Watsonville City Council
October 24, 2023

Watsonville Municipal Airport 35 Addendum to the Airport Master Plan EIR City of Watsonville October 2023

4.6.3 Conclusion
The Project would not result in any new significant air quality impacts that are substantially different from those described in the 2003 EIR. No new mitigation is required. There is no new information of substantial importance which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence. Finally, there are no changes to the circumstances under which the Project is undertaken that would result in more significant air quality impacts than were previously analyzed.

Watsonville Municipal Airport 36 Addendum to the Airport Master Plan EIR City of Watsonville October 2023

4.7 NOISE

4.7.1 Background
Operational Noise Impacts
Section 4.7 of the 2003 EIR determined that development and increased aircraft operations under the Airport Master Plan would result in unacceptable operational noise levels at surrounding land uses and would expose sensitive receptors to intermittent construction-related noise.

As part of the approved Airport Master Plan, Runway 2-20 would be extended by 800 feet, which the 2003 EIR stated would increase noise exposure to nearby residential units, exposing these residences to noise levels greater than the Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) of 60 decibels (dB). This would violate the City of Watsonville noise standard of 60 dB for residential and noise sensitive areas (e.g., parks, churches, and schools) and represent a significant impact. Implementation of Mitigation Measures 4.7-A through 4.7-C would reduce operational noise impacts related to the Runway 2-20 project to a less-than-significant level. The mitigation measures include an acoustical analysis for residential units located within the CNEL 60 dB noise contour, restriction of noise-sensitive development within the CNEL 60 dB noise contour, and inclusion of Federal Aviation Administration noise abatement (or reduction) arrival and departure procedure for all pilots.

In addition to the Runway 2-20 operational noise impacts, the 2003 EIR stated that the development of corporate T-hangars proposed under the approved Airport Master Plan would result in increased operational noise levels at adjacent residential units. Residential units potentially impacted could be located along Lone Pine Avenue, Memorial Avenue, Coffee Lane, and Emme Street. Mitigation Measure 4.7-D would require either a landscaped earth berm or sound wall be incorporated between the hangars and residential units to dampen the noise levels, reducing the impact to a less-thansignificant level.

Construction Noise Impacts
Finally, the 2003 EIR disclosed that noise generated during the construction phase of projects contained in the Airport Master Plan could impact surrounding residences. Mitigation Measures 4.7-E through 4.7-H would minimize construction-related noise impacts by restricting construction hours within 1,000 feet of noise-sensitive receptors to the daytime period from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, requiring sound control devices on equipment, and locating construction staging areas as far from residences as feasible. Impacts would be less-than-significant with mitigation incorporated.

4.7.2 Project Impacts in Relation to 2003 EIR
Aircraft-Generated Operational Noise Impacts
As described in Section 4.0, the annual aircraft operations associated with the updated Airport Master Plan 2040 forecast would be approximately 38 percent lower than those analyzed in the 2003 EIR.

Corresponding to this projected decrease in annual aircraft operations under the updated Airport Master Plan, aircraft-related noise levels would be lower than what was analyzed in the 2003 EIR.

Additionally, when compared to the 2003 Airport Master Plan, Project 1 would reduce the length of

Watsonville Municipal Airport 37 Addendum to the Airport Master Plan EIR City of Watsonville October 2023
the proposed Runway 2-20 extension from 800 feet to 680 feet, and Project 2 would shorten Runway 9-27 at the east end by 870 feet to meet FAA’s runway visibility zone standards.

To determine the effect of these changes on aircraft-generated noise levels in the community, the FAA’s Integrated Noise Model (INM) was used to develop the Airport’s noise footprint. Accounting for the number of aircraft operations, types of aircraft, flight patterns, and time of day the operations occur, the INM quantifies the size of the footprint and the number of sensitive noise receptors (i.e., residences, churches, hospitals, schools) within the footprint. The footprint was quantified for the Project’s proposed 2040 horizon year and was compared to the footprint for the 2020 horizon year for the approved Airport Master Plan that is contained in the 2003 EIR. Figures 4.7-1 and 4.7-2 show the 2020 horizon year noise contours from the 2003 EIR and the proposed 2040 horizon year noise contours, respectively. Table 4.7-1 compares data for the same two scenarios. The comparison demonstrates that future year 2040 noise levels under the Project will be less than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR for the approved Airport Master Plan.

Table 4.7-1: Comparison of Aircraft Noise Exposure on Noise-Sensitive Land Uses Land Use Category
Approved
Airport Master Plan
Horizon Year 2020
Proposed Amended
Airport Master Plan
Horizon Year 2040
Noise Exposure Range (CNEL, dB) Noise Exposure Range (CNEL, dB) 55 + 60 + 65 + 70 + 55 + 60 + 65 + 70 +
Residential (dwelling units) 1,194 277 74 20 272 39 3 0 Hospitals 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Schools 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Churches 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Population* 4,300 998 267 72 979 140 11 0
Total Land Area (acres) 2,046 725 307 129 554 218 94 29 Land uses that are deemed compatible with the Airport are not included in this table. *Population estimates assume 3.6 people per household as identified in the 2020 US Census for the Watsonville MSA.

Sources: WVI Airport Master Plan EIR (2003); Kimley-Horn Associates (2023).

Based on the updated 2040 Airport Master Plan noise contours, there would be three residential properties within the 65 dB contour. No existing or proposed schools (which includes Pajaro Valley High School) would be within any of the airport noise contours. To reduce operational noise impacts, the Project would be required to implement Mitigation Measures 4.7-A through 4.7-C in the 2003 EIR.

Due to the overall reduction in aircraft noise, along with the continued implementation of mitigation measures identified in the 2003 EIR, the Project would not result in new or more severe aircraftgenerated operational noise impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR.

Source: WVI Airport Master Plan EIR, 2003.

Legend
Watsonville City Limit
Airport Runway
Parcel
Noise Contours
55 dB CNEL
60 dB CNEL
65 dB CNEL
70 dB CNEL
APPROVED AIRPORT MASTER PLAN HORIZON YEAR 2020 NOISE CONTOURS FIGURE 4.7-1

Source: Kimley-Horn Associates, 2023.

LEGEND
Runway 27 Threshold
RelocaƟon
Future Noise Contours (CNEL)
55 60
65 70
PROPOSED AMENDED AIRPORT MASTER PLAN HORIZON YEAR 2040 NOISE CONTOURS FIGURE 4.7-2

Watsonville Municipal Airport 40 Addendum to the Airport Master Plan EIR City of Watsonville October 2023
T-Hangars Operational Noise Impacts
The 2003 EIR identified noise impacts associated with development of the proposed corporate Thangars and required implementation of mitigation measures to reduce noise levels. The Project does not propose any changes to this component of the Airport Master Plan and, therefore, no further discussion of this impact is warranted.

Construction Phase Noise impacts
Similar to the approved Airport Master Plan, construction of the remaining facilities under the updated Airport Master Plan could result in noise impacts to surrounding residences. The new and modified projects under the updated Airport Master Plan would require similar levels of construction activity compared to the approved projects and would not add a substantial amount of new construction over the life of the Airport Master Plan horizon. Additionally, any new construction activities associated with the new and modified projects would be at least partially offset by the elimination of construction activities associated with projects contemplated in the 2003 EIR that are no longer proposed for implementation. The Project would be required to implement Mitigation Measures 4.7-E through 4.7- H in the 2003 EIR, which would minimize construction-related noise impacts by restricting construction hours, requiring sound control devices on equipment, and locating construction staging areas as far from residences as feasible. With implementation of required mitigation measures, the Project would not result in new or more severe construction noise impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR.

4.7.3 Conclusion
The Project would not result in any new significant noise impacts that are substantially different from those described in the 2003 EIR. No new mitigation is required. There is no new information of substantial importance which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence. Finally, there are no changes to the circumstances under which the Project is undertaken that would result in more significant noise impacts than were previously analyzed.

Watsonville Municipal Airport 41 Addendum to the Airport Master Plan EIR City of Watsonville October 2023

4.8 WATER SUPPLY

4.8.1 Background
As described in Section 4.8 of the 2003 EIR, the Airport Master Plan projects would be served by the Watsonville Public Works and Utilities Department (WPWUD) and would connect to existing water system infrastructure. The 2003 EIR determined that the increase in aircraft operations and development under the 2003 Airport Master Plan would increase the amount of water consumption to

88.3 acre-feet-per-year (AFY) at full buildout. The increase in water usage would account for less than one percent of the City’s water system capacity, which is 22,404 AFY. However, since the City of Watsonville primarily uses groundwater for its water supply, the 2003 EIR determined that water conservation measures would be required to ensure water supply impacts from the Airport Master Plan are less-than-significant. The 2003 EIR identified Mitigation Measures 4.8-A and 4.8-B which would require future developments under the Airport Master Plan to implement water conservation practices and be subject to impact fees assess by the City, resulting in a less-than-significant impact.

4.8.2 Project Impacts in Relation to 2003 EIR
The City of Watsonville’s main sources of water supply are groundwater and surface water. In 2020 the City consumed 7,102 acre feet per year (AFY) of water and is projected to consume 8,255 AFY in 2040.7 The projected water supply in 2040 is estimated to be 21,900 AFY during a normal year with a surplus of 13,676 AFY of water.
8 The City is expected to still have water supply surplus even during a five-year drought with water demand projected to be 7,789 AFY and supplies being 21,000 AFY in 2040 without activation of the City’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan. 9 As a result, the circumstances
surrounding the available water supply for the Airport have not changed substantially since preparation of the 2003 EIR.

The updated Airport Master Plan would generate water demand in a similar manner to the approved Airport Master Plan. Of the new and modified projects, Projects 22, 23, and 24 would generate additional water demand that was not contemplated in the 2003 EIR. Project 22 would increase the proposed square footage of the MES facility from 2,000 square feet to 4,050 square feet. However, the MES facility would be a structure utilized for the storage of maintenance equipment and would not generate a high level of water demand. Projects 23 and 24 would install aircraft wash racks, which would generate additional water demand for their operation. Conversely, the proposed elimination of the majority of the commercial/industrial projects (Projects 15A through 15E) from the updated Airport Master Plan would substantially reduce water use.

The Project would continue to be subject to Mitigation Measures 4.8-A and 4.8-B in the 2003 EIR, which require implementation of water conservation measures. For these reasons, the Project would not result in new or more severe impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR. 7 City of Watsonville. City of Watsonville 2020 Urban Water Management Plan. July 2021. Page ES-3. 8 City of Watsonville. City of Watsonville 2020 Urban Water Management Plan. July 2021. Page 7-3. 9 City of Watsonville. City of Watsonville 2020 Urban Water Management Plan. July 2021. Page 7-5.

Watsonville Municipal Airport 42 Addendum to the Airport Master Plan EIR City of Watsonville October 2023

4.8.3 Conclusion
The Project would not result in any new significant water supply impacts that are substantially different from those described in the 2003 EIR. No new mitigation is required. There is no new information of substantial importance which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence. Finally, there are no changes to the circumstances under which the Project is undertaken that would result in more significant water supply impacts than were previously analyzed.

Watsonville Municipal Airport 43 Addendum to the Airport Master Plan EIR City of Watsonville October 2023

4.9 LAND USE

4.9.1 Background
After reviewing existing and planned land uses surrounding the Airport for potential incompatibility with the Airport Master Plan, Section 4.9 of the 2003 EIR focused its analysis on the planned New Millennium High School located at 500 Harkins Slough Road. The 2003 EIR determined that the high school would not be within either the existing or future safety zones for the Airport. Therefore, impacts related to land use incompatibility would be less-than-significant. The 2003 EIR also concluded that all other land use impacts would be less-than-significant.

4.9.2 Project Impacts in Relation to 2003 EIR
The New Millennium High School described in the 2003 EIR was constructed and now is fully operational under the name Pajaro Valley High School. The high school project underwent a separate environmental review, which determined it would not be incompatible with the Airport. Pajaro Valley High School continues to be located outside the existing and proposed runway protection zones. There would be no land use conflict between the existing high school and the updated Airport Master Plan.

The new and modified Airport Master Plan projects would consist of aviation-related developments in areas of the Airport already used for aviation purposes. The City’s current General Plan, the Watsonville 2005 General Plan, is the same General Plan that was in effect at the time the 2003 EIR was prepared. The Project would not change the nature of land uses at the Airport and would continue to be consistent with the General Plan. As a result, the Project would not result in new or more severe land use impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR.

4.9.3 Conclusion
The Project would not result in any new significant land use impacts that are substantially different from those described in the 2003 EIR. No new mitigation is required. There is no new information of substantial importance which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence. Finally, there are no changes to the circumstances under which the Project is undertaken that would result in more significant land use impacts than were previously analyzed.

Watsonville Municipal Airport 44 Addendum to the Airport Master Plan EIR City of Watsonville October 2023

5.0 CEQA CONSIDERATIONS

5.1 UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The 2003 EIR did not identify any significant unavoidable impacts resulting from improvements contained in the approved Airport Master Plan. As described in the impact sections above, the proposed update to the Airport Master Plan would not result in new or more severe impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR. As a result, the modified Project would not result in any significant unavoidable impacts.

5.2 GROWTH INDUCEMENT
The 2003 EIR determined that projects in the Airport Master Plan represent improvements at the existing Airport and are directly related to Airport operations. The 2003 Airport Master Plan projects do not contain any residential components and, therefore, would not directly contribute to regional population growth. In addition, the 2003 Airport Master Plan would not result in population growthinducing effects, as it would not create demand for new housing or introduce new public services or infrastructure to an area not serviced.

Similar to the projects in the 2003 Airport Master Plan, the new and modified projects under the updated Airport Master Plan would be aviation-related developments intended to support operations at the Airport and, therefore, would not result in new or more severe growth inducing impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR.

5.3 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
The 2003 EIR determined that cumulative impacts associated with the Project would be less-thansignificant. The City’s current General Plan, the Watsonville 2005 General Plan, is the same General Plan that was in effect at the time the 2003 EIR was prepared. As a result, cumulative conditions in the area surrounding the Airport are consistent with those contemplated in the 2003 EIR. As described in the impact sections above, the updated Airport Master Plan would not result in new or more severe project-level impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR. The Project, therefore, would not result in new or more severe cumulative impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR.

Watsonville Municipal Airport 45 Addendum to the Airport Master Plan EIR City of Watsonville October 2023

6.0 PROJECT ALTERNATIVES
As described in Sections 4.1-4.9, the Project would not result in new or more severe project-level impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR. Additionally, as described in Section 5.3, the Project would not result in new or more severe cumulative impacts than those disclosed in the 2003 EIR. As a result, no new analysis of Project Alternatives is required.

Appendix A
Biological Impacts Memorandum

BIOLOGICAL IMPACTS MEMORANDUM
for the
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE 2003

WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT MASTER PLAN
Prepared for:

CITY OF WATSONVILLE/

WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
100 Avia�on Way
Watsonville, CA. 95076
Prepared by:
2280 Grass Valley Hwy #306
Auburn, California 95603
SEPTEMBER 2023

2 INTRODUCTION
The City of Watsonville (City) is the owner and operator of the Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI). In 2003, the City prepared an Environmental Impact Report for the WVI Master Plan in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The City cer�fied the EIR and approved the WVI Master Plan in 2003 and has been subsequently construc�ng various improvement projects iden�fied in the Master Plan.

The City is proposing to adopt an Amendment to the 2003 WVI Master Plan (the Project). The purposes of this memorandum are 1) to iden�fy any significant biological impacts of the Project, 2) to determine if such impacts will be consistent with those iden�fied in the 2003 EIR, and 3) to determine if the mi�ga�on measures iden�fied in the 2003 EIR are s�ll adequate.

OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Table 1 lists the improvement projects to be constructed if the proposed amendment to the 2003 Airport Master Plan (the Project) is approved. The projects fall into one of three categories:
• Project is included in the 2003 Airport Master Plan and no changes to its scope are proposed.
• Project is included in the 2003 Airport Master Plan and revisions to its scope are proposed. • Project is new (i.e., it was not included in the 2003 Airport Master Plan).

Note that several uncompleted projects in the 2003 Airport Master Plan are not listed in Table 1.

Those projects are being dropped and are no longer planned for implementa�on. Figure 1 depicts the loca�on of each project that would be constructed under the proposed amendment (NOTE:
all figures are located at the end of the document).

Table 1: To-Be-Completed Projects in the Airport Master Plan Project
Number
On
Figure 1
Description Under
Existing
2003 Airport Master Plan
Description Under
Proposed
Airport Master Plan Amendment
Runway Projects
1 Extend Runway 2-20 by 800 feet to
achieve full length of 5,301 feet
Extend Runway 2-20 by 680 feet to
achieve full length of 5,181 feet

3 Table 1: To-Be-Completed Projects in the Airport Master Plan Project
Number
On
Figure 1
Description Under
Existing
2003 Airport Master Plan
Description Under
Proposed
Airport Master Plan Amendment
2 Not included Relocate Runway 27 Threshold by 870
feet to meet Runway Visibility Zone
(RVZ) standards
3 Extend Runway 9-27 by 255 feet to
the west
No change
Taxiway Projects
4 Not included Reconfigure fence line along Taxiway A
to meet FAA design standards
5 Not included Widen existing paved shoulders on
Taxiway C to meet FAA design
standards
6 Not included Reconfigure Taxiways A and C to
address non-standard runway
intersection angles and acute-angle
runway entrance taxiways
7 Not included Reconfigure Taxiway A to modify wide
expanse of pavement at Runway 20
entrance
8 Not included Reconfigure Taxiways B, C, and D to
eliminate taxiways with direct access
from apron to runways
9 Not included Reconfigure apron and hangar area
taxilanes to meet FAA design and
separation standards
10 Not included Update signage for Taxiways B, D, and
E and runway entrance from Taxiways
A and C
11 Construct new taxilane to existing
hangar development
No change
Parachute Landing Area
12 Not included Move parachute landing area
approximately 600 feet to the south

4 Table 1: To-Be-Completed Projects in the Airport Master Plan Project
Number
On
Figure 1
Description Under
Existing
2003 Airport Master Plan
Description Under
Proposed
Airport Master Plan Amendment
Airspace
13 Not included Remove obstacles from the Runway 20
Threshold Siting Surface (TSS) in order
to remove 590-foot displaced
threshold
General Aviation Facilities
14 Expand GA Terminal Building to meet
Airport and users’ needs
No change
15 Design/Construct East T-hangars in
Area 2
No change
16 Construct Apron in Storage Area 1 No change
17 Construct Apron and Hangar in
Storage Area 8
No change
18 Construct Apron in Storage Area 3 No change
19 Construct hangars in Storage Area 4 No change
20 Construct hangars west of Runway 2-
20 No change
21 Not included Construct Heliport and connector
taxilane
Support Facilities
22 Construct 2,000 square-foot
Maintenance Equipment Storage
(MES) building
Construct 4,050 square-foot
Maintenance Equipment Storage
(MES) building
23 Not included Construct aircraft wash rack based on
guidance from Airport Cooperative
Research Program (ACRP) Report 113
24 Not included Construct aircraft wash rack based on
guidance from ACRP Report 113
25 Not included Install aboveground fuel facilities to
replace underground tanks
26 Not included Relocate Compass Rose

5 Table 1: To-Be-Completed Projects in the Airport Master Plan Project
Number
On
Figure 1
Description Under
Existing
2003 Airport Master Plan
Description Under
Proposed
Airport Master Plan Amendment
Source: WVI Master Plan Update, City of Watsonville, 2022.

SUMMARY COMPARISON OF THE SIGNIFICANT BIOLOGICAL IMPACTS

OF THE APPROVED AND PROPOSED WVI MASTER PLAN
Overview
The analyses contained in the 2003 EIR that was prepared for the approved WVI Master Plan concluded that implementa�on of the improvement projects contained in the Master Plan would result in the following significant biological effects:
 Impacts to Coastal Terrace Prairie Habitat
 Impacts to Santa Cruz Tarplant Habitat
 Impacts to Willow Riparian Habitat
 Impacts to Seasonal Wetland Habitat
The 2003 EIR described mi�ga�on measures included in the project that would reduce these impacts to a less-than-significant level.

As described in the previous sec�on, the City is proposing to amend the WVI Master Plan. Table 2 provides a summary comparison of the significant biological impacts and mi�ga�on measures under both the approved and proposed amended WVI Master Plan.

6 Table 2: Comparison of Significant Biological Impacts [Expressed in Acres]
Existing Airport Master
Plan
Proposed Amendment to Airport Master Plan
Category Impacts Mitigation
Impacts
To Date
Future
Impacts
Total
Impacts Mitigation
Santa Cruz
Tarplant 12.28 12.28 0 5.90 5.90 5.90
Coastal
Terrace
Prairie
Habitat

5.54 5.54 0 1.88 1.88 1.88
Subtotal 17.82 17.82 0 7.78 7.78 7.78
Willow
Riparian
Wetland1

1.33 3.99 0 0.00 0.00 0.00
Wetland
Swale2 N/A N/A 0 0.33 0.33 0.99
Ephemeral
Stream2 N/A N/A 0 0.02 0.02 0.06
Ditch2 N/A N/A 0 0.04 0.04 0.12
Seasonal
Wetland 0.14 0.42 0 0.02 0.02 0.06
Note: Impacts to Santa Cruz Tarplant and coastal terrace prairie habitats mitigated at a 1:1 ratio. Impacts to aquatic resources mitigated at a 3:1 ratio. 1 This habitat type was not identified in the 2008 aquatic resource delineation. 2 This habitat type was not identified in the original 1999 delineation but was included in the 2008 delineation.

Source: City of Watsonville, EIR for the Watsonville Municipal Airport Master Plan, 2003; Kimley-Horn Associates, 2023.

Note: The 2003 EIR also disclosed that the commercial/industrial development that was part of the Airport Master Plan would result in significant indirect impacts to the California Red-legged Frog and other sensi�ve species. That component of the Master Plan is proposed to be dropped and, therefore, this impact will not be discussed further in this memorandum.

7 DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING SANTA CRUZ TARPLANT MITIGATION PLAN
2001 Santa Cruz Tarplant Mi�ga�on Plan Components
Background
The Watsonville Municipal Airport Dra� Master Plan Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) – SCH 2002062089 was cer�fied in December of 2002. The FEIR’s Appendix B included an October 2001 Mitigation Plan for Santa Cruz Tarplant and Coastal Terrace Prairie at the Watsonville Airport (Santa Cruz Tarplant or “SCT” Mi�ga�on Plan) which served as the basis for the mi�ga�on strategy contained in the EIR’s mi�ga�on measures for impacts to SCT and Coastal Terrace Prairie habitat. The FEIR provided the following:

Impact 4.3-1: Implementa�on of the proposed Master Plan would result in a loss of 5.54 acres of sensi�ve coastal terrace prairie habitat and 12.28 acres of habitat suppor�ng the endangered Santa Cruz tarplant.

Mi�ga�on 4.3-A Implement Tarplant Mi�ga�on Plan, as proposed, upon approval by the California Department of Fish and Game as executed with a Memorandum of Understanding.
(Note: A copy of the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan was reviewed for this assessment, but the document was missing numerous elements including tables, 14 figures and 5 appendices. An updated SCT Mi�ga�on Plan was prepared in November of 2007. Consequently, the summary described below is based on the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan that was included in the cer�fied EIR, as updated in 2007 where necessary and appropriate.)
The Dra� EIR (DEIR) described the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan components as follows:

1. Designate 25.58 acres of Airport lands as permanent conserva�on easements, wherein exis�ng habitat of Santa Cruz tarplant and coastal terrace prairie will be protected and managed in perpetuity.

2. Establish and maintain new colonies of Santa Cruz tarplant in permanent easement areas to achieve at least 1:1 replacement of both tarplant numbers (allowing for 20% natural variability over �me) and acreage to compensate for that lost by development.

Avoid contamina�on of local gene pools of na�ve vegeta�on. The mi�ga�on target values will be based on data from the 1993 baseline survey.

3. Establish and maintain 5.54 acres of coastal terrace prairie in permanent easement areas to achieve at least 1:1 replacement of habitat lost to development. Avoid contamina�on

8 of local gene pools of na�ve vegeta�on by re-plan�ng with seed stock from on-site. The 1998 baseline survey of coastal terrace prairie acreage will provide the basis for determining mi�ga�on target values.

4. Design and implement a program for maintenance and protec�on of Airport lands, including but not limited to permanent easement areas. The program will describe and formalize grassland management prac�ces (primarily mowing), outline methods to control popula�ons of invasive exo�c weeds, and provide protec�on of sensi�ve habitat areas.

Summary
The 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan has four components including: 1) designate areas for compensatory mi�ga�on efforts, 2) replace SCT losses through a 1:1 compensatory mi�ga�on replacement ra�o in protected areas, 3) replace Coastal Terrace Prairie habitat through a compensatory mi�ga�on replacement ra�o of 1:1 and 4) establish a stewardship program for protected areas. (Note: The dra� 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan includes addi�onal mi�ga�on requirements that were not a part of the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan including requirements for research and increasing seed bank density in protected areas.) Component 1: Designa�ng Protected Areas
Protect 25.58 acres of non-na�ve grasslands as mi�ga�on areas with permanent easements.

These areas will be protected for mi�ga�on of SCT acreage, individuals, and Coastal Terrace Prairie habitat. These non-na�ve grasslands have suitable condi�ons for the compensatory mi�ga�on efforts which includes plan�ng of SCT and Coastal Terrace Prairie species at 1:1.

Component 2: Compensatory Mi�ga�on for Individual SCT and Habitat Acreage The 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan iden�fies an impact of 116,394 SCT individuals on 12.28 acres of SCT habitat. The 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan also states that the impact on individuals must be flexible to account for annual fluctua�ons in the popula�ons over �me. The compensatory replacement strategy involves the replan�ng of SCT so that individual plants are replaced and the area of the habitat that is impacted is replaced.
• The mi�ga�on strategy for SCT impacts requires a 1:1 compensatory replacement for individual SCT plants and acreage.
• The mi�ga�on is to occur on 23 “permanent easement” areas. (The 2007 plan includes 3 addi�onal “con�ngency areas”.)
• The minimum �me required before mi�ga�on can be deemed successful is three years (growing seasons) a�er plan�ng efforts have been completed. • A phase of mi�ga�on required for a par�cular phase of development must be successfully established before a new phase of development proceeds.

9 • Three areas, known as PE-5, TP-1 and TP-2 are to be used as reference sites for annual adjustments to the number of individual plants to account for fluctua�ons in popula�on due to annual changes in the environment (e.g., rainfall).

Component 3: Establishing Coastal Terrace Prairie
In addi�on to replacing SCT individuals and their habitat at a 1:1 ra�on, the mi�ga�on strategy calls for the replacement of Coastal Terrace Prairie as that habitat was described by Robert F.

Holland in 1986 for the California Department of Fish and Game (Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California).
• The mi�ga�on strategy calls for the replacement of Coastal Terrace Prairie at a 1:1 ra�o. • The soils in the protected easement areas area all suitable for SCT and Coastal Terrace Prairie compensatory replacement.
• New areas are to be prepared by removing compe��ve non-na�ve weeds, spring discing, fall discing to control weeds and ring rolling to prepare the seed bed. Seeding by ring rolling would occur before the end of October. Transplan�ng of na�ve bunchgrasses and rushes follows the seeding and a�er sufficient rainfall has occurred to moisten the ground.
• New areas are established by the plan�ng of site-collected seed of SCT, seeds of other Coastal Terrace Prairie component species including:
o California brome (Bromus carinatus)
o Suncups (Camissonia ovata)
o Monterey centaury (Centaurium muhlenbergii)
o California oatgrass (Danthonia californica)
o Tu�ed hair grass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
o California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
o Meadow barley (Hordium brachyantherum)
o Slender rush (Juncus tenuis)
o Sky lupine (Lupinus nanus)
o Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)
o Johnny-tuck (Triphysaria eriantha ssp. rosea)
o Ar�st’s popcorn-flower (Plagiobothrys chorisianus ssp. chorisianus) Component 4: Stewardship
The mi�ga�on plan states that the Airport should design and implement a program for maintenance and protec�on of Airport lands, including but not limited to the permanent easement areas. The program would describe and formalize grassland management prac�ces (primarily mowing), outline methods to control popula�ons of invasive exo�c weeds, and provide protec�on of sensi�ve habitat areas.

