate a car rental service at an airport without approval of the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(G) RENTAL OF HANGARS—Rental of hangars, protective structures, shelters, or reserved parking spaces provided by County shall be subject to such fees as may be established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors or as may be established by an Airport Manager pursuant to the terms of said Manager's agreement with County.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(H) INSTALLATION OF PRIVATELY OWNED HANGARS—Individual owners of aircraft may, subject to the terms and conditions of an agreement between said owner and the Board of Supervisors, install portable or relocatable hangars, protective structures or shelters at locations on the airport designated by the Director of Public Works. Applications shall be submitted in writing to the Director of Public Works. The Board of Supervisors may deny the application if it is determined that the requested installation would not be compatible with efficient and secure operation of the airport as a public facility or if the requested application would not be in the best public interest.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(I) SALE OF AVIATION FUELS—No person, firm or corporation shall bring, store, use, or distribute aviation fuel or lubricants on an airport except as may be authorized by County. County shall be the sole distributor of aviation fuel at an airport or shall provide by contract for the manner of distribution.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(J) NON-PROFIT, NON-COMMERCIAL FLYING CLUBS—Non-profit, non-commercial flying clubs shall be subject to the same user fees as owners and operators of non-commercial aircraft.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(K) TRASH AND DEBRIS REMOVAL—All persons using an airport shall be responsible for the cleanliness of their respective areas and for the removal of all trash and debris originating from said persons use of a designated area.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(L) REPORT OF DAMAGE—Any damage to, or malfunctioning of buildings, structures, utilities, traffic control devices, or other airport property shall be promptly reported to the Airport Manager.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(A) COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS—No person shall operate or maintain any aircraft at an airport except in strict conformity with all ordinances, rules, and regulations of County, State and all applicable regulations of the Federal Aviation agency.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(B) LANDING AND TAKE-OFF—All aircraft shall land and take-off only on designated runways.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(C) ENGINE STARTING AND RUN-UPS—No aircraft engine shall be started or run-up in any hangar or when the aircraft is tailed toward hangar doors or positioned in such a manner as to constitute a danger to persons or property. All engine run-ups and tests shall be performed only in areas and at such times as shall be designated by the Airport Manager. No engine affixed to an aircraft shall be started or operated unless a qualified aircraft operator is in the aircraft attending to the controls.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(D) TAXIING OF AIRCRAFT—Aircraft shall be taxied at all times at a slow and reasonable speed, in a safe manner, and under control of a qualified operator. Except as may be specifically directed otherwise, all aircraft operators shall taxi at their own discretion.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(A) DAMAGE TO AIRPORT—Any person causing damage to an airport or any airport property shall be responsible for the cost of repair or replacement. All damage shall be promptly reported to the Airport Manager.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(B) DAMAGED AIRCRAFT—Witnesses to and participants in any accident or damage to aircraft occurring at an airport shall promptly make a full report of such damage or accident to the nearest Federal Aviation Agency Safety Officer and to the Airport Manager. Aircraft operators, owners, or their agents shall be responsible for, and shall cooperate and assist in the prompt removal of damaged aircraft parts, property, or debris resulting from any accident, provided, however, that the Airport Manager or officials of the Federal Aviation Agency, may prohibit the movement or removal of any damaged aircraft or property.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(C) DAMAGE TO PROPERTY—No person shall destroy or damage any building, structure, facility, sign, marker, tree, flower, shrub, lawn, or other property on an airport, except in connection with a County authorized encroachment or in connection with airport construction, reconstruction or maintenance of the facilities by County.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(D) USE OF ROADS AND WALKS—No person shall operate any vehicle or travel on an airport in any manner except on roads, walks, paths, and areas provided for the particular means of travel. No obstructions shall be permitted on any road, walk, or path without written approval of County.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(E) FIREARMS—No person except peace officers, authorized federal, state, or County employees, or members of the armed forces of the United States on official duty shall carry firearms or explosives on an airport without prior consent of the Airport Manager. No person shall hunt, conduct target practice, or discharge firearms on an airport.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(F) ANIMALS—No person shall enter the runway area of an airport with any animal. Animals may be permitted in other areas of an airport if restrained by leash or confined in such manner as to be under control.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

All persons using an airport for any reason shall comply with all fire safety regulations administered by responsible federal, state or County agencies.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITY—The privilege of using an airport and its facilities is conditioned upon the assumption of full responsibility, liability, and risk by the user thereof; and the County of Mendocino, its agents and employees, shall not be liable for loss, damage, or injury too persons or property arising out of any accident, of any nature whatsoever, or from any cause whatsoever including, but not limited to, fire, theft, vandalism, wind, flood, earthquake, collision, or act of God.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981.)

(A) Any person operating, using, or handling any aircraft, vehicle, equipment, or apparatus, or using an airport or any of its facilities in violation of these rules and regulations or who refuses to comply therewith, shall be subject to immediate removal by the Airport Manger and may be permanently deprived of any further use of an airport or its facilities for such length of time as may be required to insure the safeguarding of the airport and the public.

(B) Any person operating, using, or handling any aircraft, vehicle, equipment, or apparatus, or using an airport or any of its facilities in violation of these rules and regulations or who refuses to comply therewith, is guilty of an infraction.

(Ord. No. 3347, adopted 1981, as amended by Ord. No. 3584, adopted 1985.)