City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2025 FROM: CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE WARD: 3 SUBJECT: RESOLUTION FOR THE APPLICATION AND AWARD OF A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIRPORT GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $104,500 WITH A GRANT MATCHING REQUIREMENT OF $5,500 FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AIRPORT PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AT RIVERSIDE AIRPORT – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Adopt a Resolution to authorize application for, and award of, $104,500 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to the City of Riverside for the development of an Airport Pavement Management System (APMS) at Riverside Municipal Airport.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Adopt a Resolution to authorize application for, and award of, $104,500 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to the City of Riverside for the development of an Airport Pavement Management System (APMS) at Riverside Municipal Airport.
With five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, upon grant award, to record an increase in revenues in the amount of $104,500 and appropriate expenditures in an equal amount in the Airport Fund, APMS Project revenue and expenditure accounts; and Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute a grant agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
Riverside Airport is a Federal Aviation Administration-designated Reliever Airport located in Riverside, California. Owned and operated by the City of Riverside, this General Aviation (GA) Airport is served by a federal contract control tower, operated part-time 7am-8pm local, seven days per week. The Airport has two runways – runway “9/27”, which is 5,401 ft long, and runway “16/34” which is 2,850 feet long. The Airport includes approximately 550 acres.
The Riverside Airport is the no. 1 ranked airport in California with a Federal Contract Tower with approximately 130,000 aircraft operations in 2023 and a record 144,000 aircraft operations in 2024. When comparing all 526 airports in the US, the Riverside Airport is ranked no. 116 busiest airport. The Airport is home to 200+ based aircraft and five flight schools with nearly 400 total students actively engaged in flight training.
Pavement Issues Identified
During both 2024 and 2025 airport inspections by California Department of Transportation Department of Aeronautics, discrepancies were noted with pavement condition at various locations airport-wide. To effectively prioritize pavement rehabilitation airport-wide, a current Airport Pavement Management System (APMS) is needed.
Funding
The Airport Team has actively pursued external funds to address a wide array of Riverside Airport needs. Competing for external funds, like grants, reduces the overall cost of a project and frees up funding to invest in other Airport projects. A few examples of projects that benefited from external funding include:
Airfield Emergency Generator and Wind Sock Replacement project. A new emergency generator was installed to provide electrical power to the entire airfield in the case of primary power loss. A windsock was relocated outside the runway safety area. Funded with $350,000 FAA grant.
Taxiway A project. Rehabilitate taxiway “A” full-length, consisting of application of asphalt slurry seal, new markings, and some new signage. Funded with a $791,604 FAA grant and $39,580 CalTrans matching grant.
Terminal lighting modernization to high efficiency LED funded by RPU rebate.
New water wise garden in front of terminal to be provided by RPU water rebate funding in the coming months.
Due to the cost of the design phase for the Erosion Control project, an application for federal funds was submitted to the Los Angeles Airport District office in January 2025. Notification of the FAA grant award was received August 28, 2025.
Airport Commission Review
The Airport Commission concurs that an APMS is needed and approves of the application and grant award.
DISCUSSION:
Generally, federal funding through the Federal Aviation Administration is available for airport pavement rehabilitation, but only if prioritized based on a current Airport Pavement Management System (APMS). The APMS will include a current Pavement Condition index, which the FAA uses to determine prioritization for funding of pavement rehabilitation. This will then guide future pavement rehabilitation projects at Riverside Airport.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of the grant award is an increase in revenue and expenditure of $104,500, with a local match requirement of $5,500 for a total project cost of $110,000. Upon Council Approval, an increase in revenue will be recorded in the amount of $104,500 and an equal amount of expenditures appropriated in the Airport Fund, APMS Project revenue and expenditure accounts as determined by the Finance Department. The grant award has a 5% matching requirement in the amount of $5,500. Upon receipt of the award, a budget adjustment from the Airport Fund, Airport Administration, Professional Services account 1165000-421001 will be recorded to the APMS Capital Project, (City Match) expenditure account, as determined by the Finance Department to satisfy the City match.
Prepared by: Daniel Prather, Airport Manager
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Edward Enriquez, Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer City Treasurer
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Resolution
Grant Award
Riverside Airport Cafe Page 2