10 Current Status of the Mi�ga�on Strategy
The official status of the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan is unchanged. Since the FEIR was cer�fied, it has served as the mi�ga�on strategy for SCT and Coastal Terrace Prairie. Because no impacts have occurred, no mi�ga�on has been required.

In 2003, CDFW provided comments on the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan. It is likely that the updated 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan was prepared in response to those CDFW comments.

In a review of both documents, it is noted that several areas have not been implemented or changes have occurred including:
• The SCT Mi�ga�on Plan was not finalized with CDFW – applies to the 2001 and 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan.
• Prepara�on of the CDFW MOU for implementa�on of the Mi�ga�on Plan was not completed – required by the 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan
• Prepara�on of a stewardship plan has not commenced – applies to the 2001 and 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan.
• Implementa�on of a research program on SCT demography has not commenced – applies to the 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan
• CDFW has changed their vegeta�on classifica�on system in California. • The USFWS adopted cri�cal habitat for the SCT in 2002 which includes property managed by the Airport.

Sec�on 1 Recommenda�ons
The 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan remains the mi�ga�on strategy that was incorporated in the DEIR in 2002 and was included in the FEIR when it was cer�fied. In April of 2003, CDFW provided comments on the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan. In 2007 the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan was updated; presumably in response to the comments provided by CDFW.

In general, implementa�on of the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan and the updated 2007 Mi�ga�on Plan would replace the func�ons and services of the SCT plants and habitat and Coastal Terrace Prairie habitat impacted by the implementa�on of the Airport Master Plan. The 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan provides suitable guidance on how to replace the func�ons and services of SCT habitat, Coastal Terrace habitat, and individual SCT plants. It also provides success criteria and adap�ve management principles for ongoing stewardship. The document is dated in many respects in that it was prepared 21 years ago, was based upon older baseline data from 1993 and 1998 and was never officially adopted. Most elements of the strategy have not been

11 implemented largely because impacts have not occurred. The 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan is newer and contains addi�onal requirements but is s�ll based upon older survey data.

In response to the discussion above, Salix has iden�fied 12 areas where we recommend revisions and/or updates to the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan. These recommenda�ons do not represent a comprehensive update to the SCT Mi�ga�on Plan. Instead, they focus on key areas that need to be revised and/or updated.

1. Incorporate the 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan into the Addendum EIR – Even though it is recommended that the 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan be updated (see #12 below), as it currently stands the 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan represents the most recent version of a comprehensive mi�ga�on strategy for SCT and Coastal Terrace Prairie habitat (Atachment A). Considera�on should be given to the incorpora�on of the 2007 Plan in the Addendum EIR for the following reasons:
a. The 2007 Plan is responsive to comments from CDFW.
b. The 2007 Plan includes valuable research requirements. c. The 2007 Plan includes requirements for increased seed bank produc�on.

2. 1993 Tarplant Habitat Acreage Baseline Survey Update - The 2001 and 2007 Mi�ga�on Plans are based upon the 1993 SCT baseline survey data for SCT abundance and acreage.

The SCT data is now 30 years old and management prac�ces at the Airport are likely different than management prac�ces in 1993. A significant amount of new data is available including annual surveys of the SCT since 2012. The 1993 data can provide anecdotal informa�on for background purposes, but the 2012-2023 surveys should be used for future mi�ga�on ac�ons and decision-making. Any new environmental document should include the original data that supports the 2001/2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan but also provide context for 2023 by publishing the more contemporary data that is available (Figure 2).

Addi�onally, the 1993 survey data overes�mates the amount of SCT present within the Airport property today. The 2023 census iden�fied a total of 24.19 acres of SCT habitat whereas the 2002 DEIR stated that 42.7 acres was present. The 2001 and 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan was developed under the premise that 42.7 acres was onsite.

3. 1993 Tarplant Plant Popula�on Es�mate – Similar to the issue described in #2 above, the 2001 and 2007 Mi�ga�on Plans rely upon 1993 data for SCT popula�on es�mates.

As capital improvement projects are implemented with impacts to SCT, contemporary census data should be used and not the 1993 data. The most current census data is from 2023 (Figure 3).

12 4. Coastal Terrace Prairie Vegeta�on Classifica�on Update - The use of the 1998 Robert Holland defini�on of Coastal Terrace Prairie for CDFW has been replaced by CDFW.

CDFW now uses the vegeta�ve classifica�on system described in the California Na�ve Plant Society Second Edition of A Manual of California Vegetation. This manual uses habitat alliances as a vegeta�on classifica�on system. An alliance describes repea�ng paterns of plants across a landscape. Each alliance is defined by plant species composi�on, and reflects the effects of local climate, soil, water, disturbance, and other environmental factors. The alliance that most closely resembles the Coastal Terrace Prairie defini�on is the Coastal tu�ed hair grass - Meadow barley - California oatgrass meadow (Alliance Number 41.221.00). The mi�ga�on strategy that requires a 1:1 replacement for Coastal Terrace Prairie would remain unchanged. However, with the concurrence of CDFW, the mi�ga�on strategy would be applied to Coastal tu�ed hair grass - Meadow barley - California oatgrass meadow habitat instead.

5. New Baseline Survey for the Coastal tu�ed hair grass - Meadow barley - California oatgrass meadow Alliance - A�er approval of the Addendum EIR, a new baseline survey of the Coastal tu�ed hair grass - Meadow barley - California oatgrass meadow Alliance should be prepared to address the change in the vegeta�on classifica�on system used by CDFW. The new land cover mapping should be prepared in consulta�on with CDFW staff.

More importantly, the current loca�on and amount of this habitat is based upon a September 1998 survey by John Gilchrist and it may overes�mate the acreage of this habitat that is present today (Figure 4). Salix is unaware of any new baseline data that would replace the 1998 survey. There are likely changes that have occurred over the past 25 years that could alter the loca�on and amount of this habitat. As projects are implemented that impact this habitat type, the area of impact and the areas that are available for mi�ga�on should be based upon contemporary data.

6. Prepare a New Baseline Survey of Mi�ga�on Lands – 2001/2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plans assume that there are areas of non-na�ve grassland that are suitable to mi�gate for SCT acreage losses, SCT individual plant losses and Coastal Terrace Prairie losses. Because the SCT habitat acreage has changed (goten smaller), the number of plants have changed (fewer present) and the Coastal Terrace Prairie may be replaced by a new vegeta�ve classifica�on, it is likely that more land is currently proposed for permanent conserva�on than is required to mi�gate the impacts.

7. Prepare a Long-Term Maintenance and Monitoring Program – As required by the EIR and the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan, a stewardship program should be developed to address all the requirements for the in-perpetuity stewardship and monitoring

13 obliga�ons associated with the SCT and the sensi�ve habitat. A maintenance and monitoring plan should be prepared before impacts occur.

8. Prepare a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – DEIR mi�ga�on measure 4.3-A requires a MOU with CDFW for the implementa�on of the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan.

A�er discussions with CDFW Region 3 staff and if necessary, USFWS staff, a dra� MOU should be prepared to comply with mi�ga�on measure 4.3-A. The discussions with CDFW/USFWS should address the changes to the 2001 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan in 2007 and poten�al future updates to that plan. A MOU or equivalent agreement with CDFW and/or USFWS should be prepared before impacts occur.

9. Prepare an Updated Baseline Es�mate of the Number of SCT Individuals to be Impacted – The 2001 and 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan both require the replacement of SCT habitat acreage and tarplant individuals. Both of these documents relied upon baseline survey popula�on data from 1993.

An updated impact es�mate was prepared for SCT individual plants. The es�mate u�lized the 2023 popula�on es�mate and the boundaries of the updated Master Plan.

The informa�on is presented in Table 3 below. This data provides a present-day impact assessment on the individual plants using census data that is more contemporary than the 1993 survey data. Future projects would compare the project footprint to the census data that was available the year the construc�on commenced (this methodology is further described in the 2001/2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan).

10. Prepare an Es�mate of the Number of Acres of Tarplant Habitat to be Impacted by the Updated Master Plan - A GIS query was prepared that es�mated the number of acres of SCT habitat that will be converted by the implementa�on of the updated Master Plan and compared the an�cipated impact to the original impact es�mates of the 2003 FEIR.

See Table 3 below.

11. Prepare an Es�mate of the Number of Acres of Coastal tu�ed hair grass – Meadow barley – California oatgrass meadow Alliance to be Impacted by the Updated Master Plan – A GIS query was prepared that es�mated the number of acres of Coastal Terrace Prairie as a surrogate for this sensi�ve habitat. The query assessed the number of acres that will be converted by the implementa�on of the updated Master Plan and compared the an�cipated impact to the original impact es�mates of the 2003 FEIR. See Table 3 below.

12. Prepare an Update to the 2007 Tarplant Mi�ga�on Plan – A�er an ac�on is taken by the Lead Agency on the EIR Addendum, the 2007 SCT Mi�ga�on Plan should be updated

14 to reflect present day environmental condi�ons, changes to the status of the SCT throughout the region, changes to vegeta�on classifica�on systems, the new RDP, changes in regulatory requirements and the newer data that has been collected over the past 16 years. The updated SCT Mi�ga�on Plan would serve as the basis for coordina�on with CDFW and/or the USFWS.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING WETLAND MITIGATION PLAN
Descrip�on of the 2003 EIR Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan
Background
The DEIR references the preliminary wetland delinea�on document that was prepared in 1999 by John Gilchrist & Associates. This delinea�on iden�fied a total of 1.47 acres of jurisdic�onal wetlands on the Airport property. The delinea�on was confirmed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on February 10, 1999, and was valid for 5 years.

The DEIR summarizes the Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan as follows:

A Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan has been prepared for the Airport, which outlines a program to mi�gate project impacts on the loss of jurisdic�onal wetlands, as defined by the COE (JGA, March 2002; Appendix B). The overall goal of the mi�ga�on program is to compensate for the proposed fill of approximately 1.47 acres of wetlands that will result from planned Airport improvements by replacing them at a 3:1 ra�o.

The site for the crea�on of new wetlands has already been designated on a 13-acre parcel owned by the Airport. The site is located within Harkins Slough, just south of Highway 1. The crea�on of the new wetlands will occur in three phases: site prepara�on, revegeta�on, and monitoring and maintenance.

The proposed mi�ga�on site lies at a rela�vely low eleva�on, and thus will not require extensive grading. Prior to agricultural uses of the property, the area had been part of the Harkins Slough wetland. Some minor soil contouring will occur to create the lower eleva�on riparian inunda�on area and the slightly higher eleva�on seasonal wetland. A por�on of the Harkins Slough waterway will be realigned to a more natural sinuous channel, with an outlet structure constructed at the south end. Finally, a berm will be constructed from the exis�ng farm access road to func�on as a water control structure to prevent flood waters from entering adjacent parcels.

15 The re-establishment of wetland vegeta�on is expected to happen naturally a�er the site has been restored. However, in order to increase the speed of revegeta�on, provide substan�al plant diversity, and to prevent the establishment of non-na�ve invasive species, ac�ve revegeta�on will take place as part of the mi�ga�on plan. An atempt to restore the site to its historical wetland state will be made by plan�ng some species which have been ex�rpated in the Watsonville Sloughs. A list of the recommended plant species can be found in the Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan (Appendix B).

Monitoring and maintenance will be ongoing for at least a five-year period following revegeta�on of the new wetlands. If performance standards are not met, the monitoring will con�nue beyond the five-year period. Maintenance prac�ces will include inspec�on and repair (if necessary) of hydraulic structures, inspec�on of vegeta�on, erosion control, trash and debris removal, and exo�c species eradica�on. The details of the monitoring and maintenance provisions will not be provided un�l the final construc�on plans and specifica�ons are complete.

The DEIR includes the following impact and mi�ga�on requirement:

Impact 4.3-2: The proposed project would result in the loss of approximately 1.47 acres of jurisdic�onal wetland habitat, including 1.33 acres of willow riparian wetland and 0.14 acre of seasonal wetland.

Mi�ga�on 4.3-B Incorporate the MVCD’s [Santa Cruz County Mosquito and Vector Control District] best management prac�ces for mosquito abatement into the Wetlands Mi�ga�on Plan before final approval and implementa�on.

Mi�ga�on 4.3-C Implement the Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan, as proposed, upon approval by the Army Corps of Engineers, as executed with a Memorandum of Understanding.

Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan Summary
Based upon the 1999 delinea�on and the 2002 DEIR mi�ga�on measures, the Airport would be responsible for crea�ng 4.41 acres of compensatory wetland to replace lost wetlands at a 3:1 ra�o. The permitee-responsible compensatory mi�ga�on project would occur on Harkins Slough on property owned by the Airport. The created wetland habitat would be monitored for five years to ensure performance standards were met. (See the discussion in the recommenda�on sec�on below for changes to the aqua�c resources delinea�on and the resul�ng changes to impacts.)

16 Current Status of the Wetland Mi�ga�on Program
The Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan summarized in the DEIR con�nues to represent the mi�ga�on strategy for impacts to waters of the U.S. No part of the Plan has been implemented because no impacts have occurred.

Status of the Wetland Delinea�on - The 2002 DEIR Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan was based upon a 1999 delinea�on that was verified by the USACE for five years. A new delinea�on was prepared by Jeff Glazner, at North Fork Associates in 2008 which was verified by the USACE on November 4, 2009. The USACE verifica�on was valid for five years and expired on November 4, 2014.

In September of 2023, Jeff Glazner, now the Principal Biologist at Salix Consul�ng, Inc., reviewed the 2008 delinea�on for currency and accuracy and concluded that the 2008 delinea�on, with the 2023 valida�on, represents the most current informa�on available to describe the type, amount, and loca�on of aqua�c resources within the project boundaries. Because it represents the most accurate data available, the 2008 delinea�on should be used in the Addendum EIR as a replacement for the 1999 delinea�on. Table 3 below provides an update to the an�cipated impacts to aqua�c resources based upon the 2008 delinea�on.

Implementa�on of the Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan
Salix is unaware of any impacts to waters of the U.S. or waters of the State that would have required mi�ga�on. Salix is unaware of any compensatory mi�ga�on project having been implemented on Harkins Slough or other loca�ons. Salix is further unaware of any purchase of mi�ga�on bank credits or in lieu fee credits as compensa�on for impacts to waters of the U.S.

The DEIR’s Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan remains a requirement of the EIR, but no implementa�on has occurred because buildout of the Master Plan to date has not resulted in any impacts to wetlands.

If impacts occur, it will be necessary to implement an onsite permitee responsible mi�ga�on plan as described in the EIR.

Sec�on 2 Recommenda�ons

1. U�lize the 2008 USACE verified delinea�on for the descrip�on of aqua�c resources. The 2008 aqua�c resources delinea�on is the most up-to-date informa�on available on the distribu�on of aqua�c resources. Based upon 2008 mapping, the updated Master Plan currently has no impacts on aqua�c resources – see Table 3 below.

2. Modify the impact statement 4.3-2 as follows: The proposed project would result in the loss of approximately 0.41 acre of aqua�c resource habitat, including 0.33 acre of

17 wetland swale, 0.02 acre of ephemeral stream, 0.04 acre of ditch and 0.02 acre of seasonal wetland.

3. Prior to impacts occurring there should be an updated aqua�c resources delinea�on completed and submited to the USACE with a request for an approved jurisdic�onal determina�on (AJD) to determine if they have jurisdic�on over any of the aqua�c resources proposed to be impacted. The delinea�on will also require the USACE to address the recent Supreme Court decision on the limits of federal jurisdic�on and where State requirements will apply.

4. Modify the 2002 DEIR Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan to include the use of mi�ga�on banks or USACE-sponsored in lieu fee programs in addi�on to the original mi�ga�on measure to implement a permitee-responsible mi�ga�on project on Airport property. The use of mi�ga�on banks or an in-lieu fee program is supported by the USACE Final Rule – Compensatory Mi�ga�on for losses of Aqua�c Resources published in the Federal Register on April 10, 2008 (33 CFR Part 332). Addi�onally, the use of a mi�ga�on bank or the purchase of an in-lieu fee credit would allow for offsite mi�ga�on which is supported by the FAA Advisory Circular No. 260/200-33B (Hazardous Wildlife Atractants On or Near Airports).

Lastly, the current compensatory mi�ga�on ra�o of 3:1 may be higher than the ra�os that apply to mi�ga�on banks or in-lieu fee programs. Consequently, it may be appropriate to retain the 3:1 ra�o for the permitee-responsible mi�ga�on that was originally proposed in 2002 but to provide for a lower ra�o that could come from using a mi�ga�on bank or in-lieu fee program by allowing the USACE to apply a compensatory ra�o at the �me the permit is issued. The Final Rule at 33 CFR Part 332 provides the following direc�on (paraphrased) Sec�on 332.3 General Compensatory Mi�ga�on Requirements. (b) Type and loca�on of compensatory mi�ga�on
(1) When considering op�ons for successfully providing the required compensatory mi�ga�on, the district engineer shall consider the type and loca�on op�ons in the order presented in paragraphs (b)(2) through (b)(6) of this sec�on. (b)(2) Mi�ga�on Bank Credits
(b)(3) In-lieu Fee Program Credits
(b)(4) Permitee-responsible mi�ga�on under a watershed approach (b)(5) Permitee-responsible mi�ga�on through on-site and in-kind mi�ga�on (b)(6) Permitee-responsible mi�ga�on through off-site and/or out-of-kind mi�ga�on

18 5. Add a mi�ga�on requirement to comply with the State of California requirements for impacts to waters of the State.

SIGNIFICANT BIOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED

AMENDMENT TO THE APPROVED AIRPORT MASTER PLAN
SECTION 3: Impacts to Santa Cruz Tarplant and Coastal Terrace Prairie Habitats Impacts to Santa Cruz Tarplant Habitat
Based upon the 2023 Santa Cruz Tarplant (SCT) census, there are 24.187 acres of SCT habitat with approximately 900,480 individuals on 32 separate habitat areas. At full buildout of the updated Master Plan, there would be 5.90 acres of SCT habitat impacted based upon the habitat acreage iden�fied in the 2023 census (Figure 6).

Impacts to Coastal Terrace Prairie Habitat
A 1998 survey iden�fied 22.10 acres of Coastal Terrace Prairie Habitat throughout the Airport property. The 1998 survey data was used in the 2002 DEIR to assess the impacts associated with the Master Plan. The number of acres that are considered Coastal Terrace Prairie habitat has not been updated since 1998. Based upon a query of the updated Master Plan with the 1998 data, the project will impact 1.88 acres of Coastal Terrace Prairie habitat (Figure 7).

If a landcover update is prepared for the Airport study area at a future date, the loca�on of the Coastal tu�ed hair grass - Meadow barley - California oatgrass meadow habitat should be iden�fied as a replacement for Coastal Terrace Prairie.

Impact to Individual Santa Cruz Tarplants
The DEIR presents popula�on data for individual plants from 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001.

Addi�onal census data is available from 2012-2023. The 2023 census iden�fied approximately 900,480 individual plants. The 5.90 acres of impact will result in an es�mated loss of 147,780 individual plants based upon the 2023 census data. The majority of the impacts will occur on a single 9.5-acre habitat patch where it is es�mated that 145,000 plants could be impacted.

Adequacy of Exis�ng Santa Cruz Tarplant Mi�ga�on Plan
With the recommended updates to the Tarplant Mi�ga�on Plan described in Sec�on 1 above, the Plan would adequately mi�gate impacts to Santa Cruz Tarplant habitat and individuals. No new mi�ga�on is required.

19 SECTION 5: Impacts to Willow Riparian and Seasonal Wetland Habitats Impacts to Willow Riparian Wetland Habitat
The DEIR Biological Resources chapter describes wetland habitat impacts resul�ng from the implementa�on of the 2003 Master Plan. The EIR states that there is a total of 1.47 acres of jurisdic�onal wetlands on the Airport property in three separate areas. The DEIR does not provide an acreage breakdown of each of these aqua�c resources, but it does state that the Willow Riparian Wetland is approximately 1.33 acres in area. (Note: A breakdown of the individual wetlands and informa�on on the delinea�on is presented in the DEIR’s Appendix B which is missing the February 1999 wetland delinea�on.) The DEIR required a 3:1 compensatory mi�ga�on ra�o for wetland impacts habitat resul�ng in the need to create 3.99 acres of wetland habitat to compensate for impacts to Willow Riparian wetland.

The updated aqua�c resources delinea�on prepared by North Fork Associates in 2008 (and verified by the USACE in 2009) did not include a delinea�on of Willow Riparian Habitat. Where the Willow Riparian Habitat is depicted in the Jurisdic�onal Wetlands Figure in the DEIR (Figure

4.3.3), North Fork Associates did not iden�fy any aqua�c resources. The 2008 delinea�on did iden�fy a single 1.71-acre Willow Scrub Wetland but in an en�rely different loca�on on the site.

Based upon the most recent aqua�c resources delinea�on, there is no Willow Riparian Wetland Habitat present. The Willow Scrub Wetland that was iden�fied in the 2008 delinea�on report is not impacted by the updated Master Plan (see Table 3 below).

Impacts to Seasonal Wetland Habitat
The 2002 DEIR iden�fied 0.14-acre of impacted Seasonal Wetland Habitat. The DEIR’s 3:1 compensatory mi�ga�on ra�o would result in the need to create 0.42 acre of new wetland habitat.

The 2008 aqua�c resources delinea�on iden�fied 0.36 acre of seasonal wetlands, but the loca�on of these wetlands is different than the 1999 delinea�on (Figure 8). Based upon the most recent aqua�c resources delinea�on the impacts to seasonal wetland habitat are 0.02 acre and the compensatory mi�ga�on requirement would require 0.06 acre of aqua�c resource habitat to be created (see Table 3 below).

Impacts to Wetland Swale, Ephemeral Stream, and Ditch
The 1999 delinea�on and the 2002 DEIR did not iden�fy wetland swale, ephemeral stream, and ditch as aqua�c resources present within the project boundary. The 2008 delinea�on did iden�fy these resources (Figure 8). All three of these aqua�c resources have impacts including wetland swale (0.33 acre), ephemeral stream (0.02 acre) and ditch (0.04 acre). The

20 compensatory mi�ga�on requirement would require 1.17 acre of aqua�c resource habitat to be created (see Table 3 below) to replace the func�ons and services of these aqua�c resources.

Comparison of Wetland Data and Mi�ga�on Requirements
Data Comparison
A direct comparison between the 2002 DEIR assump�ons and the 2023 baseline condi�on is difficult for the following reasons:
• The 2002 DEIR used a 1999 delinea�on to determine the number of acres onsite and the number of acres that are to be impacted. That delinea�on is out of date and subsequent USACE verified delinea�on iden�fied different resources in different loca�ons. • The 1999 delinea�on is not available for review because it is missing from Appendix B. • The most recent data for the presence of aqua�c resources is a 2008 delinea�on prepared by Jeff Glazner of North Fork Associates that was verified by the USACE in November of 2009. The 2008 delinea�on was reviewed by Jeff Glazner of Salix Consul�ng, Inc. to determine if the 2008 delinea�on s�ll accurately describes the loca�on, type and amount of aqua�c resources present within the project boundaries. • The 1999 delinea�on used different terminology to characterize wetland types (e.g., the DEIR’s Willow Riparian Wetland type is not described or iden�fied in the 2008 delinea�on report.)
Mi�ga�on Strategy Comparison to Contemporary Requirements The 2003 EIR requires a 3:1 mi�ga�on ra�o for the replacement of wetlands. It further requires an onsite, permitee responsible mi�ga�on project on property owned by the Airport.

A compensatory mi�ga�on ra�o of 3:1 for a permitee responsible mi�ga�on project is an�cipated to be sufficient to sa�sfy contemporary USACE requirements in the San Francisco District. It is not possible to verify this assump�on without an actual permit applica�on being presented to the USACE for review. The USACE may apply a lower mi�ga�on ra�o if mi�ga�on banks and/or an in-lieu fee program (if one was available in the future) because of the USACE’s preference for the use of these programs instead of a permitee responsible project.

The area that is not sufficiently addressed in the DEIR is the possibility that the USACE’s jurisdic�on is more limited now than in 2003 due to the recent Sacket v. U.S. EPA decision on wetlands. If the USACE jurisdic�on over wetlands at the Airport becomes limited, it is likely that the State’s requirements under the Porter-Cologne Act will trigger a separate permi�ng process. The mi�ga�on standards to replace wetland func�ons and services for waters of the State will be defined by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and not the USACE.

21 SECTION 6: Adequacy of Exis�ng Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan With the recommended updates to the Wetland Mi�ga�on Plan described in Sec�on 2 above, the Plan would adequately mi�gate impacts to aqua�c resources. No new mi�ga�on is required.

CONCLUSION
The following table summarizes the 2003 baseline condi�on, the impacts that were an�cipated for 2003, the updated 2023 Baseline (subject to the limita�ons of the data) and the impacts associated with the buildout of the updated Master Plan.

Table 3
Summary of Biological Resource Impacts
Habitat Type 2003 Baseline 2003 Impacts 2023 Baseline1 RDP Buildout Impacts
SCT Habitat Acreage 42.7 12.28 24.19 5.90
Coastal Terrace Prairie Acreage2 22.10 5.54 22.10 1.88
SCT Individuals (2001 survey) 2,491,465 Not Known 900,480 147,780 Seasonal Wetlands1 Not Available 0.14 0.36 0.02
Willow Riparian Habitat1 Not Available 1.33 Not included 0 Wetland Swale Not included N/A 1.14 0.33
Ephemeral Stream Not included N/A 0.12 0.02
Ditch Not included N/A 0.56 0.04
1The EIR considers willow riparian habitat and the seasonal wetlands as wetland habitat subject to the jurisdic�on of the USACE. Because the 1999 wetland delinea�on is not available for review, it is not possible to review the delinea�on to know precisely evaluate the baseline condi�on for the DEIR, the methodology used for the delinea�on and whether or not the habitat is under state or federal jurisdic�on. A December 2008 delinea�on was prepared by North Fork Associates and verified by the USACE in November of 2009. That delinea�on iden�fied a total of 16.45 acres of waters of the U.S. The Willow Riparian Habitat that was iden�fied in 1999 was not delineated in 2008. In that the 2009 USACE verified delinea�on is the most current data available, it is used to describe the 2023 baseline for the assessment of impacts. 2 The 2023 baseline for Coastal Terrace Prairie is based upon the 1998 data used to prepare the 2002 DEIR. A new delinea�on of this sensi�ve habitat has not been prepared. The DEIR states that there was 22.10 acres of Coastal Terrace Prairie. The GIS data for the 1998 baseline shows that there is 22.66 acres of exis�ng habitat; a discrepancy of 0.56 acres.

The Project would not result in any new significant biological impacts that are substan�ally different from those described in the 2003 EIR. In fact, based on the analysis in this memo, biological impacts will be substan�ally less than what was disclosed in the 2003 FEIR. No new mi�ga�on is required. There is no new informa�on of substan�al importance which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence. Finally, there are no changes to the circumstances under which the Project is undertaken that would result in more significant biological impacts than were previously analyzed.

Figure 1

Runway 2-20
Runway 9-27
Taxiway C
Taxiway C
G.A.

Apron
Taxiway A
Aviation Way
Airport Blvd.

Loma Prieta Ave.

Buena Vista Dr.

CA Hwy 1
Freedom Blvd.

Shooting Range
D
E
C
9 27
20 2
Baseline Condition - Santa Cruz Tarplant Populations
Watsonville Municipal Airport
Figure 2
±
0 600 1,200
Feet City of Watsonville, CA
Study Area (291 acres)
2023 Santa Cruz Tarplant Populations
#* 2023 Santa Cruz Tarplant Individuals
Primary Airport Facilities Notes: Tarplant Census Dates July 14-16, 2023 Aerial Photo - Google Earth (09/27/2021)

Runway 2-20
Runway 9-27
Taxiway C
Taxiway C
G.A.

Apron
Taxiway A
9 27
20 2
Aviation Way
Airport Blvd.

Loma Prieta Ave.

Buena Vista Dr.

CA Hwy 1
Freedom Blvd.

Shooting Range
D
E
C
19 83
82 21
29 27 68
12 80
79 78 15
46 54
2 3
5 13
31 6
7 72
43 70
74 8
9 10
76 18
1 81
0 300 600
Feet ± SANTA CRUZ
TARPLANT AREAS 2023
Watsonville Municipal Airport
City of Watsonville, CA
Notes:

Tarplant Census Dates July 14-16, 2023
Aerial Photo - Google Earth (09/27/2021)
Study Area - 291 acres
Study Area
7-31-23
Figure 3
Total 24.2 ac
Santa Cruz Tarplant Population Densities
#* Individual or Small Clusters
Medium (8,001 to 20,000 plants/ac) 1.7 ac
High (20,001 to 72,000 plants/ac) 21.7 ac
Low (up to 8,000 plants/ac) 0.8 ac

Runway 2-20
Runway 9-27
Taxiway C
Taxiway C
G.A.

