Napa County Municipal Code Ch. 11.04 General Policy and Definitions

A. It is found that the existence of any airport hazard can endanger the lives and property of users of the Napa County Airport, and of occupants of land and to property in its vicinity; further, any airport hazard of an obstruction type in effect reduces the size of the area available for the landing, taking off and maneuvering of aircraft, thus tending to destroy or impair the utility of the Napa County Airport and the public investment therein. Accordingly, it is declared that:

1. The creation or establishment of an airport hazard is a public nuisance and constitutes an injury to the area served by the Napa County Airport;

2. It is necessary in the interest of the public health, public safety and general welfare that the creation or establishment of airport hazards be prevented; and

3. The prevention of these hazards should be accomplished, to the extent legally possible, by the exercise of the police powers of the county.

B. It is further declared that (1) the prevention of the creation or establishment of airport hazards and (2) the elimination, removal, alteration, mitigation or marking and lighting of existing airport hazards constitute public purposes for which the county may raise and expend public funds and acquire land or interests in land.

(Prior code § 8900)

For the purpose of Division I of this title, the following words and phrases are defined and shall be construed as hereinafter set out unless it shall be apparent from the context that a different meaning is indicated.

(Prior code § 8910)

"Airport" means the Napa County Airport.

(Prior code § 8911)

"Airport elevation" means the published elevation of thirty-three feet mean sea level.

(Prior code § 8912)

"Airport hazard" means any structure, tree or use of land which obstructs the airspace required for, or is otherwise hazardous to the flight of aircraft in landing or taking off at the airport.

(Prior code § 8913)

"Airport safety zone" means all that land lying within the precision instrument runway zones, nonprecision instrument runway zones, transition zones, horizontal zone and conical zone, as defined in Chapter 11.08 of this title.

(Prior code § 8914)

For the purpose of determining the height limits in all zones set forth in Division I of this title and shown on the zoning map, the datum shall be construed as sea level elevation unless otherwise specified.

(Prior code § 8915)

"Inner section" shall mean the first ten-thousand-foot section of the precision instrument runway zone, as defined in Chapter 11.08.

(Prior code § 8916)

"Nonconforming use" means any structure, tree or use of land which is inconsistent with the provisions of Division I of this title or an amendment thereto, and which was existent on September 21, 1972.

(Prior code § 8917)

"Nonprecision instrument runway" means a runway having an existing instrument approach procedure utilizing air navigation facilities with only horizontal guidance, or area-type navigation equipment for which a straight-in, nonprecision instrument approach procedure has been approved or planned, and for which no precision approach facilities are planned or indicated on an FAA planning document.

(Prior code § 8918)

"Outer section" means that section of the precision instrument runway zone, as defined in Chapter 11.08, that extends from the ten-thousand-foot inner section for an additional forty thousand feet to the outer extremity of the zone.

(Prior code § 8919)

"Person" means an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint stock association or body politic, and includes a trustee, receiver, assignee, administrator, executor, guardian, or other representative.

(Prior code § 8920)

"Precision instrument runway" means a runway having an existing instrument approach procedure utilizing an instrument landing system (ILS) or a precision approach radar (PAR). It also means a runway for which a precision approach system is planned and is so indicated by an FAA-approved airport layout plan.

(Prior code § 8921)

"Runway" means the paved surface of an airport landing strip.

(Prior code § 8922)

"Structure" means an object constructed or installed by man, including, but without limitation, buildings, towers, smokestacks and overhead transmission lines.

(Prior code § 8923)

"Tree" means any woody perennial plant which develops many branches.

(Ord. 912 § 23, 1989: prior code § 8924)