This article shall be known and may be cited as the Skippack
Township Airport Zoning Ordinance of 2009. The accompanying map shall
be known, and may be cited as, the Skippack Township Airport Zoning
Overlay Map.
As used in this article, the following words and phrases shall
have the meaning herein indicated, unless the context otherwise requires:
AIRCRAFT
Any contrivance, except an unpowered hang glider or parachute,
used for manned ascent into or flight through air.
AIRPORT
Any facility that accommodates aircraft.
AIRPORT ELEVATION
The highest point of the airport's usable landing area measured
in feet above sea level.
AIRPORT HAZARD
Any structure or object, natural or man-made, or use of land
which obstructs the airspace required for flight for aircraft in landing
or taking off at the airport or is otherwise hazardous as defined
by "Airport Hazard" in 74 Pa. C.S.A. § 5102.
AIRPORT HAZARD AREA
Any area of land or water upon which an airport hazard might
be established if it is not prevented as provided for in this article
and the Act 164 of 1984 (Pennsylvania Law Relating to Aviation).
APPROACH SURFACE
A surface longitudinally centered on the extended runway
center line, extending outward and upward from the end of the primary
runway surface and at the same slope as the approach surface zone
height limitation slope set forth on the Airport Zoning Overlay Map
of this article. In plan, the perimeter of the approach surface coincides
with the perimeter of the approach zone.
CONICAL SURFACE
A surface extending outward and upward from the periphery
of the horizontal surface at a slope of 20 to one for a horizontal
distance of 4,000 feet.
DEPARTMENT
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Aviation.
FAA
Federal Aviation Administration of the United States Department
of Transportation.
HAZARD TO AIR NAVIGATION
An obstruction determined to have a substantial adverse effect
on the safe and efficient utilization of the navigable airspace.
HEIGHT
For the purpose of determining the height limits in all zones
set forth in this article and shown on the Airport Zoning Overlay
Map, the datum shall mean sea level elevation unless otherwise specified.
HORIZONTAL SURFACE
A horizontal plane 150 feet above the established airport
elevation, the perimeter of which in plan coincides with the perimeter
of the Horizontal Zone.
LARGER THAN UTILITY RUNWAY
A runway that is constructed for and intended to be used
by propeller-driven aircraft of greater than 12,500 pounds maximum
gross weight and by jet-powered aircraft.
NONCONFORMING USE
Any preexisting structure, object of natural growth, or use
of land which exceeds a limiting height set forth in this article
as of the date of the adoption of this article.
NONPRECISION INSTRUMENT RUNWAY
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.
OBSTRUCTION
Any structure, growth, or other object, including a mobile
object, which exceeds a limiting height set forth in this article.
PERSON
An individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association,
joint stock association or governmental entity, including a trustee,
receiver, assignee, or similar representative of any of them.
PRECISION INSTRUMENT RUNWAY
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 on an approved Airport Layout
Plan or any other planning document.
PRIMARY SURFACE
A surface longitudinally centered on a runway. When the runway
has a specifically prepared hard surface, the primary surface extends
200 feet beyond each end of that runway. The width of the primary
surface is set forth on the Airport Zoning Overlay Map of this article. The elevation of any point on the primary surface is the
same as the elevation of the nearest point on the runway center line.
RUNWAY
A defined area on the airport prepared for landing and takeoff
of aircraft along its length.
TRANSITIONAL SURFACES
Those surfaces extending outward at ninety-degree angles
to the runway center line and the runway center line extended at a
slope of seven feet horizontally for each foot vertically from the
sides of the primary and approach surfaces to where they intersect
the horizontal and conical surfaces. Transitional surfaces for those
portions of the precision approach surfaces, which project through
and beyond the limits of the conical surface, extend a distance of
5,000 feet measured horizontally from the end of the approach surface
and at ninety-degree angles to the extended runway center line.
TREE
Any object of natural growth.
UTILITY RUNWAY
A runway that is constructed or intended to be used by propeller-driven
aircraft of 12,500 pounds maximum gross weight and less.
VISUAL RUNWAY
A runway intended solely for the operation of aircraft using
visual approach procedures.
In order to carry out the provisions of this article, there
are hereby created and established certain zones which include all
of the land lying beneath the approach surfaces, transitional surfaces,
horizontal surfaces, and conical surfaces as they apply to the airport.