Apron
Taxiway A
Aviation Way
Airport Blvd.

Loma Prieta Ave.

Buena Vista Dr.

CA Hwy 1
Freedom Blvd.

Shooting Range
D
E
C
9 27
20 2
Baseline Condition - Coastal Terrace Prairie Habitat
Watsonville Municipal Airport
Figure 4
±
0 600 1,200
Feet City of Watsonville, CA
Study Area (291 acres)
1998 Coastal Terrace Prairie
Habitat Primary Airport
Facilities
Note: Aerial Photo - Google Earth (09/27/2021)

Runway 2-20
Runway 9-27
Taxiway C
Taxiway C
G.A.

Apron
Taxiway A
Aviation Way
Airport Blvd.

Loma Prieta Ave.

Buena Vista Dr.

CA Hwy 1
Freedom Blvd.

Shooting Range
D
E
C
9 27
20 2
Coastal Terrace Prairie Habitat - Mitigation Areas
Watsonville Municipal Airport
Figure 5
±
0 600 1,200
Feet City of Watsonville, CA
Study Area (291 acres)
Permanent Easements - Mitigation Areas
Coastal Terrace Prairie Habitat Within Mitigation Areas (9.37 acres) Primary Airport Facilities Notes: Aerial Photo - Google Earth (09/27/2021)

Runway 2-20
Runway 9-27
Taxiway C
Taxiway C
G.A.

Apron
Taxiway A
Aviation Way
Airport Blvd.

Loma Prieta Ave.

Buena Vista Dr.

CA Hwy 1
Freedom Blvd.

Shooting Range
D
E
C
9 27
20 2
Potential Impacts - Santa Cruz Tarplant Populations
Watsonville Municipal Airport
Figure 6
±
0 600 1,200
Feet City of Watsonville, CA
Study Area (291 acres)
Santa Cruz Tarplant Populations
#* Santa Cruz Tarplant Individuals
Recommended Development Plan - 20-Year Horizon
Recommended Development Plan
Total Impact to Santa Cruz Tarplant at Buildout (5.90 acres) Primary Airport Facilities Note: Aerial Photo - Google Earth (09/27/2021) - Buildout

Runway 2-20
Runway 9-27
Taxiway C
Taxiway C
G.A.

Apron
Taxiway A
Aviation Way
Airport Blvd.

Loma Prieta Ave.

Buena Vista Dr.

CA Hwy 1
Freedom Blvd.

Shooting Range
D
E
C
9 27
20 2
Potential Impacts - Coastal Terrace Prairie Habitat
Watsonville Municipal Airport
Figure 7
±
0 600 1,200
Feet City of Watsonville, CA
Study Area (291 acres)
Coastal Terrace Prairie Habitat
Recommended Development Plan - 20-Year Horizon
Recommended Development Plan
Total Impact to Coastal Terrace Prairie at Full Buildout (1.88 acres) Primary Airport Facilities Note: Aerial Photo - Google Earth (09/27/2021)

Runway 2-20
Runway 9-27
Taxiway C
Taxiway C
G.A.

Apron
Taxiway A
Aviation Way
Airport Blvd.

Loma Prieta Ave.

Buena Vista Dr.

CA Hwy 1
Freedom Blvd.

Shooting Range
D
E
C
9 27
20 2
Potential Impacts - Aquatic Resources
Watsonville Municipal Airport
Figure 8
±
0 600 1,200
Feet City of Watsonville, CA
Study Area (291 acres)
Aquatic Resources
Ditch
Ephemeral Stream
Harkin Slough
Intermittent Stream
Marsh
Seasonal Wetland
Seep
Wetland Swale
Willow Scrub Wetland
Total Impact to Aquatic Resources at Full Buildout (0.41 acres) Recommended Development Plan - 20-Year Horizon
Recommended Development Plan
Primary Airport Facilities Note: Aerial Photo - Google Earth (09/27/2021)

1 Reso No. ______ (CM)
Meeting Date: 102423 SWZ ______ RM ______ WMA ______
RESOLUTION NO. _________ (CM)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

WATSONVILLE APPROVING AND ADOPTING IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT MASTER PLAN 2023 - 2043 WHEREAS, in August 2020 the Municipal Airport commenced an effort to update the Airport Master Plan (the “Project”); and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Watsonville Airport Master Plan is to facilitate the orderly, efficient, flexible, and environmentally sensitive management and development of the Watsonville Municipal Airport over the next twenty years; and WHEREAS, the previous Airport Layout Plan for Watsonville Municipal Airport (the Airport or WVI) was last completed in 2001, and was updated in 2008; and WHEREAS, several of these plans’ inputs and conditions have changed.

Additionally, in the past two decades, the national and regional economy has fluctuated, changes in the aviation industry have occurred, and the FAA has implemented new guidance and standards; and
WHEREAS; the purpose of this Master Plan Update (Plan or MPU) is to address those changes and enhance the long-term operational sustainability of WVI by establishing an updated framework to guide land use and development decisions on and near the Airport; and
WHEREAS, this Master Plan update provides the City and its stakeholders with a comprehensive, organized, and rational plan for developing Airport facilities over the next 20 years; and
WHEREAS, this Master Plan update effort began in 2020, with the Recommended Development Plan finalized in 2022, and the Master Plan update completed in 2023; and

2 Reso No. ______ (CM)
Meeting Date: 102423
WHEREAS, the City Council has adopted an Addendum to the August 2002 Environmental Impact Report for the Watsonville Airport Master Plan (State Clearinghouse No. 2002062089), dated October 2023, for the Project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA HEREBY FINDS, DETERMINES, AND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:

1. The City Council hereby specifically finds that all of the facts set forth in the above recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein.

2. That the Watsonville Municipal Airport Master Plan update, a copy of which is on file in the Office of the City clerk is accurate, comprehensive, and complete and is hereby approved and adopted.
******************************

PREPARED BY

QUALIFICATIONS FOR
Airport Planning And Environmental
Consultant Services

PREPARED FOR
Prepared For: Prepared By:

Watsonville Municipal Airport
Master Plan Update
2023
Published May 2023

i
Table of Contents
1 Inventory of Existing Conditions ...................................................................................................... 1-1

1.1 Study Goal and Objectives ................................................................................................. 1-1

1.2 Airport Background .............................................................................................................. 1-2

1.3 Airport Location and Access .............................................................................................. 1-3

1.4 Airport Role............................................................................................................................ 1-6

1.5 Socioeconomic Data............................................................................................................ 1-9

1.6 Economic Impact ................................................................................................................ 1-13

1.7 Airfield Facilities .................................................................................................................. 1-13

1.7.1 Runways and Taxiways ......................................................................................................................................1-13

1.7.2 Airfield Lighting, Markings, and Signage....................................................................................................1-16

1.7.3 Weather Reporting and Navigational Aids ................................................................................................1-17

1.7.4 Climatic and Meteorological Conditions .....................................................................................................1-18

1.7.5 Parachute Landing Area (PLA).......................................................................................................................1-19

1.8 Landside Facilities .............................................................................................................. 1-20

1.8.1 Apron and Aircraft Storage................................................................................................................................1-20

1.8.2 Airport Terminal and Support Facilities .......................................................................................................1-28

1.8.3 Fueling Facilities.....................................................................................................................................................1-30

1.8.4 Vehicle Access, Circulation, and Parking ..................................................................................................1-30

1.8.5 Security .......................................................................................................................................................................1-31

1.8.6 Drainage and Utilities...........................................................................................................................................1-34

1.8.7 Airport Businesses and Services ...................................................................................................................1-35

1.9 Airspace ............................................................................................................................... 1-39

1.10 Current Aviation Activity .................................................................................................... 1-46

1.11 Environmental Overview ................................................................................................... 1-50 2 Aviation Forecasts ............................................................................................................................ 2-1

2.1 Trends and Factors Impacting Aviation Demand .......................................................... 2-2

2.1.1 Impacts of COVID-19..............................................................................................................................................2-2

2.1.2 National and State General Aviation Trends ...............................................................................................2-3

2.1.3 Local Trends................................................................................................................................................................2-6

2.2 Historic Aviation Activity and Previous Forecasts ......................................................... 2-7

2.2.1 Historic Aviation Activity ........................................................................................................................................2-7

2.2.2 Previous Forecasts ...............................................................................................................................................2-10

2.3 Forecast Methodologies ................................................................................................... 2-11

2.4 Based Aircraft Forecasts .................................................................................................. 2-15

2.4.1 Preferred Based Aircraft Methodology ........................................................................................................2-16

2.4.2 Based Aircraft Fleet Mix .....................................................................................................................................2-17

2.5 Aircraft Operations Forecasts .......................................................................................... 2-17

ii

2.5.1 Preferred Methodology........................................................................................................................................2-19

2.5.2 Operational Fleet Mix...........................................................................................................................................2-19

2.6 Forecasts of Operations by Type .................................................................................... 2-21

2.6.1 Local / Itinerant Operations...............................................................................................................................2-21

2.6.2 Day / Evening Operations..................................................................................................................................2-22

2.6.3 Annual Instrument Approaches ......................................................................................................................2-22

2.6.4 Touch-and-Go Operations.................................................................................................................................2-23

2.7 Peaking Characteristics .................................................................................................... 2-24

2.8 Recommended Forecast Summary ................................................................................ 2-25

2.9 FAA Forecast Review and Approval .............................................................................. 2-26

2.10 Critical Aircraft..................................................................................................................... 2-28

2.10.1 Aircraft Classification System........................................................................................................................2-28

2.10.2 Current and Future Critical Aircraft.............................................................................................................2-29 3 Facility Requirements ....................................................................................................................... 3-1

3.1 Airfield Demand and Capacity Assessment ................................................................... 3-2

3.1.1 Capacity Calculation Factors ..............................................................................................................................3-2

3.2 FAA Aircraft and Airfield Classifications .......................................................................... 3-4

3.2.1 Runway Design Code (RDC)..............................................................................................................................3-5

3.2.2 Airport Reference Code (ARC) ..........................................................................................................................3-6

3.2.3 Approach and Departure Reference Code (APRC and DPRC) ........................................................3-6

3.2.4 Taxiway Design Group (TDG)............................................................................................................................3-6

3.2.5 FAA Airfield Classification Summa ry...............................................................................................................3-8

3.3 FAA Runway Design Standards ........................................................................................ 3-8

3.3.2 Runway Safety Area (RSA) .................................................................................................................................3-9

3.3.3 Runway Object Free Area (ROFA) ..................................................................................................................3-9

3.3.4 Runway Obstacle Free Zone (ROFZ).............................................................................................................3-9

3.3.5 Runway Protection Zone (RPZ).........................................................................................................................3-9

3.3.6 Runway Separation Standards .......................................................................................................................3-12

3.3.7 Runway Visibility Zone (RVZ)..........................................................................................................................3-15

3.4 Runway Analysis ................................................................................................................ 3-17

3.4.1 Runway Orientation ..............................................................................................................................................3-17

3.4.2 Runway Length .......................................................................................................................................................3-19

3.4.3 Runway Width .........................................................................................................................................................3-21

3.4.4 Runway Pavement Strength and Condition ..............................................................................................3-22

3.4.5 Runway Lighting, Markings, & Instrumentation ......................................................................................3-24

3.4.6 Proposed Turf Runway.......................................................................................................................................3-24

3.4.7 Summary of Runway Requirements .............................................................................................................3-26

3.5 Taxiway System ................................................................................................................. 3-27

3.5.1 Taxiway Design Standards ...............................................................................................................................3-27

3.5.2 Taxiway Configuration .........................................................................................................................................3-32

iii

3.5.3 Taxiway Lighting, Marking and Signage.....................................................................................................3-33

3.6 Airport Lighting and Navigational Aids ........................................................................... 3-34

3.7 Parachute Landing Area ................................................................................................... 3-34

3.8 Airspace ............................................................................................................................... 3-36

3.8.1 Instrument Approaches.......................................................................................................................................3-36

3.8.2 FAR Part 77 Requirements...............................................................................................................................3-38

3.8.3 Proposed Adjacent Building Development................................................................................................3-43

3.8.4 Runway End Siting Requirements.................................................................................................................3-44

3.8.5 Hazardous Wildlife Attractants ........................................................................................................................3-46

3.9 General Aviation Facilities ................................................................................................ 3-46

3.9.1 General Aviation Terminal Building ..............................................................................................................3-46

3.9.2 Aircraft Storage .......................................................................................................................................................3-47

3.9.3 Airport Access and Automobile Parking .....................................................................................................3-53

3.9.4 Specialized Aviation Service Operators (SASOs).................................................................................3-54

3.9.5 Airport Security........................................................................................................................................................3-54

3.10 Airport Sustainability .......................................................................................................... 3-54

3.11 Support Facilities ................................................................................................................ 3-55

3.11.1 Aviation Fuel Storage and Supply ..............................................................................................................3-56

3.11.2 Airport Maintenance and Equipment Storage .......................................................................................3-56

3.11.3 Aircraft Wash Facility.........................................................................................................................................3-56

3.12 Utility Systems Infrastructure ........................................................................................... 3-57

3.13 California Aviation System Plan Requirements ........................................................... 3-57

3.14 Facility Requirements Summary ..................................................................................... 3-59 4 Alternatives Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 4-1

4.1 Evaluation Criteria ................................................................................................................ 4-2

4.2 Acknowledgement of Potential Airport Closure ............................................................. 4-2

4.3 No-Analysis Alternatives ..................................................................................................... 4-4

4.4 Airside Alternatives ............................................................................................................ 4-12

4.4.1 Runway 2-20 Extension......................................................................................................................................4-12

4.4.2 Runway Visibility Zone (RVZ)..........................................................................................................................4-17

4.4.3 Parachute Landing Area (PLA).......................................................................................................................4-37

4.4.4 Turf Runway.............................................................................................................................................................4-44

4.4.5 Taxiway A – Wide Expanse of Pavement at Runway 20 Entrance ..............................................4-50

4.4.6 Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP)........................................................................................................4-53

4.4.7 Airspace Obstructions .........................................................................................................................................4-60

4.5 Landside Alternatives ........................................................................................................ 4-63

4.5.1 General Aviation Terminal.................................................................................................................................4-63

4.5.2 Aircraft Storage .......................................................................................................................................................4-68

4.5.3 Support Facilities....................................................................................................................................................4-77

4.6 Recommended Development Plan................................................................................. 4-84

iv
5 Implementation Plan......................................................................................................................... 5-1

5.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................ 5-1

5.1.1 Sources of Funding..................................................................................................................................................5-1

5.1.2 Proposed Airport Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP) ...............................................................................5-3

5.1.3 Environmental Process .......................................................................................................................................5-12

5.2 Financial Projections ......................................................................................................... 5-16

5.2.1 Airport Expenses and Revenues....................................................................................................................5-17

5.2.2 Cash Flow Analysis ..............................................................................................................................................5-20 A Arrival and Departure Procedures...................................................................................................A-1 A.1 LOC RWY 2...........................................................................................................................A-1 A.2 RNAV (GPS) RWY 2 ...........................................................................................................A-2 A.3 VOR-A ....................................................................................................................................A-3 A.4 Watsonville Four Departure (Obstacle) ...........................................................................A-4 A.5 GARLK One Departure (RNAV) ........................................................................................A-5 A.6 IFR Alternate Airport Minimums ........................................................................................A-6 A.7 Takeoff Minimums, (Obstacle) Departure Procedures, and Diverse Vector Area ..A-8 B Environmental Overview ..................................................................................................................B-1 B.1 WVI Environmental Overview ............................................................................................B-1 B.1.1 Land Use and Zoning.............................................................................................................................................B-1 B.1.2 Wildlife Hazard Attractants................................................................................................................................B-14 B.1.3 Water Resources ...................................................................................................................................................B-17 B.1.4 Section 4(f) and 6(f) Resources......................................................................................................................B-21 B.1.5 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................................................................B-22 B.1.6 Greenhouse Gas Emissions.............................................................................................................................B-23 B.1.7 Biotic Resources and Endangered Species .............................................................................................B-26 B.1.8 Coastal Resources................................................................................................................................................B-31 B.1.9 Farmlands..................................................................................................................................................................B-31 B.1.10 Hazardous Materials .........................................................................................................................................B-34 B.1.11 Underground Storage Tanks.........................................................................................................................B-36 B.1.12 Historic and Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................B-38 B.1.13 Environmental Justice ......................................................................................................................................B-39 C Public Outreach ................................................................................................................................C-1 C.1 Planning Review Committee (PRC) Meetings ...............................................................C-1 PRC Meeting #1 .......................................................................................................................................................C-1 PRC Meeting #2 .......................................................................................................................................................C-2 PRC Meeting #3 .......................................................................................................................................................C-2 PRC Meeting #4 .......................................................................................................................................................C-3 C.2 Public Meetings ....................................................................................................................C-3 Public Meeting #1 ....................................................................................................................................................C-3

v
Public Meeting #2 ..................................................................................................................................................C-10 C.3 Watsonville Airport Advisory Committee (WAAC) Meetings .....................................C-15 C.4 Summary ..............................................................................................................................C-16

1-1
1 Inventory of Existing Conditions
The previous Master Plan for Watsonville Municipal Airport (the Airport or WVI) was last completed in 2001,0F 1 with a smaller
update in 2008. Several of these plans’ inputs and conditions have changed. Additionally, in the past two decades, the national and regional economy has fluctuated, changes in the aviation industry have occurred, and the FAA has implemented new guidance and standards. The purpose of this Master Plan Update (Plan or MPU) is to address those changes and enhance the long-term operational sustainability of WVI by establishing an updated framework to guide land use and development decisions on and near the Airport. This Plan provides the City and its stakeholders with a comprehensive, organized, and rational plan for developing Airport facilities over the next 20 years. This MPU effort began in 2020, with the Recommended Development Plan finalized in 2022, and the MPU published in 2023.

The master planning process creates a comprehensive guide for future airport development that considers safety, efficiency, economic growth, and environmental compatibility. There are several key components within the master planning process including identifying study goals, collecting an inventory of existing conditions, conducting aeronautical forecasts, develop ing justification for development, and creating a feasible implementation plan for recommended capital projects or enhancements.

Enhancements or improvements that stem from master plan findings must adhere to standards that promote safe aviation facilities that meet current and future demand. Typically, findings from a master plan are staged in the short (0-5 years), mid (6-10 years), and long term (11-20 years). Information on the future airport expansion and improvement contained in an airport master plan would be incorporated into the development of comprehensive land use plans to ensure land use compatibility around the Airport.

As the initial step in the planning process, this chapter outlines the baseline data pertinent to the Airport and its service area.

The baseline data presented within this chapter is used in subsequent analysis to formulate aviation forecasts and identify recommended enhancements for the Airport.

1.1 Study Goal and Objectives
In order to create a master plan that is effective in supporting development at WVI, there is a need to develop a framework to guide the master planning efforts. The primary goal of this MPU is to identify the current and future needs of the Airport, while also factoring in the perspective of the City of Watsonville, Airport user’s and tenants, residents within the service area, and other stakeholders, ultimately resulting in a proposed development plan that reflects a balanced approach.Specific objectives within this MPU scope of services to achieve this primary goal are as follows:
o Obtain new aerial mapping and FAA Airports Geographical Information System (AGIS) safety-critical data including airfield coordinates and elevations, navigation aid locations, and airspace obstacle information. o Prepare an updated, reasonable forecast of aviation activity and user demand that is accepted and approved by the FAA.
o Engage stakeholders, tenants, customers, and the public in the planning process to ensure their interests and concerns are taken into consideration.
o Identify an airport land use strategy that promotes compatibility and balances aviation and non-aeronautical uses and, where feasible, provides opportunities for enhanced revenue generation. o Create a realistic and comprehensive development plan for WVI that considers the Airport environs, satisfies future aviation needs, enhances safety, and conforms with current FAA standards, orders, and advisory criteria.

This includes consideration of airfield geometry and runway length. o Prepare an updated Airport Layout Plan (ALP) drawing set that is approved by FAA. 1 The 2001 Master Plan was environmentally cleared and approved by City Council in 2003 (City Resolution 179-03).

1-2
o Provide a plan that is focused on being “implementable”.

These objectives can be considered a road map, that, when followed, lead to an effective master planning document that is grounded in accurate data-driven findings. The findings within the master plan make it an essential resource for airport development and a great asset to the community.

1.2 Airport Background
WVI is a non-towered,general aviation (GA) airport located in the City of Watsonville (the City) in Santa Cruz County, California. The Airport is owned and operated by the City of Watsonville. WVI is the only airport in Santa Cruz County and is one of five public-use airports in the Monterey Bay area.

Aircraft first began operating regularly aroundWatsonville in the 1920s and the first official airfield in the city opened in 1931. WVI was developed at its current location in 1942 after the City passed a local bond issue and received a grant from the Civil Aeronautics Authority. Prior to the airfield’s opening, the City leased the newly constructed Airport to the United States Government. The Airport was commissioned on October 23, 1943,as Naval Air Auxiliary Station (NAAS) Watsonville and served as one of two naval auxiliary bases in the Watsonville area. During World War II, WVI acted as a training base for torpedo and diving bombing squadrons, often being used by Douglas SBD Dauntless, Grumman TBM Avenger, and F6F Hellcat aircraft flying to and from aircraft carriers in the Pacific Ocean. The Navy expanded the airfield significantly, building a concrete ramp and several support buildings.

NAAS Watsonville was decommissioned in November 1945
and was reverted to the City of Watsonville in July 1948.

The City subsequently sold 32 acres of the original military property to the local school district. Scheduled air service first began in December 1946 when Southwest Airways
(which would eventually become Northwest Orient Airlines) initiated DC-3 service to and from WVI. Airline service would continue until 1956. In 1964, the West Coast Antique Fly-In occurred for the first time, attracting pilots from around northern California.

In the 1960s, the City launched a series of improvement projects at WVI that would continue through the 1980s and make up much of the infrastructure that exists at the Airport today. These initial projects included the construction of Thangars, runway and taxiway lighting systems, a new midfield taxiway, and airport perimeter fencing. Airport Boulevard was constructed in segments along the eastern perimeter of the Airport during this time, requiring the demolition of several original military buildings. WVI installed apron lighting in 1971 and constructed a new terminal building, complete with a restaurant, public restrooms, and pilot lounge, that opened in 1974 and remains operational at the Airport today.

In 1976, WVI gained significant functionality when a localizer (a navigational aid)was installed and a non-precision instrument approach was established at the Airport, enabling aircraft to operate during inclement weather conditions. In 1980,a nondirectional beacon (NDB) was constructed and visual approach slope indicators (VASIs) were installed on both ends of Runway 2-20, complementing the existing instrument approach. The City constructed Fire Station No. 2 on Airport Boulevard in 1978, greatly improving the safety of Airport users and the surrounding community. Airfield infrastructure was expanded in Watsonville Airport, 1930s
Watsonville Airport,1950s

1-3
1980,and again in 1984, as the south taxiway was realigned and the apron area was extended first, and thereafter additional T-hangars were constructed.

WVI continued to complete several maintenance and development projects through the 1990s and 2000s,including reconstructing the runway lighting system, replacing various parcels of pavement and drainage areas, and building additional T-hangars and 12 corporate hangars.In 1993 the Airport installed a self-service fuel island that provides AvGas and Jet A fuel. In 2012 the self-service fuel island and the fuel farm island were upgraded to meet County environmental standards. That same year, the terminal lobby, UNICOM room, and restrooms were renovated in an effort to update the aging terminal building (built in 1974) and support the opening of the new restaurant tenant that would remodel the dining area and outdoor patio.

The importance of the Airport was illustrated in the days following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake when several roads leading out of the Watsonville area were damaged.

WVI provided the only access to the valley and was
used to airlift more than 100 tons of supplies to
Watsonville and the surrounding communities.

Additionally, the Watsonville Fly-in and Airshow, which grew from the original West Coast Antique Fly-In and
ran for fifty years, concluding in 2014. The Fly-In
served as an annual event that attracted thousands of
spectators from around the region and supports
economic activities at the Airport and in the
surrounding community. In 2017 the Airport
reinvigorated its commitment to the community by
hosting a July 4th Airport Open House. The event,
dubbed “Fire-In-The-Sky”,is held each July 4th holiday
and showcases the Airport’s viability, vitality and value as a community, city and regional asset.

1.3 Airport Location and Access
An airport’s location and accessibility directly influence its role in the community and in the national network of transportation infrastructure. Airports need to be located within a reasonable distance to the community they serve and have appropriate multimodal accessibility to provide benefit to airport users and members of the community. The location and surface accessibility of WVI is discussed below. The primary roads and highways surrounding WVI are illustrated in Figure 1-1.

Watsonville is located in Santa Cruz County along the
central California coast, approximately three miles east of Monterey Bay. The City sits at the mouth of the Pajaro River Valley, and the river flows along the southern edge of the town. Watsonville is part of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes the entirety of Santa Cruz County. The City sits just north of the Salinas Valley, and, as such, agricultural activities dominate the economic and social activities of the region. The area is known for growing artichokes, strawberries, lettuce, and many other vegetables. Santa Cruz County is also home of the University of California, Santa Cruz, which has
approximately 20,000 students with popular majors in
Computer and Information Sciences, Psychology,
Business/Managerial Economics, Cellular and Molecular
Biology, and Sociology.

Strawberry Fields in Watsonville
Watsonville Fly-in & Airshow

1-4
Figure 1-1: Regional Airport Access

1-5
Watsonville is located approximately 30 miles south of San Jose and is closely tied to the socioeconomic activities of the Bay Area. It is not uncommon for members of the workforce in the Bay Area to live in Santa Cruz County and commute on a daily basis. Watsonville and Santa Cruz are popular beach
destinations for Bay Area residents.

Additionally, Monterey Bay is home to six marine preservation areas, making the area a popular destination for scuba diving, fishing,and whale watching. Watsonville is surrounded by a number of social and cultural destinations including the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and Sunset State Beach.

WVI is located on the northwestern edge of the City of
Watsonville, approximately three miles northwest of the City’s central business district. WVI is the only public-use airport in Santa Cruz County and 85 percent of the pilots that base aircraft at the Airport live in Santa Cruz County1F
2 , so WVI’s catchment area is
considered to be Santa Cruz County.

WVI is bordered by the City of Watsonville on its southern and eastern sides, while the unincorporated community of Freedom, which is under the jurisdiction of the County, surrounds the northern and western edges of the airport. The airfield, including both runways and associated taxiways, as well as hangars and all landside facilities, are situated on a parcel of land that covers approximately 291 acres. The Airport owns an additional 53 acres of land for runway protection zone (RPZ) that is not connected to the airfield. The total acreage of WVI is approximately 344 acres1F1F2F
3 .

Access
Airports are only able to provide utility to their local and regional communities and the national airport system if they can be easily accessed. As such, the surface transportation system surrounding an airport must connect to the larger surface transportation network to provide efficient access for airports. WVI is surrounded by multiple surface roads and highways that provide rapid connection to the City and other communities in the region.

Airport Boulevard provides direct access to WVI including the terminal, hangars,and many on-airport businesses. Airport Boulevard travels along the southern and eastern edge of the Airport’s property, extending northeast to the northern edge of the City before joining Holohan Road. Approximately one block northeast of the Airport’s property line, Airport Boulevard intersects Freedom Boulevard, which extends southeast into the central business district of Watsonville. Freedom Boulevard runs north of the Airport where it meets Buena Vista Drive, which borders the northern edge of the Airport’s property and provides access to the community of Freedom.

Airport Boulevard provides access to California State Route 1 (also known as the Cabrillo Highway) at the southern corner of the Airport’s property. State Route 1 travels nearly the entire length of the state, connecting Watsonville with Santa Cruz to the north and Monterey to the south, and extending all the way to the Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan areas. 2 Based on the 2020 National Based Aircraft Program list of registered addresses. 3 Per City of Watsonville geographic information system (GIS) data in October 2020.

