Title
Resolution to Approve a Memorandum of Agreement between the City and the Federal Aviation Administration for Navigation, Communication and Weather Aids Located at the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport
Memorandum
Attached for your review and approval is a resolution to approve a memorandum of agreement between the City of Ann Arbor and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for navigation, communication and weather aids (Equipment) owned and operated by the FAA and located at the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport.
The 2000 agreement with the FAA is set to expire on September 30, 2020. The FAA has owned Equipment and leased the land for these aviation aids at the airport for well over 60 years to serve the public in providing safe airspace to the greater Ann Arbor area. The proposed memorandum of agreement is for a twenty year term with no renewals. Like all FAA facilities, there is no compensation for use of the land but the navigation, communication and weather services are provided at no cost.
The Ann Arbor Air Traffic Control Tower, operated by the FAA, provides airspace management and direct control of aircraft movements at the airport from 8 am to 8 pm seven days a week including holidays. In 2019, this included over 76,000 operations (takeoffs & landings) from the Ann Arbor Airport and thousands of additional flights that went through the airport’s airspace. As an airport with many flight schools, having an ATCT is a great learning tool for future pilots. This Equipment is vital to the FAA in managing the local airspace. The FAA employs approximately 15 FTE federal employees at the Tower and brings in additional federal employees from other local facilities to maintain the Equipment.
A second agreement with the FAA is also on this evening’s agenda for City Council’s consideration. That agreement covers the FAA owned Air Traffic Control Tower land lease.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: The proposed memorandum of agreement for the Equipment has no impact on the Airport’s Operating and Maintenance budget since we currently receive no compensation under the existing agreement.
Staff
Prepared by: Matthew J. Kulhanek, Fleet & Facilities Manager
Reviewed by: John Fournier, Assistant City Administrator
Approved by: Tom Crawford, Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has leased land for navigation, communication and weather aids at the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport for over 60 years and the current 20 year lease agreement with the City will expire on September 30, 2020;
Whereas, The FAA has expressed a desire to continue leasing the land for this Equipment which is integral for it to provide airspace management and direct control of aircraft movements at the airport, providing a safe airspace for the greater Ann Arbor area; and
Whereas, The term of proposed memorandum of agreement for the navigation, communication and weather aids is for an additional 20 years with no renewals;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the proposed memorandum of agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration for the navigation, communication and weather aids located at the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to sign said memorandum of agreement upon approval as to form by the City Attorney, and upon approval as to substance by the City Administrator; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be directed to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.