City Council Agenda Report Meeting Date: September 1, 2026 TO: City Council
FROM: Skyler Lipski, Public Works Director – Operation & Maintenance RE: Resolution to Amend CMC Code Section 11R.32.010 Regarding Rapid Refueling REPORT IN BRIEF:
At its July 28, 2026 Airport Commission meeting, the Airport Commission recommended that the City Council approve an amendment to Chico Municipal Code Section 11R.32.010 to allow limited exceptions for rapid refueling, commonly known as “hot fueling,” during authorized military operations and emergency response, all subject to applicable safety requirements. (Report – Skyler Lipski, Public Works Director, Operations & Maintenance) RECOMMENDATION: The Public Works Director – Operations & Maintenance recommends that the City Council adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICO AUTHORIZING LIMITED RAPID
REFUELING OPERATIONS AT CHICO REGIONAL AIRPORT AND ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO CHICO MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 11R.32.010
FISCAL IMPACT: Budgeted: No Supplemental Required: No
Approval of the proposed amendment may result in a positive fiscal impact to the City. Allowing rapid fueling operations may increase the number of military and emergency response aircraft utilizing Chico Regional Airport, resulting in additional landing fee revenue to the City and increased fuel flowage fee revenue generated through fueling operations conducted by the Airport's Fixed Base Operator, Northgate Aviation. The extent of any additional airport activity or associated revenue is unknown at this time.
BACKGROUND & DISCUSSION:
The City of Chico Public Works Department received a request from Northgate Aviation, the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Chico Regional Airport, to amend the City's aircraft fueling regulations regarding fueling aircraft with engines operating and rapid refueling, commonly referred to as "hot fueling." Current Chico Municipal Code Section 11R.32.010 prohibits fueling or defueling any aircraft while its engines are running or while the aircraft is in the process of being started. This prohibition serves as an important safety measure for routine general aviation operations by reducing the risk of fuel vapor ignition.
While appropriate for normal aircraft operations, the existing code creates operational limitations during timecritical military, and emergency response activities. Rapid refueling is an established aviation practice that allows qualified aircraft to be refueled while engines remain at idle under carefully controlled conditions. The practice is commonly used by military organizations, and other public safety agencies when mission requirements justify reduced turnaround times.
During military missions, or other emergency response operations, minimizing the amount of time an aircraft remains on the ground can improve operational effectiveness. Allowing qualified aircraft to rapid refuel can significantly decrease turnaround time and enable aircraft to return to active operations more quickly while maintaining compliance with established industry safety standards.
To balance operational efficiency with public safety, staff recommends maintaining the existing prohibition on rapid refueling for routine general aviation operations while creating a narrowly tailored exception for specific military and emergency response operations.
The proposed amendment would permit rapid refueling only when:
• The aircraft is engaged in authorized military operations; • The aircraft is actively engaged in emergency response operations; and • Fueling operations are conducted in strict accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 407 safety standards, applicable FAA guidance, or military safety directives.
These limitations preserve the City's existing safety standards for routine aviation activity while allowing recognized military and public safety operators to conduct time-critical fueling operations using nationally accepted safety procedures.
The proposed amendment was presented to the Airport Commission for consideration at its July 28, 2026 meeting.
Following its review, the Airport Commission recommended that the proposed amendment be brought forward to the City Council, contingent upon staff consulting with the Chico Fire Department and receiving its concurrence with the proposed change.
Staff subsequently met with representatives of the Chico Fire Department to review the proposed rapid refueling operations and associated safety requirements. The Fire Department reviewed the proposal and expressed no concerns with allowing the limited rapid refueling operations contemplated by the amendment. Accordingly, the condition identified by the Airport Commission has been satisfied.
As requested by the Airport Commission, staff consulted with the Chico Fire Department regarding the proposed amendment and the safety measures associated with rapid refueling operations. The Chico Fire Department performed a site visit, reviewed the rapid refueling operating procedure provided by Northgate Aviation, and confirmed that the proposed operations align with NFPA 407, the National Fire Protection Association’s Standard for Aircraft Fuel Servicing. Following its review, the Chico Fire Department concurs with the proposed change.