San Jose in Silicon Valley
Sunset State Beach

1-6
Additionally, State Route 1 joins Main Street approximately one mile south of the Airport, which provides direct access to downtown Watsonville. WVI is bordered on its northern and western flanks by several residential streets, including Manfre Road, which connects Buena Vista Drive with Larkin Valley Road (a frontage road for State Route 1). Users can access the Airport via Aviation Way, which is accessible from Airport Boulevard on the east and west end of the Airport.

1.4 Airport Role
WVI is the only public-use airport in Santa Cruz County; however, it exists within a network of airports and aviation infrastructure assets. This network is the national airport system, which provides a wide range of services to aviation stakeholders including:
o Air travel for business and leisure purposes
o Transportation of goods and raw materials
o Hosting emergency, aerial firefighting, surveying/mapping, law enforcement,medical evacuation, and military operations
o Aircraft maintenance and repair, flight training, banner towing, and skydiving Airports in the national airport system are categorized by multiple funding agencies based on their size, location, ownership structure, operational capabilities,and socioeconomic conditions of the surrounding communities. The functional role of each airport within the system must be considered during the master planning process to ensure development recommendations meet current stakeholder needs and future visions while maximizing the efficiency of the system.

National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) uses the National Plan of Integrated Airport System (NPIAS) to assign roles to approximately 3,300 airports across the country. The NPIAS is used to facilitate the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and promote the FAA’s goals of a safe and efficient airport system. Airports in the NPIAS are eligible to receive AIP funding from the FAA and in return are required to fulfill a series of sponsor assurances regarding the airport’s operations and management. Airports in the NPIAS are grouped into two categories: primary and nonprimary, as defined below:Figure 1-2 presents the approximate Airport location in context of the City and surrounding airports.

Primary Airports – Publicly owned commercial service airports that have more than 10,000 passenger boardings or enplanements each calendar year and receive scheduled passenger service. Primary airports are then classified by hub size.

There are 23 primary airports in California. The nearest primary airports to WVI are Monterrey Regional (MRY) and Norman Y.

Mineta San Jose International Airport(SJC). Further to the north in the Bay Area, approximately 50 nautical miles (NM) from WVI, are San Francisco International (SFO) and Oakland International (OAK).

Nonprimary Airports – Publicly owned general aviation airports and commercial service airports that have at least 2,500 and not more than 10,000 passenger boardings each year and that primarily support general aviation aircraft. There are 166 nonprimary airports in California. Nonprimary airports are further classified into three categories based on different factors:

Commercial Service – Publicly owned airports with scheduled commercial flights with levels between 2,500 and 9,999 passenger boardings each year.There are four nonprimary commercial service airports in the state, the nearest of which is Merced Regional/Macready Field (MCE), located approximately 75 miles east of WVI.

Reliever Airports – Airports designated by the FAA to relieve congestion at commercial service airports and to provide improved access to the community for general aviation users. Reliever airports may be publicly or privately owned. There are 35 reliever airports in California including Reid-Hillview (RHV), Half Moon Bay (HAF), San Carlos (SQN), Hayward (HWD), Livermore (LVK), Palo Alto (PAO), and San Martin (E16) to the north in the Bay Area.

General Aviation Airports – Airports that are not categorized as commercial service or reliever airports in the national system. General aviation (GA) airports can be publicly or privately owned. There are 127GA airports in the state. Other

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nearby GA airports within 25 miles of WVI include Hollister Municipal Airport (CVH), Marina Municipal Airport (OAR), and Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS).

According to the most recent publication, the 2021-2025 FAA NPIAS report, WVI is categorized as a GA airport, meaning that WVI does not have scheduled commercial service. WVI fulfills a critical role by providing aviation access for the City of Watsonville and Santa Cruz County and supporting business activities on and off the Airport.

The nonprimary NPIAS airports are further categorized by role or classification, originally known as ASSET classifications.

These classifications were developed to provide additional context for airports and policy makers. The five categories and th e number of each in California are summarized in Table 1-1. WVI is categorized as a Regional airport in the latest NPIAS, signifying that the Airport has high levels of activities and serves a wide variety of general aviation aircraft and users.

Table 1-1: Non-Primary Airport Classifications and Criteria in California Airport Classification Criteria
National (10): Supports national and state system
by providing communities with access to national
and international markets in multiple states and
throughout the U.S.
o 5,000+ instrument operations, 11+ based jets, 20+ international flights, or 500+ interstate departures OR
o 10,000+ enplanements OR
o 500+ million pounds of landed cargo
Regional (36): Supports regional economies
connecting communities to statewide and
interstate markets.

WVI is a Regional Airport.
o Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and 10+ domestic flights of 500 miles, 1,000 instrument ops, 1+based jet or 100+ based aircraft OR o Located in an MSA and meets definition of commercial service Local (61): Supplements local communities by
providing access to intrastate and some interstate
markets.
o 10+ instrument operations and 15+ based aircraft or 2,500+ passengers Basic (38): Provides basic aeronautical needs in
local economy.
o 10+ based aircraft; OR
o 4+ based helicopters; OR
o Located 30+ miles from nearest NPIAS airport
o Used by U.S. Forest Service, or U.S. Marshalls, or U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or U.S. Postal Service, or has essential air service; OR o New or replacement airport activated after 1/1/2001; and o Public or private “reliever” with a minimum of 90 based aircraft Unclassified (21): Currently in NPIAS but has
limited activity.
o Does not meet the criterion for any other classification Source: FAA, 2021-2025 FAA NPIAS Report

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Figure 1-2: Regional Aviation Facilities

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California State Aviation System Plan (CASP)
In addition to federal classifications, many state agencies classify airports into categories to facilitate the allocation of state aviation funds. The 2010 California State Aviation System Plan (CASP), published by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) designated WVIas a Regional General Aviation airport. This plan also forms the basis of statemandated minimum standards for airport facilities such as runway design, pilot aids, and minimum services, providing additional context for airports to plan future development projects. In the context of the CASP, Regional General Aviation airports serve larger communities, accommodate business, charter, and corporate flying, and provide full service to pilots and aircraft. The draft 2020 CASP (released for comment in November 2020) maintains the designation of a regional airport for WVI. The minimum standards outlined for the functional classification of Regional General Aviation airport are discussed in subsequent sections of this MPU.

1.5 Socioeconomic Data
The socioeconomic characteristics of a community and region have a direct relationship with the activities of the airports that serve it.

As such, documentation of socioeconomic characteristics is crucial to consider during the master planning process as they provide context for the existing conditions of the airport and provide a basis for developing projections offuture aviation activity.

In 2019, an economic benefit analysis demonstrated that the Airport contributed $67 million in total economic benefits. Key factors that made up this contribution from aviation activity include:
• Airport activity supported 452 total jobs with payrolls of $27.2 million (14 aviation employers and 15 non-aviation employers)
• Airport activity added $3.7 million to local and state tax revenues • The airport creates daily economic benefits of $183,600, with $74,600 paid daily to area workers • Airport employers purchased $9.7 million of goods and services in the region, supporting 59 jobs • Based aircraft were valued at $24.1 million and paid property taxes of $280,000 Watsonville is a vibrant community with rich history and sits within Santa Cruz County, an area that has seen significant economic growth in recent years. Data was gathered from Woods and Poole Economics, Inc., an independent firm that generates long-term economic and demographic projections for metropolitan areas. A summary of socioeconomic data for the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA, which incorporates the entirety of Downtown Watsonville
Downtown Watsonville

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Santa Cruz County,and also for the State of California is provided in this section. The Compound Annual Growth Rates (CAGR) of each socioeconomic data metric is presentedwhere numerical data are provided.

Table 1-2 presents historic population data for the Santa CruzWatsonville MSA and the State of California between 2000-2019.

As shown, Santa Cruz County’s population CAGR for the period 2010-2019 is 0.297 percent lower than California’s CAGR (0.872 minus 0.575). According to U.S. Census estimates, the City’s 2019 population is approximately 53,856, which is approximately 20 percent of the total population of Santa Cruz County.

Table 1-2: Historical Population
Year Santa CruzWatsonville MSA California
2000 255,835 33,987,977
2010 263,213 37,336,011
2015 273,018 39,155,924
2016 274,442 39,542,295
2017 275,874 39,932,706
2018 277,309 40,326,531
2019 278,748 40,724,054
CAGR (2010-2019) 0.575% 0.872%
Source: Woods and Poole Economics, Inc., 2020
Table 1-3 presents historic data related to employment and total earnings in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA and the State of California. Once again, the CAGR of total employment and total earnings is lower in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSAthan it is in the rest of the state during the 10-year timeframe. However, the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSAtotal employment growth rate is more than double the population growth rate over the same timeframe, meaning that the employment rate has increased in the area over the last 10 years.

Downtown Watsonville
Local Grocery Store

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Table 1-3: Historical Employment Summary
Year
Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA California
Total Employment
Total Earnings (in
Millions of 2009
Dollars)
Total Employment
Total Earnings (in
Millions of 2009
Dollars)
2010 138,820 $ 6,201 19,803,747 $ 1,129,268
2015 151,060 $ 7,084 22,417,830 $ 1,321,182
2016 153,376 $ 7,247 22,789,465 $ 1,352,650
2017 155,629 $ 7,408 23,154,146 $ 1,383,998
2018 157,835 $ 7,569 23,514,573 $ 1,415,439
2019 160,024 $ 7,729 23,874,477 $ 1,447,138
CAGR (2010-2019) 1.432% 2.228% 1.887% 2.511%
Source: Woods and Poole Economics, Inc., 2020
Table 1-4 summarizes the 10 industries that provide the primary sources of employment in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA between 2015 and 2019. While these industries provided the greatest number of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs during the analysis window, they did not necessarily provide the highest amount of total earnings in the region. For example, the health care and social assistance industry was ranked as the top industry for employment, but state and local government jobs generated more than 30 percent more in total earnings. Other notable industries that generate a greater amount of total earnings compared to total jobs are construction and farming which were ranked ninth and 10th in total jobs, respectively, but ranked third and seventh in total earnings.

Table 1-5 compares the personal income per capita of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA and the State of California
between 2010 and 2019. The personal income per capita in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA has been greater than
California every year since 2000. Additionally, the CAGR of per capita personal income is 0.548 percent higher in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA than in the rest of the state.

Pajaro Bridge

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Table 1-4: Top 10 Industries in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA by Total Employment, 2015-2019 Industry
Year
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Health Care and Social Assistance 18,599 19,058 19,528 20,009 20,502 State and Local Government 18,123 18,426 18,725 19,019 19,308 Retail Trade 15,274 15,560 15,811 16,024 16,220
Accommodations and Food Service 12,230 12,379 12,528 12,675 12,823 Professional and Technical Services 11,390 11,486 11,584 11,683 11,784 Real Estate, Rental, and Lease
Employment 8,898 9,046 9,196 9,347 9,501
Administrative and Waste Services 8,008 8,099 8,197 8,299 8,405 Construction 7,658 7,846 8,006 8,160 8,311
Manufacturing 7,899 7,975 8,037 8,088 8,129
Farming 7,482 7,536 7,588 7,638 7,687
Source: Woods and Poole Economics, Inc., 2020
Table 1-5: Personal Income per Capita Comparison
Year Santa CruzWatsonville MSA California
2010 $ 42,808 $ 42,411
2015 $ 53,730 $ 50,943
2016 $ 55,163 $ 52,158
2017 $ 56,819 $ 53,597
2018 $ 58,623 $ 55,183
2019 $ 60,644 $ 56,976
CAGR
(2010-2019) 3.544% 2.996%
Source: Woods and Poole Economics, Inc., 2020
As indicated in Table 1-2 through Table 1-5, WVI is located in an area that has experienced slower population growth than the State of California as a whole. However, growth in total earnings and personal income per capita in the Santa CruzWatsonville MSAdemonstrate that the region is an economic center for the state. It is important to note that the Santa CruzWatsonville MSA is located adjacent to the Salinas Valley, which is one of the most productive agricultural regions in

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California, and the Bay Area, a technology driven, dense populous region. As such, many people living in each region commute between the areas to work, shop, and participate in recreational activities. These factors may influence the demographics and socioeconomic characteristics of the City of Watsonville, however, as WVI’s catchment area includes all of Santa Cruz County, this analysis only discusses the characteristics of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA.

1.6 Economic Impact
Per the 2020 Economic Benefit Analysis, WVI created 2019 economic benefits of 452 total jobs supported, total payrolls for workers of $27.2million, and total output of $67.0 million The total benefits include both direct and secondary benefits, measuring the airport’s overall contribution to the regional economy.Highlights of the economic benefits of Watsonville Municipal Airport include:
o The direct on‐airport economic benefits resulted from the activity of 27 private tenants, 2 public agencies, and various capital improvement projects during 2019. Direct on- airport output was $36.3 million, with payroll to 242 on-airport workers of $15.5million.
o The direct economic benefit of air visitors to Watsonville Municipal Airport in 2019 brought an injection of $2.2 million of visitor spending into the economy, creating employment for 24 workers in the hospitality industry, with payroll of $909,000.
o The combined direct benefits of on‐airport and visitor activity summed to output of $38.5million, 266 direct jobs created, and payroll of $16.4million. The combined secondary benefits, computed through IMPLAN, created an additional $28.5 million of revenues, jobs for 186 additional workers, and payroll of $10.9 million as the initial spending recycled through the region.

1.7 Airfield Facilities
Airfield facilities are the most critical component of an airport’s infrastructure as they facilitate the safe movement of aircraft on the ground and during flight operations. An examination of the conditions and characteristics of airfield facilities is an essential element of the airport master planning process as it determines their ability to meet future needs of the City and airport users.

The inventory of existing airfield facilities was completed through physical inspection, discussions with Airport management and staff, review of prior airport planning studies and airport layout plans, and publicly available information related to the Airport. The Airport’s existing facilities are depicted in Figure 1-3. The inventory includes the following components of airfield infrastructure:
o Runways and Taxiways
o Airfield Lighting, Markings, and Signage
o Weather Reporting and Navigational Aids
o Climatic and Meteorological Conditions
o Parachute Landing Area

1.7.1 Runways and Taxiways
WVI is served by two intersecting runways, Runway 2-20 and Runway 9-27. Runway 2-20 is 4,501 feet long by 149 feet wide and is constructed with an asphalt surface that is listed to be in excellent condition. Runway 9-27, meanwhile, is 3,998 feet long by 98 feet wide and has an asphalt surface that is reported by the FAA to be in fair condition, however, both runways

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were last rehabilitated in 2019. The actual pavement conditions are higher than the reported conditions. As Runway 2-20 is the longest of the two runways and is equipped with an instrument approach, it is considered the primary runway at WVI. 2F2F3F 4 Runway 20 is the preferred calm wind runway at WVI. Runway 27 is available for landings but is not available for aircraft departures as it does not meet certain FAA runway design standards, which are discussed in future sections of the MPU.

Runway 9 is available for departures and landings. Runways 9-27 are not available for night operations. The dimensions, conditions, weight bearing capacity, and pavement condition index (PCI) of each runway are summarized in Table 1-6.

Table 1-6: Runway Characteristics
Runway Characteristic Runway 2-20 Runway 9-27
Length (Feet) 4,501 3,998
Width (Feet) 149 98
Surface Asphalt-Very Good Asphalt-Excellent
Pavement Condition Index (PCI)3 72-77 82-90
Weight Limitations (lbs. (Thousands)) 81.0 (SW*)/96.0 (DW**)/167.0 (2DW***) 45.0 (SW)/65.0 (DW) *SW=Single-wheel; **DW=Dual Wheel; ***2DW=Tandem Dual Wheel Sources: FAA 5010 Airport Master Record, 2020, Watsonville Pavement Evaluation, 2022 WVI’s most recent Pavement Maintenance Management Plan (PMMP) was conducted in early 2021 to update the analysis of the structural conditions and strength of airport pavement surfaces. The information from this PMMP regarding the maintenance of the airfield surfaces during the immediate and long-term planning time frame will be included in the implementation and phasing plan of this MPU in subsequent chapters.

The Airport has multiple taxiways that provide aircraft access between aircraft parking areas and the two runways. Taxiway A is a 50-foot wide, full length, parallel taxiway for Runway 2-20. Runway 2-20 is also served by two connector taxiways, Taxiways D and E, which are both approximately 50 feet wide. Based on satellite imagery data, it appears that Taxiway A is 120 feet wide at the approach end of Runway 20 to allow aircraft to pull off and complete run-up checks. However, this area is not currently marked as an officially designated run-up area but will be considered as part of this MPU4F 5 .

Taxiway C serves as the parallel taxiway for Runway 9-27 however, the taxiway joins Taxiway A for approximately 100 feet adjacent to the main apron. Taxiway C is approximately 35 feet wide on the western side of Runway 2-20, 45 feet wide between Runway 2-20 and Taxiway A, and 30 feet wide on the eastern side of Taxiway A. Taxiway C is connected to Runway 9-27 via a connector taxiway. The length, width, surface type, and PCI of Taxiway A and Taxiway C are summarized in Table 1-7. It should be noted that Taxiway B, which is approximately 40 feet wide, serves as a connector taxiway between Taxiway C and Runway 9-27 near the T-hangar area.
4 The Primary Runway is the preferred runway for aircraft operations when prevailing weather conditions allow. Oftentimes, the primary runway will be the longest runway at an airport and be designated as the instrument runway. Maintenance and expansion projects on primary runways receive funding priority over additional and crosswind runways.
5 As of January 2023, this area had been officially designated as a run-up areawith appropriate non-movement area markings.

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Figure 1-3: Existing Facilities

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Table 1-7: Taxiway Specifications
Taxiway A (Runway 2-20) Taxiway C (Runway 9-27)
Length (compared to runway) Full Parallel Full Parallel Width (Feet) 50 35*
Surface Asphalt-Excellent Asphalt-Fair
PCI per 2022 PMMP 84-90 88-90
*Taxiway C is approximately 35 feet wide on the western side of Runway 2-20, 45 feet wide between Runway 2-20 and Taxiway A, and 30 feet wide on the eastern side of Taxiway A.

Source: FAA 5010 Airport Master Record, 2020; 2022 Pavement Management Plan

1.7.2 Airfield Lighting, Markings, and Signage
Airfield lighting, markings, and signage provide information to pilots during takeoff and when approaching the runway for landing. Appropriate markings, lighting,and signage facilitate the efficient movement of aircraft on the airfield. In addition, airfield lighting, markings,and signage greatly improve airport safety by alerting pilots and ground vehicles when approaching movement areas during nighttime or low visibility operations.

As depicted in Table 1-8, Runway 2-20 is painted with non-precision markings that are reported by the FAA to be in good and fair conditions on the Runway 2 and Runway 20 approach ends, respectively. These markings were repainted during the 2019 pavement rehabilitation and as such are both actually in good condition. Runway 2-20 is equipped with mediumintensity runway lighting (MIRL) that provides additional guidance to pilots during nighttime and low-visibility operations. Additionally, both ends of Runway 2-20 are equipped with runway threshold lights that are critical for pilots approaching Runway 20 as it has a displaced threshold. Runway 2 is equipped with pilot-controlled lighting and runway end identifier lights (REILs) that provide positive identification of the end of a runway.

Runway 9-27 is painted with basic markings that are reported by the FAA to be in fair condition on both ends of the runway and provide guidance to pilots during visual operations. These markings were also repainted during the 2019 pavement rehabilitation and as such are actually in good condition. Runway 9-27 does not have runway lighting or a REIL system.4F3F5F 6 However, Taxiways A, C, and the associated connectors to both Runways 02-20 and 09-27 are equipped with medium intensity taxiway lighting (MITL). Additional runway lighting such as visual glide slope indicators (VGSIs) are discussed in Section 1.7.3.
6 Runway edge lighting was previously installed while the Airport was utilized by the Navy, but any remaining infrastructure is obsolete or unusable.

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Table 1-8: Existing Lighting, Markings, and Signage
Runway
Characteristic Runway 2 Runway 20 Runway 9 Runway 27
Marking Type Non-Precision Non-Precision Basic Basic
Marking Conditions Good Good Good Good
Lighting MIRL MIRL None None
REILs Yes No No No
Source: FAA’s 5010 Airport Master Record

1.7.3 Weather Reporting and Navigational Aids
Navigational aids (NAVAIDs) assist pilots in keeping their aircraft on course when traveling between airports and when flying during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). NAVAIDs can take the form of visual or electronic devices located on the ground or in the air (GPS satellites) and provide position information, point-to-point navigation, and directional guidance. There are several NAVAIDS on site at WVI and in the area that aid pilots when arriving at or departing from the Airport.

Visual NAVAIDs at WVI provide guidance to pilots whiling operating under visual conditions. These visual aids include a standard white-green rotating beacon that provides positive identification of a civil airport when flying over the area. The beacon is located atop a 50-foot tall tower on the east side of the airfield near the terminal. The Airport is also equipped with a lighted windsock and a lighted wind tee located in the Airport’s segmented circle on the west side the airfield near the intersection of Runway 2-20 and 09-27. The lighted wind indicators provide information to pilots to choose the appropriate runway to take off and land based on current wind conditions.

WVI is also equipped with visual aids at the ends of the runways that provide directional guidance to pilots approaching the Airport. Runway 2-20 and Runway 9 are equipped with 2-light Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPIs) with a three-degree glide path that help pilots remain on glideslope while landing. However, Runway 20’s PAPI system is unusable beyond four miles from the runway end due to high terrain.

WVI also maintains a compass rose located near
the main apron. A compass rose points to
magnetic north and is used by airport
Specialized Aviation ServiceOperators (SASOs)
to verify the accuracy of an aircraft's magnetic
compass. In August 2018 the Airport completed
a “Compass Rose Survey” to formally certify the
compass rose per FAA Advisory Circular (AC)
150/5300-13A, Airport Design. The certification
expires on August 7, 2023. Members of the
Monterey Bay Ninety-Nines, an organization of
women pilots that voluntarily paints the compass
rose markings, completed the last painting at
WVI in November 2018.”
WVI has a weather reporting system that provides near real-time weather and visibility information to pilots operating in the area. The Airport has an Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) unit on site that transmits the wind speed and Ninety-Nines Painting Compass Rose at WVI

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direction, visibility, sky conditions, air pressure, ceiling height, and precipitation. The ASOS usually generates reports with updatedweather conditions once per minute and often provides the most accurate and timely weather information to pilots. As the system records weather in one-minute intervals, special observations can be reported if conditions change rapidly. ASOS information can be accessed on the designated frequency or by calling a dedicated phone number. The system is critical to pilots arriving and departing from WVI and greatly improves the safety of Airport operations, particularly during IMC.

1.7.4 Climatic and Meteorological Conditions
Local climatic and meteorological conditions significantly affect the operations at an airport in a number of ways. As such, proper airport planning and development can minimize the impacts that climatic and meteorological conditions have on aircraft operations and can ensure the maximum utilization of airport facilities. Wind conditions, temperatures, and precipitation at an airport can directly influence many airfield design decisions including runway orientation and length, airfield pavement type, and location of NAVAIDs at the airport.

Climate
WVI’s proximity to the Pacific Oceanmeans that the Airport experiences mild climatic and meteorological conditions yearround. Mean maximum temperatures range from 61° Fahrenheit (F) in January to 74° F in September. Mean minimum temperatures range from 39° F to 54° F. Like many of California’s coastal regions, Watsonville is classified as a cool summer Mediterranean Climate.5F4F6F
7As such, the region often experiences relatively wet winters between November and April and mild, dry summers between May and October. Averagemonthly precipitation ranges from 0.01 inches of precipitation in the driest month (July) to 4.84 inches of precipitation in the wettest (February).

Meteorological Conditions
When describing weather conditions at an airport, the FAA considers the following general weather classifications:
o Visual flight rule (VFR) conditions - VFR is the set of regulations, procedures, and conditions that permit a pilot to operate and navigate an aircraft based on visual reference to the surrounding environment with limited instrumentation. This usually requires favorable weather conditions with a ceiling of 1,000 feet above ground level (AGL) or greater and visibility of at least three statute miles (also referred to as visual meteorological conditions or VMC).
o Instrument flight rule (IFR) conditions - Specific IFR procedures must be used when operating in IMC, meaning the cloud ceiling is less than 1,000 feet AGL and/or the visibility is less than three statute miles. Appropriately trained pilots can operate equipped aircraft using navigational systems that provide lateral and/or vertical path guidance based on specific meteorological conditions during IFR flight. o Poor visibility conditions (PVC)- These conditions occur when the cloud ceiling is below 200 feet and visibility is below less than ½ mile (RVR 2,400 feet), making the airport unusable for most aircraft operations. Under these conditions only specific airports with advanced navigational systems and correspondingly trained pilots with properly equipped aircraft, may operate.

Weather and wind conditions at WVI are again influenced by the Airport’s proximity to Monterey Bay. During the late spring and summer, moisture and cool air flow inland from the bay, creating marine fog and low stratus clouds over Watsonville.This fog typically forms during the evening and dissipates by mid-morning each day; however, this can create low visibility during morning and evening flight operations. The marine fog usually moves towards the Airport from the southwest, causing the 7 The Weather Channel (2020). “Watsonville, CA Monthly Weather” Available Online at:
https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/57e0b951507859344f85e4140a81fe3f1c4b03ca40c8ef9c2b71bc1736dccaf7 (Accessed September 2020).

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approach to Runway 2 and the departure from Runway 20 to be impacted by IMC before the fog arrives and after it dissipates at the Airport.

Crosswind Coverage
Prevailing wind speed and direction influences airport design and runway use. Runways are ideally oriented parallel with the prevailing wind, allowing aircraft to land and take off into the wind, reducing ground roll distance and minimizing the need for crosswind corrections. The FAA recommends that the primary runway at an airport should be capable of operating under allowable wind conditions at least 95 percent of the time. This recommendation is based on the crosswind (i.e. wind direction and speed as a vector relative to aircraft’s direction of flight) not exceeding the following: 6F5F7F 8 » 10.5 knots (12 mph) for small single-engine and light-twin aircraft » 13 knots (15 mph) for the larger and heavier turboprop and medium jet type aircraft » 16 knots (18.4 mph) for the larger corporate/military jet and narrow-body commercial type aircraft » 20 knots (23.0 mph) for larger narrow-body and wide-body commercial type aircraft Table 1-9 details the calculated crosswind coverage for each of the aforementioned crosswind components for each runway and combined in various weather conditions at WVI.

Table 1-9: Annual Wind Coverage
Weather
Classification
Runway
Percent of Wind Coverage

10.5 Knots 13 Knots 16 Knots 20 Knots
All Weather
02-20 99.60% 99.84% 99.98% 100%
09-27 98.42% 99.14% 99.74% 99.93%
Combined 99.88% 99.97% 100% 100%
IFR
02-20 99.76% 99.92% 99.98% 100%
09-27 98.39% 98.96% 99.57% 99.86%
Combined 99.86% 99.96% 99.99% 100%
VFR
02-20 99.46% 99.79% 99.97% 100%
09-27 98.21% 99.09% 99.77% 99.95
Combined 99.87% 99.97% 100% 100%
Sources: FAA Wind Analysis / Wind Rose Generator, NOAA Weather Station at Watsonville Municipal Airport, 2010-2019

1.7.5 Parachute Landing Area (PLA)
The Parachute Landing Area (PLA) is located on the northwest area of WVI adjacent to Runway 9, shown as #43 on Figure 1-3. The PLA is accessed by vehicles for pickup of participants through Manfre Road adjacent to the businessNordic Naturals. The circular PLA is 366 feet in diameter and outlined by painted markers and mowed grass. The skydiving activity is 8 Specific crosswind limitations based on Runway Design Code (RDC) are described in FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300 -13A, Airport Design

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operated by GoJump Santa Cruz and based out of Hangar #21. As part of the operating agreement with the Airport, only tandem jumps are performed as no instruction of students is allowed.6F8F 9 It should be noted that the PLA is not for the exclusive use of the on field skydive operator9F 10 and could conceivably be used by
non-affiliated sky divers. Airport management requires prior permission be obtained before PLA use by the general public. It should be noted that the Airport is required to make the airport available for public use to all types, kinds, and classes of aeronautical activities per the FAA grant assurances as a federally obligated airport.

The location of the PLA is under review by the Airport as the current location is proposed to be as part of a land swap between the Airport andNordic Naturals. Nordic Naturals would like to expand their facility adjacent to the Airport, but their current property where the expansion would occur falls within Caltrans Safety Zone Five, in which the CalTrans Airport Land Use Planning Handbook recommends avoiding high-intensity non-residential uses. In order to comply with the Caltrans Safety Zone recommendations and still allow for the development, a discussion was started to swap the land currently owned by Nordic Naturals for the land occupied by the existing PLA. The net effect of the approved land swap would effectively bring Caltrans Safety Zone Five under the sole control of the Airport. In exchange for the land swap the Airport would relinquish a n equal portion of land in Safety Zone Six, just south of the approach end of Runway 9, which allows for this type of development.