Such zones are shown on the official Airport Zoning Overlay Map. An area located in more than one of the following zones
is considered to be only in the zone with the more restrictive height
limitation. The various zones are hereby established and defined as
follows:
A. Utility Runway Visual Approach Zone. The inner edge of this approach
zone coincides with the width of the primary surface and is 250 feet
wide. The approach zone expands outward uniformly to a width of 1,250
feet in a horizontal distance of 5,000 feet from the primary surface.
Its center line is the continuation of the runway.
B. Utility Runway Nonprecision Instrument Approach Zone. The inner edge
of this approach zone coincides with the width of the primary surface
and is 500 feet wide. The approach zone expands outward uniformly
to a width of 2,000 feet at a horizontal distance of 5,000 feet from
the primary surface. Its center line is the continuation of the center
line of the runway.
C. Precision Instrument Runway Approach Zone. The inner edge of this
approach zone coincides with the width of the primary surface and
is 1,000 feet wide. The approach zone expands outward uniformly to
a width of 16,000 feet at a horizontal distance of 50,000 feet from
the primary surface. Its center line is the continuation of the center
line of the runway.
D. Transitional Zone. The Transitional Zones are the areas beneath the
transitional surfaces adjacent to each runway and approach surface.
E. Horizontal Zone. The Horizontal Zone is established beneath the horizontal
surface, 150 feet above the established airport elevation, the perimeter
of which is constructed by swinging arcs from the center of each end
of the primary surface of each runway and connecting the adjacent
arcs by drawing lines tangent to those arcs. The Horizontal Zone does
not include the approach and transitional zones, as shown on the Airport
Zoning Overlay Map.
F. Conical Zone. The Conical Zone commences at the periphery of the
Horizontal Zone and extends outward therefrom a horizontal distance
of 4,000 feet.
Except as otherwise provided in this article, no structure shall
be erected, altered, or maintained, and no tree shall be allowed to
grow into any of the below zones created by this article to a height
in excess of the applicable height herein established for such zone.
Such applicable height limitations are hereby established for each
of the zones in question as follows:
A. Utility Runway Visual Approach Zone: slopes 20 feet outward for each
foot upward beginning at the end of and at the same elevation as the
primary surface and extending to a horizontal distance of 5,000 feet
along the extended runway center line.
B. Utility Runway Nonprecision Instrument Approach Zone: slopes 20 feet
outward for each foot upward beginning at the end of and at the same
elevation as the primary surface and extending to a horizontal distance
of 5,000 feet along the extended runway center line.
C. Precision Instrument Runway Approach Zone: slopes 50 feet outward
for each foot upward beginning at the end of and at the same elevation
as the primary surface and extending to a horizontal distance of 10,000
feet along the extended runway center line; then slopes upward 40
feet horizontally for each foot vertically to an additional horizontal
distance of 40,000 feet along the extended runway center line.
D. Transitional Zones: Slopes seven feet outward for each foot upward
beginning at the sides of and at the same elevation as the primary
surface and the approach surface, and extending to a height of 150
feet above the airport elevation, as noted on the Airport Overlay
Zoning Map. In addition to the foregoing, there are established height
limits sloping seven feet outward for each foot upward beginning at
the sides of and at the same elevation as the approach surface, and
extending to where they intersect the conical surface. Where the precision
instrument runway approach zone projects beyond the Conical Zone,
there are established height limits sloping seven feet outward for
each foot upward beginning at the sides of and at the same elevation
as the approach surface, and extending a horizontal distance of 5,000
feet measured at ninety-degree angles to the extended runway center
line.
E. Horizontal Zone: established at 150 feet above the airport elevation.
F. Conical Zone: slopes 20 feet outward for each foot upward beginning
at the periphery of the horizontal zone and at 150 feet above the
airport elevation and extending to a height of 350 feet above the
airport elevation.
The Zoning Officer shall review all building permits to determine
compliance with the regulations of the Airport Zoning Ordinance. Failure
to meet the terms and conditions of this article shall be grounds
for denial of the building permit.
Where there exists a conflict between any of the regulations
or limitations prescribed in this article and any other regulations
applicable to the same area, whether the conflict be with respect
to the height of structures or trees, and the use of land, or any
other matter, the more stringent limitation or requirement shall govern
and prevail.
If any of the provisions of this article or the application
thereof to any person or circumstances are held invalid, such invalidity
shall not affect other provisions or applications of this article
which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application,
and, to this end, the provisions of this article are declared to be
severable.
This article shall take effect five days after the date of enactment.