Staff believes the proposed amendment represents a reasonable and measured update to the Municipal Code that enhances Chico Regional Airport's ability to support military operations, and regional emergency response missions while maintaining appropriate safety protections for routine aviation activity and other airport users. The Airport Commission recommends approval of the proposed amendment by the City Council.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A - Current and Proposed Text of Chico Municipal Code Section 11R.32.010 Attachment B – Resolution
ATTACHMENT A
Current Text of CMC Section 11R.32.010
CMC 11R.32.010 – Aircraft Fueling Operations; Engine Restrictions.
No person shall fuel or defuel any aircraft at the Chico Regional Airport while the aircraft's engine or engines are running, or while the aircraft is in the process of being started. All aircraft engines, radar systems, and major electrical switches must be in the "OFF" position prior to the commencement of any fuel servicing operations.
Proposed Added Text
Exception: Fueling with engines running ("hot fueling") may be permitted for aircraft actively engaged in authorized military operation or public safety emergency response, provided such operations are conducted in strict compliance with NFPA 407 safety standards or applicable military safety directives.
CA Std Form 6/14/16
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28 RESOLUTION NO. __________
(Codified)
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICO
AUTHORIZING LIMITED RAPID REFUELING OPERATIONS AT CHICO
REGIONAL AIRPORT AND ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO CHICO MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 11R.32.010
WHEREAS, Chico Municipal Code Section 11R.32.010 currently prohibits the fueling or defueling of aircraft while an aircraft engine is operating or in the process of being started; and
WHEREAS, Northgate Aviation, the Fixed Base Operator at Chico Regional Airport, requested that the City consider amending its aircraft fueling regulations to permit limited rapid refueling operations, commonly referred to as "hot fueling," for certain time-critical aviation operations; and
WHEREAS, rapid refueling is an established aviation practice that allows qualified aircraft to be refueled while engines remain at idle under carefully controlled conditions and is utilized in miliary, aerial firefighting, emergency response, and medical evacuation operations to reduce aircraft turnaround times; and
WHEREAS, maintaining the existing prohibition on rapid refueling for routine general aviation operations while providing narrowly defined exceptions for authorized public safety and military operations will allow Chico Regional Airport to better support time-critical missions while maintaining appropriate safety protections; and
WHEREAS, the proposed exceptions would apply only to aircraft actively engaged in authorized military operations, state, federal, or local aerial firefighting operations, emergency response operations, or medical evacuation operations, with fueling conducted in accordance with applicable safety standards, FAA guidance, and military safety directives; and WHEREAS, the Airport Commission reviewed the proposed amendment at its July 28, 2026 meeting and recommended that the matter be brought forward to the City Council, contingent upon staff consulting with the Chico Fire Department regarding the proposed operations and associated safety requirements; and
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28 WHEREAS, staff subsequently consulted with representatives of the Chico Fire Department regarding the proposed rapid refueling operations and associated safety requirements, and the Fire Department expressed no safety concerns with the limited operations contemplated by the proposed amendment, thereby satisfying the condition identified by the Airport Commission.
NOW, THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, ORDERED AND FOUND by the City Council of the City of Chico, State of California, as follows:
1. The above recitals are true and correct and hereby incorporated herein as part of the findings.
2. The City Council finds that allowing limited rapid refueling operations at Chico Regional Airport for authorized military and emergency response operations will enhance the Airport's ability to support regional emergency response, wildfire suppression, public safety, and national defense missions.
3. The City Council supports maintaining the existing prohibition on fueling or defueling aircraft while engines are operating for routine general aviation operations while establishing limited exceptions for the authorized operations identified herein.
4. 11R.32.010 Fuel prohibitions.
No commercial aircraft shall be fueled or have fuel drained while an engine of said aircraft is running or is being heated or while the aircraft is in a hangar or an enclosed area.
Exception. Fueling with engines running ("hot fueling") may be permitted for aircraft actively engaged in authorized military operation or public safety emergency response, provided such operations are conducted in strict compliance with NFPA 407 safety standards or applicable military safety directives.
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28 THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION was adopted by the Council of the City of Chico at its meeting held on September 1, 2026 , by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAINED:
DISQUALIFIED:
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ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM: _________________________ ___________________________ Deborah R. Presson, City Clerk Ryan R. Jones, City Attorney* *Pursuant to The Charter of the
City of Chico, Section 906(E)