1.8 Landside Facilities
Landside facilities support airport operations in a number of ways and serve a variety of crucial purposes at airports. Landside facilities include such facilities as aircraft storage and apron space, airport terminals (including GA terminals), refueling facilities, pilot lounges, and other support facilities including access roads, vehicle parking, and more. Landside facilities can also support revenue generation at airports through the sale of fuel, lease payments from concessionaries or other businesses, and aircraft storage fees.

An examination of the conditions and characteristics of landside facilities is an essential element of the airport master planning process as it determines the ability of the Airport to meet future needs of the City and users. The inventory of existing landside facilities was completed through physical inspection, discussions with Airport management and staff, review of prior airport planning studies and airport layout plans, and publicly available information related to the Airport. The inventory includes the following components of landside facilities and services:
o Apron and Aircraft Storage
o Airport Terminal and Support Facilities
o Fueling Facilities
o Vehicle Access, Circulation, and Parking
o Security
o Drainage and Utilities
o Airport Business and Services

1.8.1 Apron and Aircraft Storage
The primary purpose of an aircraft hangar is aircraft storage, as outlined in the FAA’s Policy on Use of Hangars at Obligated Airports, which is incorporated in FAA Order 5190.6B, Airport Compliance Handbook. There are several hangar configurations 9 WVI's Minimum Commercial Standards (MCS) define a process to ensure "other than Tandem jumps" require airport approval. Per d iscussion with the current operator PLA there are instances where single jumpers accompany tandem jumps for video recordings. On numerous occasions it may appear as though there is a single jumper when in fact it is considered to be part of a tandem operation. Given neither the City or Airport controls the surrounding airspace but is obligated to support aeronautical activities it relies on pilots and airmen (including jumpers) to adhere to the generally accepted "Best Practices", chief among those is "See and Avoid."
10 In 2021, SkyDive Surf City replaced GoJump as the on field skydiving operation.

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at the Airport including T-hangars, conventional box hangars, mini-hangars, and commercial hangars reserved for maintenance and corporate aircraft (see Figure 1-4). While all property is owned by the City, the hangar structures on the Airport are a mix of month-to-month permitted use and longer-term City approved leases. One hangar, #25, is currently owned by the tenant with the intent to revert to City ownership at the end of the ground lease. The hangars are fairly spread out at WVI across the aircraft operating area, with a cluster of hangars located southeast of the terminal building and another cluster of hangar structures located next to the SASO facilities on the west side of the Airport.

The Airport currently has a waitlist for T-hangars, Box hangars and Corporate hangars for aircraft storage. The waitlist has over 80 applicants on it, with the majority of applicants waitlisted for a T-hangar space to become available.

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Figure 1-4: Apron and Aircraft Storage

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T-Hangars
T-hangars are shaped like the letter “T” and typically
nested together facing opposite directions, helping to
create more densely configured aircraft storage spaces.

The t-shape allows for the aircraft to be towed or
reversed into the space with the wings fitting nicely into the top cross section of the t-shape. Aircraft are stored in t-hangars next to one another, with the aircraft
positioned wings to tails. T-hangars can vary in size to accommodate different aircraft; however, they are
typically reserved for aircraft that only require 1,100 square feet or less. Figure 1-5 displays an example
configuration of a nested T-hangar row.

There are 15 rows of T-hangars that account 206 Thangar spaces at the Airport. The rows are different configurations:
o Hangars A to E, labeled #3 through #7 range from
900 to 975 square feet per unit on Figure 1-4.

These hangars are located east of the terminal
building outside of an on-airport business. These
are the oldest hangars on the field, built in the 1950s and 1960s.
o Hangars F to K and labeled #8, #9, and #11 through #14. These T-hangars are slightly larger than Hangars A to E, at 1,000 square feet per unit, and located adjacent to Taxiway B. These are the newest hangars onsite, built between 1993 and 1996.
o Hangars W to Z, labeled #16 through #19, are on the south side of the airfield, near Taxiway A. These structures are the largest T-hangars and are approximately 1,100 square feet per unit. These hangars were built in phases during the late 1970s and mid-1980s.

Various T-hangar rows have restrooms, so tenants do not need to walk across the aprons to utilize the restrooms within the terminal.

In addition to the aircraft storage hangars shown in Table 1-10, the Airport also has 14 mini-hangars and 30 end or middle rooms within the T-hangar buildings that can be rented out or used by the Airport for other storage. The mini hangars are approximately 500 square feet each and the end or middle rooms are approximately 120 square feet. These spaces are not big enough or configured in such a way that would allow an aircraft to be stored but allow for the overall building to be a rectangular shape.

T-Hangars
T-Hangars

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Figure 1-5: Example of T-hangar and Mini-Hangar Configuration Conventional Hangars
Conventional hangars are large single room structures that can house one or more aircraft and are referred to by many names depending on the airport and arrangement, including box or corporate hangars. Therefore, there is often more than one space inside a conventional hangar. According to the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report
113: Guidebook on General Aviation Facility Planning,
hangars with a square footage of 3,600 feet can
accommodate approximately 28 percent of the current GA
fleet. Approximately 70 percent of the GA fleet can be
accommodated by conventional box hangars that are 4,900 square feet. Depending on the size of an aircraft, hangars between 2,200 and 3,600 feet can hold 1 to 3 single engine aircraft. Hangars between 3,600 square feet and 5,700 square feet could hold 2 to 4 single engine or smaller multi-engine aircraft. Conventional or corporate hangars can support economic activity in the region because they attract business users who need to base an aircraft in the area.

The Airport has 15 conventional hangar units (12 designated as “Corporate” and 3 designated as “Box”) of varying sizes and uses, as shown on Figure 1-3.

There are two corporate (or box) hangar rows, labeled #1 and #2. These hangars are located in the east corner of the airfield, near Runway 27 and Taxiway C. Each row contains 6 hangars for a total of 12. This style of hangars allows for more flexibility of storage configuration than T-hangars and may house multiple aircraft with a combination of office or storage space or other amenities such as restrooms. These hangars are typically utilized for larger aircraft operated by flight departments of local businesses.

Hangars L (two units in one structure) and M (one unit in one structure), labeled #10 and #15, respectively, are approximately 2,200 square feet each, and are leased, along with all T-hangars,on a month-to-month basis. Hangar M is located on the south side of the airfield, closer to Taxiway A, and Hangar L is located northeast of the terminal building.

Conventional/Corporate Hangar

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Commercial/Maintenance Hangars
Similar to a conventional hangar, commercial/maintenance hangars are large, single room buildings that can house multiple aircraft. However, commercial/maintenance hangars are only used by Specialized Aviation Service Operators (SASOs) for storage of aircraft owned by or being stored by the SASOs, usually when undergoing maintenance or repairs. As such, commercial/maintenance hangars are not available for general based aircraft storage and are not counted as available space for future demand.

There are seven total commercial/maintenance hangars at WVI with varying sizes and uses, as shown in Figure 1-3. Section

1.8.7 discusses the businesses and tenants that occupy these buildings.

A series of maintenance hangars, labeled as #20 through #23, are known as the Watsonville Airport Center, located along Aviation Way that can accommodate a variety of aircraft and businesses. Adjacent to building #22 and #23 is a 57,000 square foot apron. There are 14 tie downs and 5 helicopter parking spaces available on this apron. This Watsonville Airport Center also accommodates approximately 40 vehicles for tenants and visitors. Additional vehicle parking is available along Aviation Way outside of the perimeter fence.

The commercial/maintenance conventional box-hangar labeled #23 is approximately 6,600 square feet and also located on the west side of Aviation Way.

A commercial/maintenance hangar labeled as #25
is approximately 14,100 square feet with an
associated 20,000 square foot apron that allows for
parking for 3 to 5 aircraft. An additional 8 aircraft
can be parked along the edge of the taxilane to the
hangar. Behind the hangar, connected to Aviation
Way, is parking for 15 to 20 vehicles for tenants and
visitors.

There is a commercial/maintenance hangar that is
labeled #30 and is approximately 2,700 square feet
(50’ x 54’). The hangar is located adjacent to the
east tie down ramp and shares a 12-space vehicle
parking lot with the Airport Operations Building.

There is also a large commercial/maintenance hangar labeled #31 that is approximately 8,000 square feet (approximatel y 80’ x 100’) for aircraft maintenance with an additional 2,000 square feet dedicated to the office space and restrooms. This hangar is located adjacent to hangar #30 east of the Airport terminal building.

Apron Parking
In addition to covered aircraft storage, WVI is also equipped with apron parking, also referred to as aircraft tie downs. Apron parking is a crucial element to WVI’s landside facilities because it offers parking for permanent based aircraft that do not have a hangar and for transient aircraft. Often times, airports charge transient or overnight tie down fees and it can be another way that airports generate revenue. There are four dedicated ramp areas on the airfield, shown in Figure 1-3. o The east transient tie down ramp labeled #33 is approximately 170,800 square feet and has 23 tie downs, including 3 spaces for jets. 16 spaces are currently leased to an on-airport business and 7 are utilized for longer term transient aircraft. When the lease ends the tie downs will revert to City management and may be utilized for transient aircraft.
o The north tie down ramp labeled #36 is 244,700 square feet and is utilized by permanent based aircraft. It can accommodate 68 aircraft and 2 helicopters.
o The transient ramp labeled #35 is approximately 116,547 square feet and can accommodate 20 aircraft.

Hangar #31

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o An additional apron adjacent to
building #22 is 57,000 square feet
and can accommodate 14 aircraft
and 5 helicopters. This apron is for
use by the commercial/maintenance
hangar tenants only. There are 3
additional tie downs adjacent to
Hangar L, temporarily designated for
dilapidated aircraft storage.

The four ramp areas account for approximately
136 apron tie down spaces. There are 25 spaces reserved for transient aircraft and two spaces reserved for transient helicopters on the terminal and east transient ramps, and approximately 104 spaces reserved for based aircraft and five spaces reserved for based helicopters on the east, west, and north tie down ramps.

Helicopter Parking
There are two separate helicopter parking areas at WVI that accommodate rotorcraft activity. A commercial leasehold dedicated to rotary wing aircraft serves as the primary helicopter parking area and is located on the south side of the airfield, just east of the intersection of Taxiways A and D and has 5 dedicated helicopter parking spaces that can accommodate rotorcraft with up to a 36-foot rotor span. There is also a secondary helicopter parking area located north of the Compass Rose near the main tie down ramp that can accommodate 2 helicopters that have up to a 40-foot rotor span and 60-foot length.

Summary of Aircraft Storage
Aircraft storage by building and apron at the Airport is shown in Table 1-10 and Table 1-11 displays a summary of aircraft storage by type.

Table 1-10: Aircraft Storage by Building and Apron
Number Type Name Square Footage Units/Tie downs
24 Apron Helicopter Parking 8,000 5
36 Apron Transient Helicopter Ramp 20,000 2
24 Apron Tenant Parking 57,000 14
25 Apron Tenant Parking 20,000 10
33 Apron East Transient Ramp 170,800 23
35 Apron Terminal Transient Ramp 116,500 18
36 Apron Permanent Tie down Ramp 244,700 61
Adjacent
to 37
Apron Dilapidated Aircraft Tie downs 2,500 3
1 Conventional Corporate Hangars 1-6 23,500 -
2 Conventional Corporate Hangars 7-12 23,400 -
10 Conventional “L” Conventional Box 4,400 2
Main Apron

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Number Type Name Square Footage Units/Tie downs
15 Conventional “M” Conventional Box 2,200 1
20 Conventional Commercial/Maintenance Hangar 6,200 1
21 Conventional Commercial/Maintenance Hangar 6,200 2
22 Conventional Commercial/Maintenance Hangar 12,100 15 23 Conventional Commercial/Maintenance Hangar 6,600 3
25 Conventional Commercial/Maintenance Hangar 14,100 5
30 Conventional Commercial/Maintenance Hangar 2,700 1
31 Conventional Commercial/Maintenance Hangar 8,000 6
3 T-Hangar A 12,800 10
4 T-Hangar B 13,000 10
5 T-Hangar C 12,900 10
6 T-Hangar D 14,100 10
7 T-Hangar E 14,100 10
8 T-Hangar F 26,300 23
9 T-Hangar G 27,300 24
11 T-Hangar H 17,100 14
12 T-Hangar I 22,800 19
13 T-Hangar J 21,600 18
14 T-Hangar K 21,600 18
16 T-Hangar W 20,000 14
17 T-Hangar X 16,400 12
18 T-Hangar Y 11,800 8
19 T-Hangar Z 8,800 6
Sources: 2020 WVI; Google Earth

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Table 1-11: Summary of Aircraft Storage
Storage Type Total Number of Units Total Square Footage Based Tie downs 80 418,000
Transient Tie downs 25 116,500
Helicopter Parking 7 28,000
Tenant Only Tie downs 24 77,000
T-Hangar 206 260,600
Conventional Hangar 15 53,800
Commercial/Maintenance Hangar 33 55,900
Sources: 2020 WVI; Google Earth

1.8.2 Airport Terminal and Support Facilities
There is a single-story administration/terminal building located along Aviation Way that pilot and Airport users can access during Airport hours. The terminal building and attached covered patio is approximately 6,500 square feet with roughly 3,000 square feet dedicated for airport use and 3,500 square feet for the attached restaurant. The aviation terminal provides users and visitors with a variety of services and amenities, including:
o Temperature controlled lobby with chairs, front desk and flat panel television o Wireless internet
o Restrooms
o Restaurant
o Free vehicle parking during regular business hours
o ATM
o Vending machine
Various aeronautical businesses on the airfield provide other pilots’ necessities such as bottled oxygen and aeronautical charts.

The restaurant, Ella’s at the Airport, is open for lunch and dinner and provides indoor and covered outdoor dining, a fullservice bar, and catering. Special musical events take place regularly. Outside of the building there is a 14,000 square foot area of grass and pavement that can be utilized to gather, relax, and watch the aviation activity on the airfield.

The Airport relies on support facilities to maintain efficient and safe daily operations. Support facilities are such structures as on-airport maintenance buildings, storage buildings, public safety buildings, and so on. The Airport is equipped with a 900- square foot maintenance and storage building, labeled #29. Equipment utilized at the Airport include a street sweeper, dump truck, a cargo trailer, aircraft tug, tractors, golf carts, and utility vehicles.

There is also Fire Station No. 2 on Airport property, across Aviation Way, labeled #51, that can provide emergency response to the Airport if needed. While there is no written agreement with local emergency providers (fire, police, medical), the Airport is in contact with the providers and provides training for aircraft emergencies and provides airport familiarization and access codes.

Additionally, there are emergency relief storage containers on the airfield, labeled #37, operated by the Watsonville Emergency Airlift Command Team(WEACT).WEACT is operated by volunteer staff and are activated in the event of an

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earthquake, major fire, or other similar emergency situation. The three containers are for administration, storage, and cargo and staging material and each has electricity and Wi-Fi and the ability to communicate over short wave radio. There is also a communications station within Hangar #10 for the WEACT.

Area Outside of Airport Terminal
Aviation Way Entrance to Airport Terminal Transient Ramp Entrance to Airport Terminal Airport Operations Center

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1.8.3 Fueling Facilities
The fueling facilities at the Airport are owned and
operated by the City, and Airport management has been
the only fuel provider since the 1960s. While offering fullservice upon request, a self-service fuel facility is located approximately 150 feet east of the terminal building
adjacent to an aircraft parking apron. Fuel is stored in three 12,000-gallon underground storage tanks (USTs).

The three tanks store Jet-A fuel, 100LL fuel, and UL94
fuel.

The Airport currently offers full-service and self-service UL94, 100LL, and Jet-A fuel. The self-service fuel island can service multiple aircraft at one time due to its fourpump configuration design. Full-service is available from 8:30 to 4:30 daily, except the 13 annual holidays; a
surcharge is applied to fueling requests outside of these hours.

The Airport’s five fuel trucks are used for full-service fueling. The three 100LL trucks carry 450 gallons, 800
gallons, and 1,200 gallons. The two Jet-A trucks carry
1,200 gallons and 5,000 gallons.

One of the grant assurances airports must commit to in order to receive FAA funding is to provide equal access to airport facilitieswhile also being able to derive economic benefits from the services they offer. Therefore, public-use airports that own and operate their own fuel sales must adhere to the assurance of providing fair and nondiscriminatory pricing. This mandate, and other efforts put forth by WVI, supports fair and competitive cost of fuel. Moreover, the Airport established a new fuel discount policy in 2012 by developing purchase programs that increase customer savings on aviation fuel. The discount program includes the following discounts:
o Self-Service Discount
o Cash Purchase Discount
o Second Weekend Fuel Sale
o Volume Purchase Discount
o Value Purchase Discount
o Charitable Activities Discount
According to AirNav on October 1s, 2020, the fuel prices at the Airport were $4.50 per gallon for both 100LL and Jet-A for full serve, or $4.00 per gallon for self-service.

1.8.4 Vehicle Access, Circulation, and Parking
WVI is accessible to the local community through a network of highways and surface roads that are discussed in detail in Section 1.3. The terminal and hangar areas on the east side of the Airport are accessible from Airport Boulevard and Aviation Way. Curbside parking along AviationWay allowsAirport users to easily access the GA terminal building and drop off pilots and passengers. There are three automatic vehicle access gates along Aviation Way and one access gate located along Airport Boulevard. These gates provide access to the south T-hangar area, the main Airport apron, and the east hangar area.

There are 13 additional pedestrian access gates that allow authorized Airport users to park their vehicles at the terminal or near an airport business and walk to their aircraft or hangar on the airfield.

Self-Serve Fuel Island

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WVI has two paved and lighted parking lots located adjacent to the terminal building that provide access to the terminal, restaurant, and the main aircraft apron. The largest of the two lots is on the west side of the terminal and has 44 standard painted parking spaces with two designated handicap parking spaces and four electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.There are eight standard and two handicap parking spaces in the curbside parking area along Aviation Way. The east parking lot has an additional 24 standard parking spaces and one designated handicap parking space.

Pilots with based aircraft at WVI typically park their vehicles in their tie down location or within their hangar during flights. Pilots are not permitted to leave their vehicles unattended in front of their hangars.

1.8.5 Security
Airport security is a high priority at all airports, including GA airports. The 2017 GA Security Guidelines document published by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) provides guidance for GA airports using an Airport Security Assessment and Protective Measures Matrix. The assessment tool allows airports to determine a baseline from which they can develop security measures that will improve airport safety and security. The assessment is written to help sponsors implement security practices that promote preparedness, detection, responsiveness, and recovery. While not all factors included in the assessment are applicable or required for GA airports, the assessment is a good tool for GA airports to determine their existing security levels and areas where they could see improvement. The FAA also published an Airport Security and Program Template in the 2017 GA Security Guidelines document to further assist GA airports in enhancing airport security.

Table 1-12 shows a list of some of the topics and specific improvements or activities airports can conduct to improve their security and provides a summary for some of the security procedures in place at the Airport.

Table 1-12: GA Security Assessment Topics
Security Topic Security Improvement Activity Present at WVI Airport Security Plan
o Identify aircraft movement areas
o Identify airport personnel and/or vehicles
o Develop Airport Security Plan
o Airport personnel are badged with Airportspecific City employee IDs o Restricted access gate opens with code
only given to authorized individuals
o Plans are in place to move to a
numeric entry system that assigns
unique codes to each tenant and will
be changed more frequently
o Daily report of activity
o Routine after-hour inspections by private
security firm
Airport Emergency Plan
o Identify types of emergencies & response
procedures
o Identify business and operations
continuity procedures
o Develop Airport Emergency Plan
o Employees must participate in safety
trainings
o Emergency Plan

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Security Topic Security Improvement Activity Present at WVI Access Controls
o Implement controlled entrances
o Construct a secure perimeter
o Implement restricted access areas
o Develop CCTV
o Implement signage
o Six restricted access vehicle gates and
thirteen pedestrian gates open with
security code given to authorized
individuals
o Airport personnel are badged with Airportspecific City employee IDs o Equipped with CCTV in the terminal and
airport operations center (AOC)
o Appropriate signage indicating restricted
areas posted
o Additional signage is planned to be
posted for restricted entry points
Barriers
o Use walls, earth banks and berms as
barriers
o Implement vehicle barriers (bollards,
planters, etc.)
o Construct fences with barbed wire and/or
chain link
o Equipped with 6’ fencing that is barbed in
some areas
Monitoring and Surveillance
o Develop CCTV systems
o Use motion detectors
o Use metal detectors
o Use chemical agent, radiological, and/or
explosive detectors
o Equipped with CCTV in the terminal and
Airport operations center (AOC)
o Flood lights installed throughout ramps,
hangars, and vehicle parking areas
Communications
o Availability of telephone and radios
o Use of interoperable equipment
o Use of redundant and backup
communication devices
o Emergency phone numbers posted in the
terminal
o Reminders and emergency alerts sent
through email alert notifications and Notice
to Airmen (NOTAMs)
o AOPA Airport Watch Program posters
o Emergency backup generator for lighting,
restaurant, terminal, and beacon
o Airport employees need to meet Airport
Certified Employee (ACE) communication
requirements prior to promotions

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Security Topic Security Improvement Activity Present at WVI Inspection
o Use check points
o Conduct personnel searches
o Conduct aircraft and hangar searches
o Conduct cargo and shipment searches
o Signage to remind users to tie down
aircraft while parked
o Random hangar safety inspections and
thorough annual inspections for code
violations (flammable or hazardous
materials, drip pans, and current fire
extinguisher)
o Routine perimeter inspections and
coordination with third party security firm
and Watsonville Police to report intrusions
Sources: 2017 TSA GA Security Guidelines; Watsonville Municipal Airport 2020 WVI has implemented a variety of security activities or improvements that enhance Airport security and meet
FAA guidelines. For example, there is a chain-link
perimeter fence at the Airport that encompasses the
airfield area and is routinely inspected. This perimeter fence also has controlled entry access points at critical locations to enforce security practices. In addition, the Airport requires that personnel receive adequate safety training and offer in-house trainings, such as Airport
familiarization and on-field driving training. The Airport also offers fuel-vendor safety trainings. Airport tenants are not required to complete trainings, but they are
required to familiarize themselves with safety
regulations outlined in Airport regulations. The Airport’s Emergency Plan highlights the key steps to be taken
considering an emergency on Airport property. The
Plan outlines who should be notified and in what order, the roles and responsibilities of airport staff members, and protocol s for reopening the airport.

While security measures are comprehensive at the Airport, there are areas where the Airport would like to see improvement.

On occasion, people trespass through the fence adjacent to the water tanks and utilize the Airport property as a shortcut. This is evident because of weekly holes that Airport staff find in the perimeter fence during regular perimeter inspections.These intrusions are reported to the Airport’s third-party security company as well as the Watsonville Police Department.

In addition, the restricted access gates are currently accessed by entering a code into a keypad. The code is only provided to authorized individuals, however security at the access gate could be enhanced by implementing a radio-frequency identification (RFID) key system, where approved personnel would access the gate with an electronic key fob or card key. The Airport was equipped with a similar system two decades ago, but the system was prone to failure, so the keypad was installed.

Perimeter Fencing

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The following images show examples of controlled entry points for vehicles and pedestrians and the chain link perimeter fence. Moreover, the Airport has implemented restricted area controls, is equipped with adequate communications systems and implemented CCTV systems for monitoring and surveillance purposes.

1.8.6 Drainage and Utilities
The Airport completed a 2020 Drainage and Utility Master Plan and prepared a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) based on the findings of the drainage study. The drainage study analyzed both offsite and onsite drainage at the Airport. It was determined that there are four offsite drainage inlets on Airport property. These four drainage inlets do not contribute water flowage to the Airport’s industrial storm water monitored drainage area as the offsite water flows across nonindustrial parts of the Airport. In terms of on-site drainage, there are seven drain outlets that discharge from the Airport. These seven outlets handle the bulk of the Airport’s storm water discharge. The storm water that is exposed to industrial activity occurs in drainage area “L”, and that run-off is discharged at the Airport to the storm water sample point. Drainage area “L” is located in the area surrounding the terminal building.

The Airport’s water and sewer services are provided by City of Watsonville facilities, while electrical power is supplied by PG&E. AT&T is the Airport’s telephone provider.

Located on Airport property, but outside of the perimeter fence is the Burchell Water Tank, which is owned and operated by the City of Watsonville and serves a part of the municipality’s critical water facilities. The City is proposing an additional tank adjacent to this tank following a citywide water master plan to assist with future capacity and allow for continued maintenan ce of the existing tank.

Controlled Access Point to the Airfield Operating Area Controlled Access Point to the Airfield Operating Area

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1.8.7 Airport Businesses and Services
Airports can generate income by leasing out available space to aeronautical firms, other commercial businesses, public agencies, or utility companies. If an area is zoned and developed appropriately then the airport can lease that space out to an interested party. The more that an airport can diversify its available land for business, utility, or light industrial development, the greater opportunity they have for attracting tenants.

Moreover, the more services an airport can provide or support the more attractive it can become to users and investors.

Offering a variety of services and amenities can attract more airport users, retain current airport users, and generate more activity at an airport. Many of the services provided come from business tenants who help airports generate income through lease payments.

The Airport has over 30 different leaseholders amounting to approximately 1.5 million square feet of rentable space.These leaseholders represent a variety of different industries and firms, indicating economic diversification and significant opportunity for income generation. Airport leaseholders are a mix of aeronautical and non-aeronautical firms, public agencies, and utility companies who rent space for cell-towers.

The Airport currently has 16 aeronautical activity tenants that provide a variety of essential aviation services. Many of the business’s activities include flight training, aircraft maintenance/repair, aviation education,or other services that benefit the Airport and its users. Additionally, CALSTAR Air Medical Services operates an emergency air medical transport base at the airport. CALSTAR utilizes an Airbus EC135 helicopter to rapidly transport critically ill or injured patients from incident sites to area hospitals, greatly improving the safety of the local community.

Figure 1-6 depicts the present location of aeronautical businesses associated with the Airport and includes the types of services provided by each firm. The comprehensive list of aeronautical services these businesses provide is an asset to the Airport because it promotes a variety of uses and caters to all aviation needs.

In addition to the aeronautical business
leaseholders at the Airport, there are
also a variety of non-aeronautical
business that lease space. A number of
the non-aeronautical tenants are located
on Airport property, but across Aviation
Way from the airfield. The nonaeronautical businesses located at the Airport contribute to its ability to
generate revenue and the diversity of
firms leasing from the Airport indicates
strong and sustainable economic activity. Figure 1-7 and Figure 1-8 provide a list and location of the non-aeronautical firms at the Airport and list the services they provide. Additionally, there are three cell towers that lease property from the Airport. In Figure 1-6 through Figure 1-8, each building is labeled with its corresponding number and position from Figure 1-3.

Sample of Watsonville Businesses
Non-Aeronautical Business Building (Head’n Home)

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Figure 1-6: Locations of Aeronautical Businesses

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Figure 1-7: Locations of Non-Aeronautical Businesses – Terminal Area

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Figure 1-8: Locations of Non-Aeronautical Businesses

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1.9 Airspace
Airspace in the U.S. is classified generally as controlled, uncontrolled, or special use. Controlled airspace encompasses tho se areas where there are specific certification, communication, and navigation equipment requirements that pilots and aircraft must meet to operate in that airspace.

Local Airspace
Through Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), airspace classifications have been developed to promote the safe and efficient movement and control of aircraft during flight and approach/departure procedures. Airspace classifications are identified on sectional aeronautical charts published by the FAA’s National Aeronautical Charting Office.

As the summary descriptions of airspace classifications indicate and Figure 1-9 and Figure 1-10 show, different classes of airspace have different characteristics, dimensions, altitudes, and requirements based on the types of activity that they are intended to support. Existing airspace classifications in the vicinity of WVI and those that could have the potential to impact aircraft operations at the Airport have been identified. Any potential impacts that these airspace classifications and areas may have on the Airport will be examined prior to identifying the recommended development plan for the Airport. As a non-towered airport, the airspace above WVI is Class G (uncontrolled) from the surface up to but not including 700 feet above ground level (AGL). Class E controlled airspace begins above at 700 feet AGL. These classifications are further discussed below.

Figure 1-9: Airspace Classifications
Source: FAA Aeronautical Information Manual

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FAR Part 71 and FAR Part 73 establish classifications of airspace with the following characteristics:

Class A Airspace – Class A airspace is not shown on aeronautical charts. It begins at 18,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL) and extends to higher altitudes. Only pilots flying IFR can enter this airspace and prior permission is required. Class A airspace does not significantly impact the operation of WVI.

Class B Airspace – Class B airspace is found around major airports. Pilots must get permission to enter this airspace from the controlling agency, typically the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility associated with the airport and region as well as have a two-way radio and transponder with altitude reporting capability. The closest Class B airspace near WVI is surrounding SFO, approximately 50NM to the northwest. The Class B airspace comes as close as 12 NM to the northeast of WVI over the Santa Cruz Mountains at a bottom elevation of 6,000 and 8,000 MSL.

Class C Airspace – Class C airspace is the airspace from the surface to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation. Although the configuration of each Class C airspace area is individually tailored, the airspace usually consists of a surface area with a fivemile radius, and an outer circle with a 10-mile radius that extends from 1,200 feet to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation. An aircraft must establish two-way radio communication with the controlling agency providing air traffic services prior to entering the airspace and thereafter maintain those communications while within the airspace. Visual Flight Rule (VFR) aircraft are only separated from Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) aircraft within the airspace. There are two airports with Class C airspace located near WVI: SJC, approximately 25 NM to the north and MRY, approximately 21 NM to the south.

Class D Airspace – Class D airspace exists at any airport with an operating air traffic control tower where Class B or Class C airspace does not exist. Class D airspace typically extends 5 miles from the airport to an altitude of 2,500 feet AGL. Pilots must establish two-way radio communication with the controlling agency, usually the air traffic control tower, before entering this classification of airspace. The closest airport with Class D airspace is SNS, approximately 18 NM to the southeast of WVI.

Class E Airspace (with floor 700 feet above surface) –Class E airspace typically surrounds airports having instrument approaches and encompasses portions of the instrument approach paths. The flight requirements within Class E airspace result in increased aircraft separation requirements thereby promoting safety and minimizing potential incidents between IFR and VFR aircraft in this airspace. The airspace above WVI is classified as Class E and joins with airspace surrounding SNS, MRY, CVH, and OAR. WVI is also adjacent to Class E space around E16 and a private facility.

Class G Airspace –Class G airspace is referred to as uncontrolled airspace and is not depicted on aeronautical charts. This classification of airspace comprises all airspace not identified as another class. IFR flights may originate or terminate in the Airport's Class G airspace, but typically IFR flights do not operate enroute in Class G airspace, as no Air Traffic Control (ATC) services are provided. VFR flights are permitted as long as visibility and cloud clearance minimums are met. Class G airspace at WVI begins at the surface and extends to 700 feet AGL.

Restricted Areas –Restricted areas contain airspace identified by an area on the surface of the earth within which the flight of aircraft, while not wholly prohibited, is subject to restrictions. Restricted areas denote the existence of unusual, often invisible, hazards to aircraft; examples include artillery firing, aerial gunnery, or guided missiles. Penetration of restricted areas without authorization from the using or controlling agency may be extremely hazardous to the aircraft and its occupants. The closest restricted areas near WVI are R-2531, approximately 40 NM north near Tracey, and R-2513 and R-2504 A&B, approximately 50 NM to the south in the Santa Lucia Mountain Range for Fort Hunter-Liggett.

Prohibited Areas – Prohibited areas contain airspace within which the flight of unauthorized aircraft is prohibited. Such areas are established for security or other reasons associated with the national welfare. Prohibited areas are published in the National Register and are depicted on aeronautical charts. There are no areas of prohibited airspace proximate to WVI.

Alert and Military Operation Areas – Alert areas are depicted on aeronautical charts to inform nonparticipating pilots of areas that may contain a high volume of pilot training or an unusual type of aerial activity. Pilots should be particularly a lert when flying in these areas. All activity within an alert area shall be conducted in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs), without waiver, and pilots of participating aircraft as well as pilots transiting the areas shall be equa lly responsible for collision avoidance. Military operation areas (MOAs) consist of airspace of defined vertical and lateral limits established for the purpose of separating certain military training activities from IFR traffic. Whenever a MOA is being used,

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nonparticipating IFR traffic may be cleared through the MOA if IFR separation can be provided by air traffic control. Otherwise, air traffic control will reroute or restrict nonparticipating IFR traffic. Pilots operating under VFR should exercise caution while flying within a MOA when military activity is being conducted.The closest alert areas near WVI are a series of five Hunter Low & High MOA areas and Roberts MOA approximately 50 NM to the south in the Santa Lucia Mountain Range for Fort HunterLiggett.

Special Areas – As WVI is located along the western coast of California, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, there is the additional restriction in place on flight operations below 1,000 feet AGL over the designated areas within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Flights below 1,000 feet violate National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA)regulations, 15 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 922.

Figure 1-10: Airspace Surrounding Watsonville Airport
Source: FAA Aeronautical Charts, August 13, 2020

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Approach and Departure Procedures
An instrument approach procedure (IAP)is defined as a series of predetermined maneuvers that guide an aircraft from the beginning of the initial approach to a landing, or a point from which a landing may be made visually. IAPs are especially important during IMC. IAPs rely on NAVAID equipment to provide the necessary guidance to pilots in flight. The current IAPs, special alternative minimums, departure procedures, and special take-off minimums are available in Appendix A.

IAPs are classified as precision approaches (PA), approaches with vertical guidance (APV), or non-precision approaches (NPA) based on the guidance provided to pilots. PAs are procedures that provide both vertical guidance, typically via a glide slope, and horizontal guidance, typically with a localizer, to aircraft. APV procedures provide vertical guidance utilizing navigational systems that are not required to meet the precision approach standards of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)Annex 10, but still provides both course and glidepath deviation information. NPAprocedures and equipment provide only horizontal guidance to pilots. Instrument approach equipment and available non-precision approaches at WVI are summarized in Table 1-13. The ability of these approach procedures to safely and efficiently accommodate current and future activity levels at the Airport is determined in a subsequent task in the master planning process.

Localizer (LOC) – A ground-based non-precision instrument approach system that uses radio signals and lighting to provide pilots with lateral guidance on their approach. The LOC approach into WVI has aircraft arrive from the southwest (198-degree heading), over the Monterey Bay, utilizing the VOR from SNS as the initial approach fix.

Very-High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio (VOR) – A non-precision instrument approach that utilizes a radio signal from an on or off airport facility to aid in an instrument approach. The circling VOR approach into WVI has the aircraft arrive from the southeast (134-degree heading) towards the center of the airfield between Runways 02 and 27.

Area Navigation with Global Positioning System (GPS/RNAV) – A non-precision instrument approach type utilizing radio signals from Area Navigation equipment and/or radio signals from a network of navigational satellites. The RNAV approach into WVI has aircraft arrive from the southeast over the Monterey Bay. Based on the instruments within the aircraft, pilots have the ability to utilize vertical guidance similar to a glide slope but is not considered a precision approach. This is known a s localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV). Lateral navigation (LNAV)/vertical navigation (VNAV) and LNAV approaches also have both lateral and vertical guidance, but higher minimums than LPV approaches. Additionally, an LNAV approach is based on the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA), which represents the lowest altitude to which a pilot may descend on a specific approach segment. The others are based on Decision Altitude (DA) 7F7F10F 11, at which the pilot must have visual
contact with the runway, runway environments, or lights to continue to land.

Table 1-13 also displays the special alternateminimums. Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 91.169 states that IFR flight plans must include an alternate airport unless the weather is at least 2,000-foot ceiling and 3 miles visibility from one hour before to one hour after the planned landing time. The standard alternative minimums for non-precision instrument approaches are 800-foot ceiling and 2 statute miles (SM) visibility. Based on the specific airport conditions, a higher than standard minimum can be set for the individual approaches based on the category of aircraft flying the approach. If the alternative airport’s weather does not meet the special alternative minimums it cannot be listed on the IFR flight plan as the pilot’s alternate airport.
11 Decision Altitude (DA) is measured in Mean Sea Level and Decision Height (DH) in Above Ground Level.

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Table 1-13: Instrument Approaches
Runway End Approach Type Minimum Decision
Altitude (MSL)
Site Distance
(SM)
Special Alternate
Minimums
Other (Circling) VOR-A 1,300 1 ¼ miles
Not Authorized when local
weather is not available;
Categories A, B, 1200-2;
Categories C, D 1200-3
02 LOC 700 1 mile -
02 GPS/RNAV Category D, 1000-3
LPV 448 7/8 mile
LNAV/VNAV 772 1 ¾ mile
LNAV 700 1 mile
Source: FAA 5010 Airport Master Record, 2020
There are several obstacles that need to be avoided within the vicinity of WVI including poles, trees, buildings, fences, vehicles on roads, transmission lines, and towers. As such, Takeoff Minimums and (Obstacle) Departure Procedures have been developed for WVI. The GARLK ONEdeparture procedure is available for WVI, which allows aircraft departing Runway 20 and 02 to head southwest over the Monterey Bay to the GARLK waypoint. The Watsonville Four Departure provides routes from Runways 09 and 20 towards the SNS VOR that help pilots avoid obstacles in the area.

Traffic Patterns
The traffic pattern at an airport is the standard path followed by an aircraft when taking off or landing that improves safety by providing a method to coordinate traffic amongst multiple aircraft utilizing the same runway, whether the airport has an Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) or not. At WVI, the traffic patterns for both runways are left hand, consist of left turns, with a 1,200’ MSL (1,000’ AGL) Traffic Pattern Altitude (TPA).

Figure 1-11: WVI Standard Left-hand Traffic Pattern
Source: FAA Aeronautical Information Manual

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Noise Abatement
As WVI is surrounded by noise sensitive areas, voluntary noise abatement procedures have been established. Airport management has partnered with Whisper Track 8F8F11F
12 to provide a clear list of procedures in a database that is regularly used by pilots. Airport managementis forthcoming that safety supersedes noise abatement procedures and that air traffic control instructions and other safety considerations caused by weather or emergencies should be complied with. It is understood that at the time of writing this MPU that departures are not allowed from Runway 27 due to airfield obstructions. The noise abatement procedures for Runway 27 are still included in this section as landings are currently permitted and it is intended for Runway 27 to be fully operational in the future.

While Runway 20 is identified as the preferred calm wind runway, during the late Spring and throughout the Summer, the coastal stratus may preclude the safe use of Runway 20. Under these conditions, pilots should consider a righthand pattern for Runway 27 to avoid the coastal stratus.

In general, Airport management has requested that overflights of the High School to the south of the Airport should be avoided.

For all runways, pilots are asked to keep the engine revolutions per minute (RPM) and power settings as low as possible during arrivals and the downwind leg of the traffic pattern.

For departures on all runways, there should be no turns below 900 feet MSL and full power climbouts should be avoided on downwind departures over congested areas.When Runway 27 is operational, pilots should climb to the TPA prior to turning.

For Runway 20, there should be no turns prior to the freeway.

For flight training maneuvers, pilots are requested to be at the TPA over the freeway on the downwind leg of Runway 20 and not to use Runway 9-27 for touch-and-go’s.
12 https://whispertrack.com/airports/KWVI (Accessed September 2020)

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Figure 1-12: Noise Abatement Procedures

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1.10 Current Aviation Activity
Determining the current levels of aviation activity is an essential component of the master planning process. Airport activity is measured by number and type of annual operations and based aircraft. This data is helpful for assessing how the Airport’s existing capacity and conditions are support current activity levels. Moreover, understanding a baseline for current aviation activity is helpful during forecasting efforts.

Operations
Aircraft operations are counted by either a take-off or landing conducted by an aircraft. Therefore, a touch-and-go, which includes a take-off and landing, counts as two operations. Only airports with an ATCT that is open 24 hours a day can determine an accurate count of operations because all operations are monitored. Non-towered airports estimate their operations since they are typically not consistently monitored, and as such these estimations may not always reflect the actual total number of annual operations that occur.

As a non-towered airport, WVI has relied on various methods of counting operations. From 2013 to 2017, WVI utilized the service of AAP, Inc. AAP developed an aircraft activity counter using an infrared camera system designed for capturing images of aircraft operations. The system consists of a remote unit located at each runway end. Every time an aircraft departs or lands, the system takes a picture and automatically stores it on a SD card for later upload to a database. At the end of the observation period, the airport operations are tallied and organized into categories such as the number of engines, type of aircraft (piston, turbine, jet, or helicopter), and the time of day. Figure 1-13 displays the annual operations from 2013 to 2017 from AAP, Inc., which range from a low of 38,776 (as result of unusually heavy rainy season and runway pavement rehabilitation)to a high of 61,434 (as a result of substantial traffic increase leading up to and immediately after the National Football League’s Super Bowl 50 held in Santa Clara California. WVI was designated one of a few “satellites” airports requested by the NFL). The average operations within this time period are approximately 53,500.

In late 2019, WVI began utilizing equipment from Maritime Information Systems (MIS) to track the activity in the vicinity of the airfield through Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology. MIS offers a cloud-based subscription which leverages the nationwide ADS-B infrastructure to compile data in a customized dashboard. ADS-B is a newer technology for the aviation industry that provides real-time location of aircraft. As of January 1, 2020, all aircraft were required to be equipped with ADS-B equipment if flying within airspace as defined in 14 CFR 91.225, which includes Class A, B, and C, as well as certain areas of Class E and G.9F12F
13 As of October 1, 2020, it is estimated that approximately 40 percent of aircraft registered in California are equipped. In addition to unequipped aircraft, there are times where the evolving technology does not always capture every flight. While this database is robust, not every operation is being counted to rely on the results for a complete picture of the Airport’s operations.

Figure 1-13 displays the annual operations from 2013 to 2020 based on the AAP and MIS data. 2018 and 2019 are estimated as there is no accurate information recorded for this year as ADS-B was not yet an FAA requirement for aircraft. This estimate is based on the growth from 2013 to 2017 and general understanding of the high level of traffic experienced by GA nationwide. 2020 is based on a review of the MIS data along with considerations of the extraordinary events of 2020. There were approximately 44,000 operations from January to November 2020. December is estimated to be approximately 4,000 operations, for a total of 48,000 operations.Additional factors must be considered to estimate the total annual operations for 2020 beyond just the ADS-B data.

There are two main events that impacted the total number of operations at WVI in 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic and the CZULightning Complex Fire. A case can be made that if these extraordinary events did not take place, the annual operations 13 ADS-B equipment is required to be used in Class E airspace above 10,000’ MSL and in Class E and G airspace within the Mode C veil that extends from the surface to 10,000’ MSL within 30 NM from Class B airports.

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in 2020 would have been higher. It can be reasonably concluded that an additional 2,500 operations would have been conducted, resulting in a 2020 total annual operations estimate of 50,500. These events are described below.

Figure 1-13: Annual Operations from 2013 to 2020
Sources: 2013-2017 AAP Inc., 2018 and 2019 Estimated, 2020 MIS COVID-19: Just prior to the start of this study, the global COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. In May 2020, U.S. passenger travel was down 95 percent compared to the prior year for the months of March and Apri l. Globally, the number of scheduled flights was down 70 percent compared to the same week in May of last year. While GA activity has not been as impacted as commercial flights throughout the pandemic, there was a noticeable difference in the early months. WVI operations dropped by over 1,000 from February to March, but then began climbing again starting in April, just one month after COVID shutdowns began. While COVID will have lasting impacts to commercial service and GA, the operations at WVI since March demonstrate a promising recovery for WVI post-COVID. This minimal impact is reflected at WVI by the fact that only a few thousand less operations were recorded in 2020 than the five-year average from 2014-2018. For the purposes of this MPU, a conservative estimate is that COVID reduced operations by approximately 1,400 operations for 2020.

CZU Lightning Complex Fire: The 2020 fire season also had an impact on operations due to heavy smoke and temporary flight restrictions (TFR) at WVI. As of December 14, 2020, CalFire estimated that 4.18 million acres in California burned across 9,639 incidents in 2020. In August 2020, WVI activated its Emergency Aerial Support Action Plan (E-ASAP) to support CalFire efforts in combating the CZU Lightning Complex Fire that ravaged the nearby Santa Cruz Mountain range. The CZU Lightning Complex Fire, which was started by a lightning storm on August 16th, burned more than 86,000 acres and took almost six weeks to extinguish. WVI housed seven helicopters with their support personnel and equipment including mobile fuelers and support vehicles. During this time, Runway 9-27was closed to support the activity while the remainder of the airfield was open. The impact of annual fire season can be seen starting in July, with the lowest point in August during the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. The ADS-B database displayed a sharp decline of weekly operations from the first half of August to the second half of August – almost 600 operations per week to less than 200. While forest fires are anticipated to take place annually, the proximity of fires, thus the impact to WVI in 2020,would be considered 44,732
56,130
61,912
38,776
61,434 60,000 60,000
50,500
-
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
CalFire Operating in Santa Cruz Mountains

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extraordinary. For the purposes of this MPU, it is estimated that 900 operations were not conducted due to the CZU Lightning Complex fire and associated hazardous conditions.

Figure 1-14 displays the percent of operations in 2020 by aircraft type according to MIS data. Additional information on operations will be provided in subsequent chapters of this MPU.

Figure 1-14: 2020 Operations by Aircraft Type 2020
Source: 2020 MIS Database (January-November)
Based Aircraft
A based aircraft is generally defined as an aircraft that is stored at an airport for much of the year. An accurate based aircraft recording can provide insight to the adequacy of aircraft storage and facility capacity at an airport. The number of based aircraft at any given facility is subject to fluctuations as aircraft owners may choose to move their aircraft, buy or sell, and other factors. The number of based aircraft can be recorded by multiple sources; however,the FAA’s National Based Aircraft Inventory Program is often the most commonly used source for based aircraft data. The FAA gathers and maintains this data because of its aircraft registration program andmakes the data available via BasedAircraft.com. According to BasedAircraft.com there are 280 validated based aircraft at the Airport. The number excludes duplicates and aircraft not recorded in FAA Aircraft Registration Data. As shown in Figure 1-15, the majority of aircraft registered at the Airport are single engine, amounting to 256 aircraft, or 91 percent of the fleet mix. Of the 256 single engine aircraft, 32 of them are experimental aircraft, three light sport aircraft and two ultralight aircraft, meaning there are 219 standard single-engine, based aircraft. The remaining nine percent of the fleet is made up of 15 multi-engine aircraft, four jet aircraft, and five helicopters.A breakdown of the current activity by specific aircraft type is provided in later chapters of this study.

Jet
1%
Multi-Engine
5%
Helicopter
12%
Single-Engine
69%
Light Sport
Aircraft
2%
Experimental
11%

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Figure 1-15: 2020 Based Aircraft Fleet Mix
Source: FAA National Based Aircraft Registry (BasedAircraft.com), January 2021 The owners of the aircraft based at WVI include private, recreational pilots, small aviation-related business owners, local agricultural companies, governmental agencies, and large corporations. The images below are representative of aircraft based at WVI.
219
32 3 2
15 4 5
0 50
100
150
200
250
Single
Engine
SE -
Experimental
SE - Light
Sport
Ultralight Multi Engine Jet Helicopter
PAC 750XL Beechcraft Bonanza
Cessna Citation CJ2 Robinson 44

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1.11 Environmental Overview
Due to the FAA’s participation in airport planning and
development projects, airport owners are obligated to incorporate the evaluation of environmental concerns affecting both the human and natural environments into their development
programs. An environmental and land use inventory has been undertaken relative to WVI in concert with FAA AC 150/5070-6B, Airport Master Plans. The information was gathered through desktop review of existing environmental documents, agency databases, and previous studies. The overview also considers the enabling legislation, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The overview examines the local land use and environmental conditions to identify the applicable jurisdictional authorities and recognize environmental factors that could potentially be affected by future airport development. It is intended that the information is used to help guide and evaluate future facility development concepts. Appendix B provides more detailed information on the topics listed below. • Land Use and Zoning
• Wildlife Hazard Attractants
• Water Resources
• Section 4(f) and 6(f) Resources
• Air Quality
• Biotic Resources and Endangered Species
• Coastal Resources
• Farmlands
• Hazardous Materials
• Underground Storage Tanks
• Historic and Cultural Resources
The potential impact to any identified environmental
considerationswill be evaluated, along with development of a strategy for environmental clearance, subsequently in this MPU.

Struve Slough
Santa Cruz Tarplant

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2 Aviation Forecasts
Projections of future aviation activity at an airport provide the foundation for effective decision-making in airport planning and development. Such forecasts are used to determine the type, size, and timing of new or expanded airport facilities to meet anticipated user demands and needs. They are also used to help justify the financial investment in those improvements.

This chapter presents forecasts of aviation activity at Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI or Airport) for a 20-year planning horizon, with 2020 as the base year and 2040 as the outmost forecast year1. These forecasts are unconstrained, implying that it is assumed that requisite facilities will be developed to accommodate all aviation activity demand over the forecast period.

Specific facility needs resulting from these forecasts are presented in later chapters of this Master Plan Update.

This forecasting effort identifies aviation demand that is anticipated to occur over a 20-year planning period using acceptable forecasting analysis techniques consistent with FAA guidance including Forecasting Aviation Activity by Airport(July 2001) and Guidance on Review and Approval of Local Aviation Forecasts (June 2008). The techniques or methods used to forecast demand consider a variety of factors that are aviation and non-aviation related. Specifically, as a result of changes that have occurred in the aviation industry in recent years, both on a broad national level and in the region, there is a need to review and consider the influences that these factors have played in the California general aviation (GA) market and individually at WVI.

Included in this chapter are overviews of historical aviation activity, assumptions used in forecast analyses, and methodologies implemented to project future demand at the Airport. Data were collected from various FAA and other sources, including the Airport’s counting system and Automated Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) database, FAA Terminal Area Forecast (TAF)records, the FAA Traffic Flow Management System Counts (TFMSC) database, the FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record (5010 Airport Master Record), and the FAA National Based Aircraft Inventory Program. Additionally, socioeconomic data for the Santa Cruz-Watsonville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the State of California were evaluated for conditions and trends that may impact demand at the Airport.

Forecasts of aviation-related demand are presented in the following sections:
o Trends and Factors Impacting Aviation Demand
o Historic Aviation Activity and Previous Forecasts
o Forecast Methodologies
o Based Aircraft Forecasts
o Aircraft Operations Forecasts
o Forecasts of Operations by Type
o Peaking Characteristics
o Recommended Forecast Summary
o FAA Forecast Review and Approval
o Critical Aircraft
1 The MPU effort began in 2020, with the forecast approval given in 2021. The MPU was finalized and published in 2023.

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2.1 Trends and Factors Impacting Aviation Demand
During the development of an airport’s forecasts, recent and anticipated trends in the aviation industry must be analyzed to develop a general understanding of what factors may influence future airport activity. These trends exist at local, regional, and national levels and impact aviation activity at individual airports including WVI. An understanding of these factors provides direction and insight to the forecast methodology outcomes, and aids in the selection of a preferred forecast. Since activity at WVI is associated with general aviation (also referred to as GA), this section focuses on past and anticipated trends in the GA industry. Additionally, the emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020 has significantly affected the global economy and the aviation industry, at least temporarily. The potential impact of COVID-19 on future aviation activity is also examined to provide context to the Airport’s activity forecast methodology and results.

2.1.1 Impacts of COVID-19
In December 2019, a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China. The virus was first reported in the U.S. in late January 2020 and began to spread rapidly in early March, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the outbreak a global pandemic on March 11, 2020.In response, many world governments, including the U.S., issued travel restrictions between countries in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. In the following weeks, California joined 44 other states by enacting a Stay Home order that required residents and travelers to remain in their home except to do essential shopping, seek medical attention, or go to a job that was deemed essential. The Stay Home order and subsequent public heath orders have been both loosened and tightened in terms of restrictions in certain areas of the state depending on infection rates and, as of February 2021, all of Santa Cruz County and the Bay Area remained under a regional stay-at-home mandate. These orders have impactedmany of the businesses at WVI, but aviation, including flight training and support activities, was declared an essential industry, reducing the overall impact to WVI’s operations. As of February 24, 2021, there have been more than 3.5 million COVID-19 cases reported in California as well as almost 50,000 COVID-19 related deaths.

Worldwide, reported COVID-19 cases have exceeded 112 million along with 2.5 million COVID-19-related deaths.0F0F 2 The travel restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically affected the global aviation industry, at least in the near-term. Commercial aviation has been the most impacted as global passenger traffic decreased by an estimated 2.85 billion passengers in 2020 compared to the previous year.1F1F 3 GA activities have been less impacted, but there have still been widespread declines in GA traffic and fuel sales across the country, mostly in terms of business and/or corporate GA flying.

Most states declared aviation an essential service, which allowed pilots to maintain flight proficiency during the pandemic. The General Aviation Manufacturing Association (GAMA) reported that air traffic declined the furthest in early April 2020, as national piston air traffic was down by 49 percent, turboprop air traffic was down by 50 percent, and business jet traffic was down 78 percent.2F2F
4 Traffic rebounded in the early summer, and by the end of June 2020 piston traffic exceeded levels seen in the weeks before the pandemic. Air traffic at WVI largely followed national trends, as traffic levels dipped to the lowest point in the last week of March 2020 before recovering to the same levels seen prior to the start of the pandemic by the late spring.

However, traffic levels at WVI decreased less than the national average, as monthly operations in March and April 2020 still exceeded 65 percent of averagemonthly operational counts from the two months preceding the pandemic. By May 2021 monthly air traffic had exceeded traffic levels from January and February 2020. 2 Johns Hopkins University. (January 2021). “COVID-19 Dashboard by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU).” Available online at https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6. (Accessed January 2021).
3 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). (January 2021). “Effects of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Civil Aviation: Economic Impact Analysis”.

Available online at: https://www.icao.int/sustainability/Documents/COVID-19/ICAO_Coronavirus_Econ_Impact.pdf. (January 2021) 4 Croft, J. & Duquette, A. (September 2020). “General Aviation and COVID-19” (Episode 3) [Audio podcast episode]. In The Air Up There Podcast. FAA.

Available online at: https://www.faa.gov/podcasts/the_air_up_there/?file=2020-09-04-003.mp3&permalink. (Accessed January 2021).

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The FAA and Congress have taken several actions to reduce the pandemic’s impacts on airports and aviation users. On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was passed to provide financial relief to businesses and people impacted by the pandemic, including $10 billion in funds allotted to the FAA to distribute to eligible airports. Funding amounts allotted to GA airports were determined using the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) classifications, and, as a Regional airport, WVI was eligible to receive $69,000 in funding. 3F3F 5CARES Act
funds are available to cover operating expenses and debt service payments related to the Airport. WVI received additional assistance from the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program(ACRGP), which was funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). The CRRSAA was passed into law on December 27, 2020 and allocated nearly $2 billion in funds for eligible airports.WVIwas allocated $23,000 in funds available for similar uses as CARES Act funds. WVI also received $59,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, which was signed into law on March 11, 2021 and allocated $8 billion to airports. In mid-December 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s (BIL) Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 allocations to individual airports were announced. WVI was noted to receive $295,000 in FY 2022, which is anticipated to be the same amount for the five years of BIL.

Although WVI and the GA segment have been less impacted than many other parts of the aviation industry, it will still take time for the entire GA industry to return to normal, pre-pandemic operational levels. Several forecasts have been developed since the onset of the pandemic projecting the outlook of commercial aviation activities in the near future, and most generally agree that the global commercial aviation industry will take 5-6 years to return to pre-pandemic traffic levels. Business aviation has already shown indications that it is recovering more quickly than commercial service, as North American business aviation activities in September 2020 were only down 17 percent from the year prior.4F4F 6 Teal Group Corporation, a globally-recognized
aerospace analysis firm, projected that new deliveries of business aircraft will remain relatively constant in 2021 before growing by 4.2 percent from 2021 through 2022.5F5F
7 The growing fleet, coupled with rapidly-recovering aircraft utilization rates, will likely result in steady recovery of business aviation activities. Unfortunately, there are very few comprehensive forecasts addressing the GA segment. However, as previously noted, the GA segment has been generally less impacted than commercial aviation, so it is anticipated that recovery will follow a faster recovery timeline. Following previous industry upsets (9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis), GA operations grewmore quickly than commercial aviation, once again reaffirming that the GA segment will likely return to pre-pandemic activity levels faster than the commercial airline industry.

2.1.2 National and State General Aviation Trends
The national and state general aviation industry has experienced many changes in recent years, beyond the impacts of COVID-19. At the national level, upturns and downturns in the nation’s business cycle creates fluctuation in aviation usage and future demand. The FAA provides an overview of national GA trends and activity forecasts in its annual Aerospace Forecast. The most recent edition, the FAA Aerospace Forecast2020-2040, was published in April 2020, shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic which is noted but not fully addressed in the report (FAA 2020). The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) Division of Aeronautics publishes the California Aviation System Plan (CASP) that explores trends that may affect future aviation demand in the state. The most recent version of the CASP was published as a draft for public comment in late 2020 and, similar to the FAAAerospace Forecast2020-2040, the 2020 CASP acknowledges the COVID-19 pandemic but does not examine the impacts of the crisis on the California GA airport system. Given this, the projections in the forecasts are generally more optimistic than what will likely occur before complete recovery from COVID-19 is experienced.The CASP utilizes information from the FAA publication and examines many of the same trends and patterns. 5 FAA. (April 2020). “Map of Cares Funding”. Available online at: https://www.faa.gov/airports/cares_act/map/. (Accessed January 2021) 6 Lampert, A. (October 2020). “New Business Jet Travelers help Fuel Order Recovery During Pandemic”. Available online at:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-business-jets/new-business-jet-travelers-help-fuel-order-recovery-during-pandemic-idUSKBN27C0I3 (Accessed January 2021).
7 Aboulafia, R.; Bolen, E.; Kough, B. & MicMillin, M. (January 2021). “Business Aviation: What’s Coming In 2021?” [Webinar]. Available online at:
https://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/webinar-business-aviation-whats-coming-2021 (Accessed January 2021).

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Changes in General Aviation Fleet Mix
The FAA Aerospace Forecast2020-2040 acknowledged that GA activity in the U.S. has experienced a decline in recent years and projects a 0.9 percent decline in the total GA fleet between 2020 and 2040. This decrease is the result of a projected decline (-1.0 percent annually) in the largest segment of the GA fleet, fixed wing, single-engine piston aircraft,over the planning period. Conversely, the turbine (including rotorcraft) and light sport aircraft (LSA) segments are expected to grow, but their small relative size compared to the single engine fleet will result in a marginal net decrease in total fleet size. As more sophisticated and longer-range aircraft, particularly business jets, have entered the GA market, total hours are forecast to increase by 0.7 percent per year through 2040, despite the decrease in the total GA fleet. Overall, total GA operations are forecast to increase an average 0.4 percent per year through 2040, primarily due to increases in turbine aircraft and LSA activity.

Changes in Commercial Pilot Workforce
GA activity is also dictated by the number of active certified pilots and the demand for commercial pilots that need to be trained for future job openings. The FAA Aerospace Forecast 2020-2040 projects that the number of GA pilots will decrease by 0.2 percent annually between 2020 and 2040, resulting in a reduction of 12,120 GA pilots in the GA industry. However, pilots pursuing commercial licenses utilize GA aircraft in their initial flight training phases. According to the FAA Aerospace Forecast2020-2040, the number of active commercial and air transport pilot (ATP) certificates have increased steadily between 2016 and 2019 and is anticipated to increase 0.7 percent annually through 2040, growing the number of ATP pilots by 25,150. As such, the number of pilots utilizing GA airports that support flight training, including WVI, is expected to grow slightly during the forecasting window. However, Airlines for America (A4A) estimated that the number of passenger and cargo airline employees (including pilots, flight attendants, and support staff) has declined by 10 percent between February and November 2020 as a result of more than 78,000 employee layoffs, furloughs, or retirements.6F6F 8 The staffing cuts have flooded
the applicant pool, eliminating the job availability for newly-trained pilots in the near future. As airlines recover, experienced commercial pilots will be available to fill some open positions, however, there will likely be an increased demand for new commercial and ATP pilots to be trained in the coming years. Given this, the FAA Aerospace Forecast 2020-2040 forecast of pilots using GA airports is likely overly optimistic in the short term but may be accurate later in the planning timeframe.

Changes in Fuel Availability and Prices
Additional uncertainties in GA forecasting include future oil prices and the transition from the use of 100LL AvGas to unleaded AvGas. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), a positive correlation has been found to exist between oil prices andGA hours flown. Although oil prices were forecast by the FAA Aerospace Forecast 2020-2040 to gradually increase throughout the planning period, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant market volatility in recent months, further proving the considerable uncertainty of the future of oil prices, especially in the near-term. In recent years, the FAA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have expressed concern over the environmental impacts of leaded fuel usage in the GA industry, however, the consequences of the transition to unleaded AvGas are still unknown. Multiple companies that produce petroleum products have been testing the use of unleaded AvGas in recent years. Cursory examination of airports that offered both 100LL and unleaded AvGas found that the two fuels were similar in cost, yet in many cases, unleaded AvGas was priced lower to incentivize purchase. While it is estimated that two-thirds of the current piston-engine GA aircraft fleet can operate with unleaded AvGas, the technology has been slow in mass distribution. WVI offers unleaded AvGas (UL94)in addition to 100LL, only the second airport in California with such a capability. Thismay affect activity demand at WVI if the GA fleet transitions away from the use of leaded aircraft fuel, however, the extent of the impact is difficult to project.

Introduction and Growth of Emerging Technologies
The implementation ofNextGen technologies and increased use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have also impacted the GA industry in recent years. NextGen is a portfolio of initiatives from the FAA to develop technology geared toward making air 8 Airlines for America (January 2021). “Tracking the Impacts of COVID-19”. Available online at: https://www.airlines.org/dataset/impact-of-covid19-dataupdates/#. (Accessed January 2021).

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travel safer and more efficient by replacing older/existing technology to better manage airspace. There are many initiatives being developed specifically for airports to help accommodate the demand for additional capacity in a safe, efficient, and environmentally responsiblemanner, such as the FAA’s En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM), which processes data from 64 radars and tracks 1,900 aircraft at a time to allow air traffic controllers to space and route aircraft for maximum efficiency. While NextGen is an FAA-driven initiative, it requires aircraft operators of both private and commercial operators to equip aircraft and pursue NextGen practices, including ADS-B Out equipment, which becamemandatory for aircraft flying in certain airspace on January 1, 2020. ADS-B uses satellite and transponder technologies to provide real-time traffic surveillance for controllers and pilots, offering a replacement for traditional radar. WVI has utilized ADS-B technology to track aircraft operations, which improves the Airport’s traffic monitoring capability but creates further necessity for aircraft operating at the Airport to implement the technology. This requirement has historically proven to be a slight deterrent to small, recreational,and antique aircraft activity and could continue to impact system-wide operational activity in the future.

UAS technologies (commonly referred to as drones) have experienced significant growth in their demand and use in several industries in recent years, significantly increasing concerns of the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS). Given the recent changes, continued study is needed to influence and direct policies at multiple levels of government and administration to ensure the NAS can successfully integrate manned and unmanned aircraft. The existing requirements and regulations regarding the operation of UAS are ever evolving, and, in many instances, are not followed as many UAS users do not have prior experience or knowledge of aviation regulations. The FAA has promoted numerous outreach efforts, such as B4UFLY to support the safe integration of UAS into the NAS, but the effects are difficult to determine due to the complexity involved with collecting accurate data on their use. The presence of UAS in the NAS, and the expansion of their abilities based on improved battery life, improved range, and reduced cost, will ultimately have an ever-increasing impact on the NAS and on all aviation activity, particularly on smaller GA aircraft that typically operate at lower altitudes. It is unknown at this juncture how UAS will impact future activity at the Airport or at other airports throughout the U.S. This growing segment of the aviation industry will continue to be monitored.

In recent years, UAS technology has shown indications that it can be utilized to transport passengers and cargo short distances in urban areas. Urban Air Mobility (UAM), also known as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), promises to relieve some level of ground traffic congestion by using small aircraft to travel to different points within and between cities. The travel between some destinations may not require the use of airports as these are electric powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. However, the emergence of AAM has raised several questions for regulators and aviation users including but not limited to their safe integration into the existing National Airspace System (NAS), land use compatibility, and the nexus between “traditional” modes of transportation with cutting-edge innovations. The consequences of AAM on airport activity demand is not yet known, however, it is likely that it will have some impact on the operations and infrastructure of airports, including WVI.

Other trends, such as the growth of e-commerce and air cargo, emergence of electric aircraft, and continued popularity of experimental aircraft present potential future opportunities for growth at the Airport. Although electric aircraft have existed for more than five decades, recent developments in battery technology have enabledmore aircraft manufacturers to develop electric propulsion systems. The number of electrically-propelled aircraft in development has grown by more than 50 percent since 2016, reaching 215 aircraft in development worldwide, including 28 in California alone.7F7F 9Given existing limitations in
battery technologies, most of the aircraft being developed are meant to compete with light sport, general aviation, and small air taxi aircraft. The FAA Aerospace Forecast2020-2040 does not forecast the outlook of the electric aircraft segment, however, other industry organizations including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) anticipate electric aircraft development to continue to grow, first in the small general aviation aircraft category and eventually moving to larger airlinertype aircraft. As such, this segment of the aviation industry has potential for significant growth in based aircraft both locally at WVI and nationally.
9 Thompson, R. (January 2020). “The number of electrically propelled aircraft developments grew by ~30% in 2019”. Available online at:
https://www.rolandberger.com/en/Insights/Publications/Electric-propulsion-is-finally-on-the-map.html. (Accessed January 2021).

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2.1.3 Local Trends
Every airport has unique qualities and characteristics that influence the types and amount of activities that occur there. As such, trends exist at WVI and within the local community that will likely affect future activity demands at the Airport. The 2008 Watsonville MPU did not address local issues that affect demand, so these trends were identified through discussions with the Airport staff and members of the Watsonville Municipal Airport Planning Review Committee (PRC). Local trends identified by these stakeholders include the following:

Changes in Flight Training Activities at WVI
Multiple Airport stakeholders reported observing a decline in flight training activities in recent years. PRC members, who are active in pilot and community organizations at WVI, noted that some of the certified flight instructors (CFIs) that taught at the Airport transitioned to flight crew positions at airlines, while others retired from the industry entirely. However, Specialized Helicopters has increased its level of both fixed wing and helicopter flight training activities within the last few years, especially in 2020. Unfortunately, it is difficult to track flight training activities as they use the same types of aircraft as most other general aviation pilots. Additionally, neither an infrared camera system nor ADS-B tracking system delineates between flight training and other general aviation activities, so the exact amount of flight training activities cannot be determined, and a projected growth rate cannot be identified. However, it can be expected that flight training will see nominal growth while the aviation industry recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. If the national pilot shortage worsens as airlines return to normal operations, flight training activities may increase at WVI as new pilots prepare to join the workforce.

Changes in Fleet Mix at WVI
Airport stakeholders suggested that the single-engine piston aircraft fleet at WVI does not seem to be declining as the trend published in the FAA Aerospace Forecast 2020-2040would indicate due to several aircraft being purchased and based at WVI and surrounding airports. However, it is estimated that a portion of these aircraft were purchased as “used” or “previously owned”, which would not affect the total number of aircraft in the GA fleet. Additionally, some of the aircraft that have reportedly moved to WVI fall into the experimental or light sport (LSA) categories, which are projected to grow by 2040. As such, the Airport may not experience a decline in single-engine aircraft, however, the fleet of standard-certificated aircraft (not experimental or LSA) at WVI will likely follow nationwide trends.

Aging Pilot Population
Population demographics have a considerable influence on an airport’s activity demand. Some aviation businesses, primarily airlines, have mandatory retirement requirements for pilots 65 years or older. Additionally, most private and all commercial pilots must pass periodic medical examinations, which can become difficult for pilots as they age. The median age in the Watsonville-Santa Cruz MSAhas increased in the last 20 years, from 35 years in 2000 to 37 years in 2019. However, the median age of the pilot population is higher than that of the total population, as all pilots must be at least 17 years old to obtain their certificate. Nationally, the average age of the pilot population was nearly seven years older than the total population in 2019 (44.2 years compared to 37.7 years).8F8F
10 9F9F
11The population of Watsonville-Santa Cruz MSAresidents aged 55 years and older has nearly doubled since 2000, from approximately 45,000 in 2000 (17.6 percent of total population) to over 81,000 in 2019 (29.4 percent of total population).10F10F
12As the local population grows older, many pilots may retire from actively flying, reducing overall usage. If new pilots do not replace those who have stopped flying, it is probable that activity demand at WVI will decrease during the planning timeframe.
10 FAA. (2020). “2019 U.S. Civil Airman Statistics.” Available online at: https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/ (Accessed March 2021)
11 U.S. Census Bureau (2010) “Quick Facts”. Available online at: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219. (Accessed March 2021) 12 Woods and Poole Economics, Inc. (2020)

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2.2 Historic Aviation Activity and Previous Forecasts

2.2.1 Historic Aviation Activity
At general aviation airports such as WVI, there are two primary indicators of activity: based aircraft and aircraft operations. A based aircraft is generally defined as an aircraft that is considered airworthy and is stored at an airport for the majority of the year. An aircraft operation represents either a take-off or landing conducted by an aircraft; as a result, a take-off and a landing—such as those that occur with flight training “touch-and-go” practice flights—count as two operations.Several data sources identify operational information and based aircraft at the Airport:
o FAA Terminal Area Forecast (TAF): The TAF is the official FAA forecast of aviation activity for U.S. airports, containing historical data and projections for active airports in the NPIAS. The TAF is updated annually and reports data based on the FAA’s fiscal year (October 1 through September 30). Though the FAA TAF is updated annually, at non-towered airports like WVI, yearly historical and projected activity is often reported as flat (no growth) due to the lack of reliable data to develop projections.
o FAA Traffic Flow Management System Counts (TFMSC): The TFMSC database reports operations by aircraft type, weight class, date, approach and design category, and user class. However, it does not always contain this data for every operation conducted at an airport because it is usually derived from filed flight plans and/or radar detection.
o FAA 5010 Airport Master Record: The FAA 5010 Airport Master Record contains data describing the physical and operational characteristics of civil public-use airports, joint-use military airports, and private-usemilitary airports that are active and in the NAS. The data source provides a “snapshot” of operational activity and based aircraft for the year it is published based on TAF data. The latest published 5010 Airport Master Record for WVI includes annual operations and based aircraft for the 12-month period ending on July 31, 2019. o FAA National Based Aircraft Inventory Program: Airports are required to upload based aircraft data to the FAA National Based Aircraft Inventory Program database (basedaircraft.com) annually for registered aircraft to be properly validated at the correct airport. It is often the case that a host airport has more aircraft recorded onsite than the databased shows as being “registered” at that airport. This is typically attributed to an aircraft being registered at a location other than at the host airport’s location, or when an aircraft is based seasonally at multiple airports.

As a non-towered, GA airport, accurate historical operational data are largely limited. Available data published in the FAA’s TFMSC database are based on filed IFR flight plans and often do not accurately reflect total operations at non-towered airports. Additionally, there are often discrepancies between the actual number of based aircraft that require permanent or semi-permanent accommodations and the number that is validated in the FAA’s National Based Aircraft Inventory Program.

Table 2-1 displays the historical activity at WVI from these FAA sources from 2010 to 2020.

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Table 2-1: FAA Sources for Historical Activity at WVI
Year TAF TFMSC 5010 Airport Master
Record
National Based
Aircraft Inventory
Operation s Based
Aircraft Operation s Based Aircraft Operation s Based Aircraft Operation s Based Aircraft 2010 99,970 308 4,053 - - - - -
2015 65,100 384 2,639 - - - - -
2020 60,000 256 2,163 - 60,000 256 - 280
Sources: FAA TAF 2020; FAA TFMSC 2020; FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record 2019; Nationa l Based Aircraft Inventory Progra m 2020
As discussed in detail in Section 1.9, from 2013 to 2017, WVI utilized the service of AAP, Inc. AAP developed an aircraft activity counter using an infrared camera system designed for capturing images of aircraft operations. In late 2019, WVI began utilizing equipment from Maritime Information Systems (MIS) to track the activity in the vicinity of the airfield through ADS-B technology.These sources have shown that total annual operations from 2013 to 2020 range from 38,770 to almost 62,000.

Figure 2-1 displays the annual operations from 2013 to 2020 based on the AAP and MIS data and estimates. Total annual operations at WVI for 2020, the base year for this forecasting effort, are estimated at 50,500.

Figure 2-1: WVI Annual Operations from 2013 to 2020
Sources: 2013-2017 AAP Inc., 2018 and 2019 Estimated, 2020 MIS Based on the extraordinary events of 2020 of COVID-19 and the CZU Lightning Complex Fire, the 2020 Base Year of operations is considered a depressed year; these events are discussed in detail in Section 1.9. Figure 2-2 displays the monthly operations for years 2013 to 2017 and 2020, and the months of January, February, and March of 2021. The three months of available data for 2021, shown in red below, display that WVI is already set to outperform 2020 and more in line with activity in 2014 and 2015 which were respectively 56,000 and 62,000 annual operations. 44,732
56,130
61,912
38,776
61,434 60,000 60,000
50,500
-
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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Figure 2-2: WVI Monthly Operations from 2013 to 2021
Sources: 2013-2017 AAP Inc.; 2020 and 2021 MIS
Figure 2-3 displays the based aircraft from 2013 to 2020 based primarily on TAF data. While the Airport has experienced a reduction in based aircraft over the past decade, this is attributed to better accuracy in the data reporting and tracking in recent years. The number of based aircraft appears to have been steady over the past few years. It should be noted that the Airport reported 300 based aircraft in 2019 and 327 in 2020 to the FAA based on counts of actual aircraft sitting at the Airport, but the validation process through the FAA’s National Based Aircraft Inventory Program resulted in reducing the number to 280. The Airport is in the process of reviewing these results with the FAA as many of the aircraft noted to be at other airports have registered addresses in the Monterey Bay Area 11F
13 . While the MPU will utilize the validated 280 based aircraft for 2020, the actual number may be closer to 300.
13 A specific example of this includes the number of helicopters utilized by WVI business tenants noted to be also claimed by ot her airports in the Bay Area per the FAA validation process.
0 1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2020 2021

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Figure 2-3: WVI Based Aircraft from 2013 to 2020
Sources: 2013-2017 FAA TAF, 2019 – 2020 FAA National Based Aircraft Inventory Program, Watsonville Municipal Airport

2.2.2 Previous Forecasts
In addition to historical activity, previous planning and forecasting efforts have also been evaluated to inform the forecasts presented in this Chapter; the results are shown in Table 2-2.It is evident that the prior forecasting efforts were based on a higher operational activity level that may or may not have been accurate due to inability to accurately count operations at WVI as a non-towered airport.

Table 2-2: Previous Forecasts for WVI
Year FAA's
TAF
California Aviation
System Plan (CASP)
2010
Revised Forecasts
2008
Master Plan
2001
Master Plan
Operation s Based
Aircraft Operation s Based Aircraft Operation s Based Aircraft Operation s Based Aircraft Operation s Based Aircraft 2010 99,970 308 130,19 0 327 135,00 0 360 149,40 0 405 130,19 0 345 2015 65,100 384 137,16 0 345 144,00 0 377 160,90 0 425 137,16 0 363 2020 60,000 256 138,30 7 - 153,00 0 395 172,30 0 450 144,50 3 381 2030 60,000 256 145,52 8 - 170,00 0 430 - - - -
2040 60,000 256 - - - - - - - -
CAGR -1.69% -0.61% 0.56% 1.08% 1.16% 0.89% 1.44% 1.06% 1.05% 1.00% Sources: FAA TAF 2020, 2020 CASP Draft Report, Watson v ille Municip a l Airport Revis ed Forecasts 2010, Watsonv ille Municip a l Airport Master Plan 2008, Watsonv ille Municip al Airport Master Plan 2001 397 397
384 381
313
278 278 280
200
250
300
350
400
450
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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2.3 Forecast Methodologies
Forecasts of aviation activity utilize several methodologies that are typical of airport master plans, but also include methodologies that analyze the market share from airports within an approximate 20-mile radius of WVI. This section describes the methodologies and associated growth rates utilized in the based aircraft and operational forecasts displayed in Sections 2.4 and 2.5. Each of the methodologies below utilize the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) which calculates a constant rate of change over a given time period. It dampens the effect of volatility during periods that experience significant change and is essentially a “smoothed” annual growth rate. The CAGR has been applied to the 2020 base year for the 20- year planning horizon for each methodology as discussed below.

As previously discussed, Airport data indicates that, despite an initial decrease of activity due to the onset of stay-at-home orders and personal safety precautions, WVI has experienced healthy growth month-over-month in 2020. This indicates that overall activity at the Airport should remain steady in the near-term with possible fluctuations based on potential regional outbreaks, and that long-term activity is not expected to be adversely impacted by COVID-19.

Forecasting Assumptions
Aviation activity at an airport is generally driven by controllable factors (e.g., hangar rents, services provided, maintenance of facilities) and non-controllable factors (e.g., local/national economic conditions, availability of funding, location). As shifts in activity type and volume are anticipated to occur over the 20-year planning horizon, the following assumptions pertaining to forecast development have been identified:
o Based on historical activity and existing facilities and services, it is assumed the Airport will continue to sustain its FAA-designated GA status by catering to smaller GA aircraft, including single and twin piston, small- to medium-sized turboprop aircraft, and some small-to medium-sized corporate jets. o The Airport is not expected to serve scheduled commercial service over the 20-year planning horizon. o Socioeconomic data provided by Woods & Poole Economics, Inc. are indicative of existing and future conditions at the state, regional, and local levels.
o The Airport will continue to be included in the FAA’s NPIAS and will be eligible to receive AIP grants. o Forecasts presented in this chapter are unconstrained, meaning that there are no extenuating circumstances that are anticipated to limit or restrict potential demand or operational functionality of the Airport.

Historic Activity Methodology
While past performance is not a guaranteed predicter of future activity, it does provide a baseline for understanding how local, regional, and national aviation-related and demographic trends may be linked for an airport. As a non-towered, GA airport, accurate historical operational data for WVI is limited. The Airport has data on historic operations from AAP dating back to 2013. AAP data ended in 2017, and ADS-B data is available for 2020. The change in operations was calculated by using the earliest available data considered to be validated, 2013, and the base year data in 2020. More details on the historical activity and base year data is available in Chapter 1 and Section 2.2.

While the TAF count of based aircraft is known to be inaccurate for the current year when compared to the National Based Aircraft Inventory, other sources for historic based aircraft were not available for this MPU. To match the forecasting dates used for operations, the change in based aircraft was calculated from 2013 TAF data and the Airport-reported values for 2020.

The resulting CAGR are shown below. Based aircraft decreased and operations increased over the eight-year period. o Based Aircraft: -4.96% CAGR(2013 - 2020)
o Operations: 2.62% CAGR (2013 - 2020)

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Socioeconomic Factor Methodologies
As discussed in more detail in Chapter 1, socioeconomic characteristics provide insight to the economic health of a specific locality or region. Population, per capita personal income (PCPI), employment, and other indicators can reflect propensity to own or operate aircraft, both in terms of based aircraft and operations. Socioeconomic data were provided by Woods and Poole Economics, Inc., an independent firm that specializes in long-term economic and demographic projections.

Socioeconomic data were analyzed and grouped in two regions: Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA, which incorporates the entirety of Santa Cruz County, and also for the State of California. The socioeconomic factors and resulting CAGR’s for the regional MSA were considered for this forecasting effort to reflect local conditions and are in line with the information reported in the 2019 Economic Benefit Analysis, as discussed in Chapter 1. Additional information for the socioeconomics of the region and statewide are detailed in Tables 1-3, 1-4, and 1-6 of Chapter 1:
o Population (the total number of persons residing within a specific geographic area): 0.58% CAGR (2010-2019) o Employment (the total number of employed persons within a specific geographic area):1.43% CAGR (2010-2019) o Per capita personal income (PCPI)11F12F
14 (a composite measure of market potential which indicates the general ability of persons to purchase products and services): 3.54% CAGR(2010-2019) Historical Activity Relative to Socioeconomic Factor
Methodologies
Aviation activity can be influenced by both overall societal changes as well as local socioeconomic factors. Owning and operating an aircraft may become more affordable and more accessible, increasing overall aviation activity. Additionally, a particular location may experience a population boom or economic growth, so the local aviation activity may see a greater increase than national trends.These factors can combine to influence the historic aviation activity at a given location.

This forecast methodology established ratios between historic operations and historic socioeconomic factors. The CAGRin those ratios between 2013 and the 202012F13F
15 base year was determined for use in forecasting. Socioeconomic forecasts were correlated with these ratios to forecast future activity. Socioeconomic data comes from Woods & Poole for the Santa CruzWatsonville MSA.

Population and employment were both increasing for the Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA between 2013 and 2020. At the same time, total operations increased and based aircraft decreased.The resulting growth rate (or CAGR) for based aircraft illustrate that a smaller ratio of the local residents or employees have chosen to own aircraft or base their aircraft at WVI than in the past. This downward trend does not seem to impact operations at WVI which could have several meanings, such as a potential for an increase in fractional ownership or rentals as part of flight training rather than purchasing new aircraft. o Based Aircraft per Thousand Population: -5.00% CAGR (2013-2020) o Based Aircraft per Thousand Employment: -5.38% CAGR (2013-2020) o Operations per Thousand Population: 2.48% CAGR (2013-2020) o Operations per Thousand Employment: 2.10% CAGR (2013-2020) 14 It should be noted that PCPI data obtained from Woods and Poole was reported in constant dollars (year 2016) to adjust for inflation over time. 15 While socioeconomic data is available for 2010, accurate historic activity for WVI was not available until 2013. Thus, this methodology varies slightly in the years from the purely socioeconomic methodologies.

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Market Share Methodology
Market share forecasts compare an individual airport’s share of a certain component or indicator (such as based aircraft at WVI) with that of a larger market. The analysis looked at the state of California and regional airports in a 20-mile radius from Watsonville, including San Martin (E16), Salinas Municipal (SNS), Hollister Municipal (CVH), Marina Municipal (OAR), and Monterey Regional (MRY)13F14F
16 airports.

The market share analysis was developed using FAA TAF values of based aircraft and operations for the current year and projections for future years. The market share of based aircraft in 2020 was determined, and then held constant for the projected market in future years. The analysis for operations had a little more nuance as the TAF identifies several categories of operations such as GA, commercial, and military. WVI would not be impacted by regional forecasts for growth in other categories like commercial flights so commercial operations were not included.

For each of the categories present at WVI, the market shares were determined as shown below and the forecasts for these categories were used to estimate WVI’s future operations. Those were summed to determine total operations for future years.

The TAF data does not forecast significant growth in itinerant military operations in California between 2020 and 2040, and none in Watsonville’s region. Therefore,assuming a constant market share in that category has the same result as assuming a constant number of operations.

WVI Market Share of 2020 TAF for Select California Regional Airports:
o Based Aircraft: 32.5%
o Operations: 12% Itinerant, 28% Local, 1% Military
Resulting CAGR:
o Based Aircraft: 0.25%
o Operations: 0.11%
WVI Market Share of 2020 TAF for California Airports Only:
o Based Aircraft: 1.4%
o Operations: 0.52% Itinerant, 0.95% Local, 0.02%
Military
Resulting CAGR:
o Based Aircraft: 0.78%
o Operations: 0.19%
FAA Aerospace Forecast Methodology
The FAA’s forecast of the number of active general aviation and air taxi aircraft and hours flown, by type of aircraft, was used to develop a CAGR comparable to the based aircraft and operations by aircraft type at WVI. The FAA Aerospace Forecast2020- 2040 predict the following for operations:
o Standard single-engine piston operations will decrease at an annual rate of 1.0% through 2040. o Multi-engine piston operations will decrease at an annual rate of 0.3% through 2040. o Jet operations will increase at an annual rate of 2.2% through 2040. o Helicopter operations will increase at an annual rate of 1.1% through 2040. o Light sport operations will increase at an annual rate of 4.0% through 2040. o Experimental operations will increase at an annual rate of 1.6% through 2040.

These annual growth rates were applied to base year operations by aircraft type. As described in the Historic Aviation Activity section, base year operations by aircraft type was included in the ADS-B dataset, with Light Sport and Experimental 16 As MRY is a commercial service airport, only GA activity and based aircraft at MRY were utilized for the regional market share analysis.

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designations coming from the based aircraft fleet mix. This resulted in a -0.22% CAGR in operations from 2020 to 2040, primarily due to the large number of single-engine aircraft present at WVI.

The FAA Aerospace Forecast2020-2040 predict the following for active aircraft:
o Standard single-engine piston aircraftwill decrease at an annual rate of 1.0% through 2040. o Multi-engine piston aircraftwill decrease at an annual rate of 0.5% through 2040. o Jet aircraft will increase at an annual rate of 1.8% through 2040. o Helicopter aircraft will increase at an annual rate of 1.6% through 2040. o Light sport aircraft will increase at an annual rate of 3.3% through 2040. o Experimental aircraft will increase at an annual rate of 0.9% through 2040.

As with operations, these annual growth rates were applied to WVI 2020 based aircraft according to aircraft type. This resulted in a -0.66% CAGR in based aircraft from 2020 to 2040, primarily due to the large number of single-engine aircraft present at WVI.

Operations per Based Aircraft (OPBA) Methodology
For 2020 each based aircraft represented 180 of the total annual operations performed at WVI. The OPBA estimate is based on the 2020 based aircraft and 2020 operations. The OPBA methodology would include applying the 180 operations to the preferred forecast for based aircraft to determine the total annual operations. It was decided this methodology would not be utilized in this MPU.

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2.4 Based Aircraft Forecasts
The methodologies discussed in Section 2.3 resulted in a wide range of results for future based aircraft as shown in Table 2-3 and Figure 2-4. The 20-year based aircraft forecasts displayed a low of 93 fewer aircraft (Aircraft per Employment Historic Growth Rate) and a high of 561 based aircraft (Per Capita Income Historic Growth Rate). The forecasting results were compared against the historical data to better determine the reasonableness of the forecasts in order to select a preferred forecast of based aircraft.

In the case of the declining growth rate in terms of historic activity, while the Airport has experienced a reduction in based aircraft over the past decade, this is primarily attributed to better accuracy in the data reporting and tracking in recent years.

The number of based aircraft appears to have been steady over the past few years, so it doesn’t seem reasonable to show a decline of almost 5 percent over the next 20 years. This is a similar condition for the two growth rates related to aircraft per population and employment.

Others such as the PCPI methodology, which had the highest growth rate of 3.54 percent, demonstrate too aggressive of a growth rate. As discussed previously, the FAA Aerospace methodology,which has a declining growth rate of -0.66 percent, represents national trends only and may not effectively reflect local or state factors.

Table 2-3: Summary of WVI Based Aircraft Forecast Results Year Historic
Activity
Population
Historic
Growth
Rate
Employment
(people)
Historic
Growth Rate
PCPI
Historic
Growth
Rate
Aircraft
per
Population
Historic
Growth
Rate
Aircraft per
Employment
(people)
Historic
Growth Rate
Regional
Market
Share
California
Market
Share
FAA
Aerospace
2020 280 280 280 280 280 280 280 280 280
Forecast
2021 266 282 284 290 266 266 281 282 278
2025 217 288 301 333 218 214 284 291 272
2030 168 297 323 396 169 163 287 303 263
2035 131 305 346 472 131 123 291 315 254
2040 101 314 372 561 100 93 295 327 245
Change
(CAGR
2021-
2040)
-4.96% 0.58% 1.43% 3.54% -5.00% -5.38% 0.25% 0.78% -0.66% Sources: Woods & Poole Economics Inc. 2020, 2020 FAA TAF, FAA Aerospace Forecast 2020-2040, Kimley-Horn 2021

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Figure 2-4: Summary of WVI Based Aircraft Forecast Results Sources: Woods & Poole Economics Inc. 2020, 2020 FAA TAF, FAA Aerospace Forecast 2020-2040, Kimley-Horn 2021

2.4.1 Preferred Based Aircraft Methodology
Based on the review of the results of each methodology, the California Market Share methodology was selected as the preferred forecast as shown in Table 2-4. This is an increase of 47 aircraft over the 20-year period from 280 in 2020 to 327 in 2040. As noted in Section 2.2.1, the based aircraft at WVI may in fact be closer to 300 once the validation effort is coordinated between the FAA and WVI, thus may only be an increase in 27 based aircraft. This forecast also provides flexibility to ensure that the MPU adequately accommodates the airfield infrastructure for a range of potential scenarios. 80 180
280
380
480
580
680
2020 2021 2025 2030 2035 2040
Historic Activity Population Historic Growth Rate
Employment (people) Historic Growth Rate Per Capita Income Historic Growth Rate Aircraft per Population Historic Growth Rate Aircraft per Employment (people) Historic Growth Rate FAA Aerospace Regional Market Share
California Market Share
Table 2-4: WVI Based Aircraft Preferred Forecast
Year Based Aircraft
2020 280
Forecast
2021 282
2025 291
2030 303
2035 315
2040 327
Change (CAGR 2021-2040) 0.78%
Source: Kimley-Horn 2021

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2.4.2 Based Aircraft Fleet Mix
An airport’s fleet mix dictates facility needs pertaining to size and type of aircraft storage hangars, aircraft tiedowns, aircraft parking apron, and others. Table 2-5 displays the existing and future based aircraft fleet mix for WVI. Generally,the fleet mix is projected to remained consistent with the existing fleet mix as noted in Section 1.9 throughout the forecast period. It was assumed that by 2040 the percent of jet aircraft would increase from 1.4 percent to 2.5 percent with a corresponding decrease in single engine aircraft. This reflects the current actions of the Airport to increase attractiveness of WVI to jet operators and the national trends for aircraft fleet mix.

Table 2-5: WVI Based Aircraft Fleet Mix
Year
Total
Based
Aircraft
Jet MultiEngine Helicopter Single
Engine
2020 280 4 15 5 256
Forecast
2021 282 4 15 5 258
2025 291 4 16 5 266
2030 303 6 16 5 275
2035 315 6 17 6 286
2040 327 8 18 7 294
Source: Kimley-Horn 2021

2.5 Aircraft Operations Forecasts
As discussed in Section 2.2.1, the 2020 Base Year can be considered a depressed year and 2021 is already outperforming 2020 activity. The first three months of 2021 operations are approximately 30 percent higher than the same months in 2020.

As such, a conservative estimate of 55,000 operations were utilized for 2021. The forecasting methodologies from Section 2.3 were then applied to the 2021 year given the significant change between 2020 and 2021.

Nearly all of the methodologies generally resulted in positive growth in operations for WVI as shown in Table 2-6 and Figure 2-5. The 20-year activity forecasts displayed a range from a low of 52,800 (FAA Aerospace) to a high of 106,500 (PCPI Historic Growth Rate). As with the based aircraft forecasts, the forecasting results were compared against the historical data to better determine the reasonableness of the forecast methodologies.

The results of historic activity growth rate were based on actual operational data over the last eight years and provide a reasonable growth in operations to almost 70,000 in 10 years and 90,000 in 20 years. This growth rate is also similarly in line with the Aircraft per Population and Employment Historic Growth Rates which resulted in 85,700 and 81,700 annual operations in 20 years.

As with based aircraft, the PCPI methodology, which had the highest growth rate of 3.54 percent, was considered to demonstrate too aggressive of a growth rate. Conversely,the market share methodologies, which grew by 0.11 and 0.19 percentto less than 58,000 in 20 years, would be considered too low based on the historical activity, especially what is transpiring in 2021 and late in 2020. As discussed previously, the FAA Aerospace methodology,which has a declining growth rate of -0.22 percent represents national trends only and may not effectively reflect local or state factors.

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Table 2-6: Summary of WVI Aircraft Operations Forecast Results Year Historic
Activity
Population
Historic
Growth
Rate
Employment
(people)
Historic
Growth Rate
PCPI
Historic
Growth
Rate
Aircraft
per
Population
Historic
Growth
Rate
Aircraft per
Employment
(people)
Historic
Growth Rate
Regional
Market
Share
California
Market
Share
FAA
Aerospace
2020 50,500 50,500 50,500 50,500 50,500 50,500 50,500 50,500 50,500 Forecast
2021 55,000 55,000 55,000 55,000 55,000 55,000 55,000 55,000 55,000 2025 61,000 56,300 58,200 63,200 60,900 60,200 55,200 55,400 53,900 2030 69,400 57,900 62,500 75,200 69,000 67,000 55,500 56,000 52,400 2035 79,000 59,600 67,100 89,500 77,900 74,200 55,800 56,500 53,400 2040 89,900 61,400 72,000 106,500 87,500 81,700 56,100 57,100 52,800 Change
(CAGR
2021-
2040)

2.62% 0.58% 1.43% 3.54% 2.48% 2.10% 0.11% 0.19% -0.22%
Sources: Woods & Poole Economics Inc. 2020, 2020 FAA TAF, FAA Aerospace Forecast 2020-2040, Kimley-Horn 2021 Figure 2-5: Summary of WVI Aircraft Operations Forecast Results Sources: Woods & Poole Economics Inc. 2020, FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record 2019, FAA Aerospace Forecast 2020- 2040, Kimley-Horn 2021
45,000
55,000
65,000
75,000
85,000
95,000
105,000
115,000
2020 2021 2025 2030 2035 2040
Historic Activity Population Historic Growth Rate
Employment (people) Historic Growth Rate Per Capita Income Historic Growth Rate Aircraft per Population Historic Growth Rate Aircraft per Employment (people) Historic Growth Rate FAA Aerospace Regional Market Share
California Market Share

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2.5.1 Preferred Methodology
Based on the review of the results of each methodology as discussed in more detail in Section 2.5, the Historic Activity methodology was selected as the preferred forecast as shown in Table 2-7. This is an increase of 39,400 operations over the 20-year period to 89,900.

The Historic Activity methodology is based on data from the Airport’s robust aircraft operations tracking system over the past eight years. There are a large number of experimental and light sport aircraft and associated organizations at WVI, which partially accounts for the growth of single-engine operations as these types of aircraft operations are forecast to grow at the national level. Additionally, more than 12 percent of the annual operations at WVI are due to helicopters, which are also forecast to grow at the national level. WVI is home to a helicopter training school that has seen tremendous growth in the last year, including adding aircraft to their fleet. This contributes to a stronger, more sustainable growth than the average GA airport relying primarily on traditional based single-engine aircraft. WVI is located within a strong agricultural area that relies on the Airport to transport their business executives domestically and internationally. The Airportis also home to a thriving tourism industry with aerial sightseeing over the coastline and an active skydiving business.

Table 2-7: Preferred WVI Activity Operations Forecast
Year Operations
2020 50,500
Forecast
2021 55,000
2025 61,000
2030 69,400
2035 79,000
2040 89,900
Change (CAGR
2021-2040) 2.62%
Source: Kimley-Horn 2021

2.5.2 Operational Fleet Mix
Operational fleet mix projections identify the type of aircraft that currently operate and are anticipated to operate at WVI. Table 2-8 displays the existing and future operational fleet mix for WVI. As with the based aircraft, the future operational fleet mix is generally considered to remain consistent with the existing fleet mix as noted in Section 1.9 throughout the forecast horizon.

The only exception is to this trend is jet aircraft traffic, which is forecast to increase from one percent to three percent of total operations, corresponding with the relative decrease in the share of single engine aircraft operations.The share of multiengine and helicopter operations are expected to remain relatively constant through the forecast period. This growth in jet traffic reflects trends that have been identified at the Airportand efforts made by the Airport to attract future activity, as described below.

Airport staff reported a noticeable increase in jet traffic shortly before and immediately following the National Football League’s Super Bowl 50, held in Santa Clara,California in February 2016.This increase included both transient charter aircraft and based corporate aircraft using WVI to transport employees and customers to and from Watsonville. Several agricultural businesses with farming operations in the Pajaro Valley utilize WVI as a base for their corporate flight departments. At the time of this writing, these businesses base three jet and three turboprop corporate aircraft at WVI. The operators of the turboprop

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aircraft have reported plans to replace the turboprop aircraft with jet aircraft in the near future. Another large construction business has also indicated to Airport staff its desire to move its based corporate jet from Monterey (MRY) to WVI and expressed interest in constructing a large conventional hangar to store the aircraft.

The Airport identified three primary factors that contribute to the recent growth in corporate and charter aircraft traffic: (1) WVI has a lower average cost compared to other nearby airports as it does not have landing fees and has lower fuel prices than the surrounding region;15F
17 (2) WVI is easily accessible from California Highway 1, providing easy travel between Watsonville and the Bay area; and (3) WVI is located near popular areas for business and leisure activities in both Santa Cruz and Monterey.

Furthermore, Airport staff surveyed both pilots and passengers of transient jet aircraft arriving at the Airport to understand why these visitors chose to land at WVI. Jet aircraft users reported consistent and noticeable timesavingswhen operating at WVI compared to other airports in the Bay area due to the lack of delays at WVI, even if the aircraft user needs to drive into the Bay Area to reach their final destination. Charter aircraft operators such as NetJets indicated a preference towards WVI as the Airport allows ground vehicles to access the apron. This enables passengers to transfer directly from the aircraft to their car, saving time and providing added convenience for users. Additionally, jet aircraft pilots have stated the lack of airport and airspace congestion around WVI allows them to fly a slower and more direct approach to the Airport, providing a smoother and less chaotic experience to their passengers.

Airport staff hope to capitalize on these factors to continue to grow jet activity in the future at a faster rate than has occurred historically. The Airport has developed a business plan which includes a marketing campaign to highlight the economic and logistic advantages of operating at WVI. The Airport has recently invested in fuel servicing equipment, a mobile Ground Power Unit (GPU), and lavatory service units to service corporate and charter aircraft. Additionally, the Airport's co-located restaurant facility is well positioned to serve as a catering option for charter operations in the immediate future. These equipment and services provide great benefit to corporate jet aircraft operators and make WVI significantly more attractive to potential users.

The Airport has already seen some benefits from these efforts and plans to continue to further grow jet operations through the forecast period.

As mentioned, multi-engine and helicopter traffic is expected to grow at a consistent rate compared to the overall fleet mix.

Specialized Aviation is currently the only operator on the airfield providing flight training for multi-engine and helicopter pilots.

The business has expanded in recent years and is expected to continue to do so, but not at such a rate that would increase the relative share of these operations. While the increased significance of helicopter traffic is not reflected in the projected operational fleet mix (helicopter traffic is expected to remain at 12 percent of total traffic during the forecast period), the benefits these operations provide to the Airport and community are widely felt. As discussed in Chapter 1, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) utilizes WVI as a temporary operation base during fire season. Most notably, WVI hosted seven CAL FIRE helicopters,including the Bell UH -1H Super Huey, Sikorski S70i, and Bell 206B JetRanger during the CZU Lightning Complex fire in August 2020. The proximity of WVI to the fire allowed firefighting aircraft to quickly respond to flare-ups, lessening the overall impact of the wildfires. CAL FIRE has indicated its intentions to use WVI as a temporary base in the event of future fires in the Santa Cruz mountains or surrounding areas. 17 WVI staff conducted an analysis of aircraft fuel prices at GA airports within 100 nautical miles of WVI in August 2020. The study found AvGas was on $0.30 less expensive per gallon than the average price at surrounding airports while JetA fuel was $0.22 more expensive per g allon than average.

However, when compared to larger airports with significant corporate aircraft traffic such as San Jose (SJC) and Monterrey (MRY), JetA fuel at WVI is two dollars less expensive per gallon on average. (Source: Watsonville Municipal Airport, WAAC Requested Research on Fuel Pricing, 2020)

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Table 2-8: WVI Operational Fleet Mix
Year Total
Operations Jet MultiEngine Helicopter Single Engine
2020 50,500 505 2,525 6,060 41,410
Forecast
2021 55,000 550 2,750 6,600 45,100
2025 61,000 610 3,050 7,320 50,020
2030 69,400 1,040 3,470 8,330 56,560
2035 79,000 1,580 3,950 9,480 63,990
2040 89,900 2,700 4,500 10,800 71,900
Source: Kimley-Horn 2021

2.6 Forecasts of Operations by Type
The following presents more detailed information on the forecasted operations at WVI that provide better insight into the activity at WVI and will be further utilized in subsequent chapters of the MPU. Each of the operational statistics below were reviewed and confirmed with the Airport.

2.6.1 Local / Itinerant Operations
According to the FAA, local operations are defined as those conducted by aircraft that operate in the local traffic pattern or within sight of the airport; are known to be departing for, or arriving from, flight in local practice areas located within a 20-mile radius of the airport; or execute simulated instrument approaches or low passes at the airport. Itinerant operations are all aircraft operations other than local operations. According to the FAA TAF, in 2020 approximately 66 percent of aircraft operations at WVI were identified as local operations and 33 percent as itinerant. This MPU assumes this split remains consistent throughout the planning period, as shown in Table 2-9.

Table 2-9: WVI Local / Itinerant Operations
Year Total Local Itinerant
Percent 67% 33%
2020 50,500 33,835 16,665
Forecast
2021 55,000 36,850 18,150
2025 61,000 40,870 20,130
2030 69,400 46,498 22,902
2035 79,000 52,930 26,070
2040 89,900 60,233 29,667
Sources: 2020 FAA TAF, Kimley-Horn
2021

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2.6.2 Day / Evening Operations
A specific component of this MPU is to forecast daytime/evening operations. This is an important element to include as noise impacts created by aircraft arriving or departing at night are greater than during the day. According to the ADS-B database, approximately 18 percentof aircraft operations occur during evening hours, defined by the FAA as 5:00 PM to 10 PM, and night hours, defined by the FAA as 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM. The remaining 82 percent occur from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This MPU assumes the splits remain consistent throughout the planning period, as shown in Table 2-10.

Table 2-10: WVI Day / Night Operations
Year Total
Daytime
(7 AM to 5
PM)
Evening
(5 PM to
10 PM)
Night
(10 PM
to 7 AM)
Percent 82% 17% 1%
2020 50,500 41,410 8,585 505
Forecast
2021 55,000 45,100 9,350 550
2025 61,000 50,020 10,370 610
2030 69,400 56,908 11,798 694
2035 79,000 64,780 13,430 790
2040 89,900 73,718 15,283 899
Sources: 2020 ADS-B Data, Kimley-Horn 2021

2.6.3 Annual Instrument Approaches
Because the Airport does not have an air traffic control tower, the precise number of annual instrument approaches (AIA) cannot be decisively established. However, the FAA’s TFMSC database includes data for flights that fly under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and are captured by the FAA’s enroute computers. Most Visual Flight Rule (VFR) and some non-enroute IFR traffic is excluded from reported data. For this MPU it is estimated that approximately six percent of the total operations are instrument approaches, as shown in Table 2-11.

Table 2-11: WVI Instrument Approaches
Year Total
Operations
Annual
Instrument
Approaches
Percent 6%
2020 50,500 3,030
Forecast
2021 55,000 3,300
2025 61,000 3,660
2030 69,400 4,164
2035 79,000 4,740
2040 89,900 5,394
Sources: 2020 FAA TFSMC, Kimley-Horn
2021

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2.6.4 Touch-and-Go Operations
A touch-and-go operation is defined as an operation conducted by an aircraft that lands and departs on a runway without stopping or exiting. This type of operation is typically associated with flight training. Touch-and-go operations forecasts are important to identify because they impact airfield capacity, which is presented in a subsequent chapter.

Based on the ADS-B database, it was assumed that touch-and-go operations account for approximately 15 percentof total activity at the Airport, as shown in Table 2-12.It should be noted that touch-and-go operations are not permitted on Runway 9-27 due to noise sensitive residential areas southeastof the Airport. Additionally, many of the touch-and-go operations are conducted by helicopters due to the helicopter flight school located at WVI.

Table 2-12: WVI Touch-and-Go Operations
Year Total
Operations
Touch-and-Go
Operations
Percent 15%
2020 50,500 7,575
Forecast
2021 55,000 8,250
2025 61,000 9,150
2030 69,400 10,410
2035 79,000 11,850
2040 89,900 13,485
Sources: 2020 ADS-B Data, Kimley-Horn 2021

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2.7 Peaking Characteristics
The capacity of an airport relates to activity levels during a peak (or design) period. Annual forecasts are used to determine the operational peaking characteristics and are used to inform the facility requirements. To ensure that a facility isn’t overbuilt, several factors are used to analyze needs. The average day of the peakmonth, or the design day, is an accepted industry methodology used in evaluating peaking characteristics.Metrics such as average annual day don’t adequately take into consideration increased activity at certain times of the year. Planning for only the busy or peak day of the peak month, however, may result in facilities that are overbuilt.

The periods used in the capacity analysis and facility requirements are as follows:
o Peak Month — the calendar month when peak passenger volumes of aircraft operations occur o Peak Month Average Day (PMAD) — the average day in the peak month; derived by dividing the peak month operations by the number of days in a month (average of 30 days per a month) o Design Hour — the peak hour within the design day
While WVI may be considered a “fair-weather” airport by pilots, the average operations from month to month are relatively consistent. Operations dip slightly during winter from January to March and tend to be highest in late summer from July to October. This MPU assumed that 11 percent of annual activity occurred during the peak month and 15 percent of the operations during the PMAD occurred within the peak hour. These percentages were held constant through the planning period, as shown in Table 2-13.

Table 2-13: WVI Peaking Characteristics
Year Total
Operations
Peak Month
Operations
Peak Month
Average Day
(PMAD)
Peak Hour
Percent - 11% - 15%
2020 50,500 5,555 185 28
Forecast
2021 55,000 6,050 202 30
2025 61,000 6,710 224 34
2030 69,400 7,634 254 38
2035 79,000 8,690 290 43
2040 89,900 9,889 330 49
Source: Kimley-Horn 2021

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2.8 Recommended Forecast Summary
Table 2-14 presents a summary of the recommended forecasts for WVI. This forecast provides a reasonable growth over the 20-year planning horizon based on a robust set of historical data that the Airport has been able to capture.

Table 2-14: Recommended WVI Forecast Summary
Category 2020 2021 2025 2030 2035 2040
Total Operations 50,500 55,000 61,000 69,400 79,000 89,900 Jet 505 550 610 1,040 1,580 2,700
Multi-Engine 2,525 2,750 3,050 3,470 3,950 4,500
Helicopter 6,060 6,600 7,320 8,330 9,480 10,800
Single Engine 41,410 45,100 50,020 56,560 63,990 71,900 Local 33,835 36,850 40,870 46,498 52,930 60,233
Itinerant 16,665 18,150 20,130 22,902 26,070 29,667
Day 41,410 45,100 50,020 56,908 64,780 73,718
Evening/Night 9,090 9,900 10,980 12,492 14,220 16,182
Instrument Approaches 3,030 3,300 3,660 4,164 4,740 5,394 Touch-and-Go 7,575 8,250 9,150 10,410 11,850 13,485
Based Aircraft 280 282 291 303 315 327
Jet 4 4 4 6 6 8
Multi-Engine 15 15 16 16 17 18
Helicopter 5 5 5 5 6 7
Single Engine 256 258 266 275 286 294
Source: Kimley-Horn 2021

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2.9 FAA Forecast Review and Approval
FAA Airports District Offices (ADOs) or Regional Airports Divisions are responsible for forecast approvals. When reviewing a sponsor’s forecast, the FAA must ensure that the forecast is based on reasonable planning assumptions, uses current data, and is developed using appropriate forecast methods. After a thorough review of the forecast, FAA then determines if the forecast is consistent with the TAF.

The TAF is the official forecast for each airport in the NPIAS. The TAF contains forecasts for passenger enplanements, aircraft operations, and the number of based aircraft using data from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) T-100 database, Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) records, and FAA Master Records (Form 5010-1). The TAF is based on historical aircraft operations data, which are often estimated for smaller non-towered airports. With technological advances such as ADS-B technology, greater precision is anticipated in tracking and counting aircraft operations at small airports. For WVI, the TAF remains flat from 2019 through 2040 at 256 16F
18 based aircraft and 60,000 annual operations.

For all classes of airports, forecasts for based aircraft and total operations are considered consistent with the TAF if they meet the following criterion: Forecasts differ by less than 10 percent in the five-year forecast period, and 15 percent in the 10-year forecast period. The FAA-template comparison of the Recommended Forecasts and the TAF is presented in Table 2-15 and Table 2-16.

Table 2-15: Comparison of Recommended WVI Forecasts to FAA’s TAF – Based Aircraft Based Aircraft Year WVI
Forecast
TAF
Forecast17F
19 WVI/TAF
%
Difference
Base yr. 2020 280 280 0.00%
Base yr. + 1 2021 282 280 0.71%
Forecast
Base yr. + 5 2025 291 280 3.93%
Base yr. + 10 2030 303 280 8.21%
Base yr. + 15 2035 315 280 12.50%
Base yr. + 20 2040 327 280 16.79%
Sources: FAA TAF 2020, Kimley-Horn 2021
18 The 2019 TAF Forecast of 256 was utilized for this MPU analysis based on the information available at the time of writing (Ap ril 2021). Since this chapter was originally written, the FAA released the 2020 TAF in May 2021 which displays 261 based aircraft. 19 Following discussions with the FAA, Table 2-15 TAF Forecast column utilizes a based aircraft number based on the FAA’s National Based Aircraft Inventory Program of 280 (2/8/21) rather than the TAF’s 256 (2019) for better comparison purposes.

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Table 2-16: Comparison of Recommended WVI Forecasts to FAA’s TAF - Operations Itinerant
Operations Year WVI Forecast
TAF
Forecast

WVI/TAF
%
Difference
Base yr. 2020 16,665 20,100 -17.09%
Base yr. + 1 2021 18,150 20,100 -9.70%
Forecast
Base yr. + 5 2025 20,130 20,100 0.15%
Base yr. + 10 2030 22,902 20,100 13.94%
Base yr. + 15 2035 26,070 20,100 29.70%
Base yr. + 20 2040 29,667 20,100 47.60%
Local Operations Year WVI
Forecast
TAF
Forecast

WVI/TAF
%
Difference
Base yr. 2020 33,835 39,900 -15.20%
Base yr. + 1 2021 36,850 39,900 -7.64%
Forecast
Base yr. + 5 2025 40,870 39,900 2.43%
Base yr. + 10 2030 46,498 39,900 16.54%
Base yr. + 15 2035 52,930 39,900 32.66%
Base yr. + 20 2040 60,233 39,900 50.96%
Total Operations Year WVI
Forecast
TAF
Forecast

WVI/TAF
%
Difference
Base yr. 2020 50,500 60,000 -15.83%
Base yr. + 1 2021 55,000 60,000 -8.33%
Forecast
Base yr. + 5 2025 61,000 60,000 1.67%
Base yr. + 10 2030 69,400 60,000 15.67%
Base yr. + 15 2035 79,000 60,000 31.67%
Base yr. + 20 2040 89,900 60,000 49.83%
Sources: FAA TAF 2020, Kimley-Horn 2021

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2.10 Critical Aircraft
Facility planning for general aviation airports is impacted by existing and anticipated levels of aviation-related demand, both based aircraft and annual aircraft operations, as well as the size and type of aircraft that currently operating and are projected to operate at an airport. Each airport and runway has a ‘critical’ or ‘design’ aircraft which represents the most demanding aircraft or grouping of aircraft with similar characteristics currently using or anticipated to use an airport on a ‘regular basis’, defined as 500 annual operations, excluding touch-and-go operations. The following section describes the classification system and identifies the existing and future critical aircraft for WVI.

2.10.1 Aircraft Classification System
The FAA has established aircraft classification systems that group aircraft types based on their performance and geometric characteristics. These classification systems are used to determine the appropriate airport design standards for specific runway, taxiway, taxilane, apron or other facilities, as described in FAA AC 150/5300-13A, Change 1. These systems include the following:
o Aircraft Approach Category (AAC): A grouping of aircraft based on a reference landing speed (VREF), if specified, or if VREF is not specified, 1.3 times stall speed (VSO) at the maximum certificated landing weight. VREF, VSO and the maximum certificated landing weight are established for the aircraft by the certification authority of the country of registry.
o Airplane Design Group (ADG): A classification of aircraft based on wingspan and tail height. When the aircraft wingspan and tail height fall in different groups, the higher group is used.

Table 2-17 summarizes the classifications for determining these components.

Table 2-17: FAA Aircraft Classification Criteria
Aircraft Approach
Category (AAC)
Approach
Speed
Airplane Design
Group (ADG)
Wingspan
(feet)
Tail Height
(feet)
A Less than 91 I Less than 49 Less than 20
B 91 to 120 II 49 to 78 21 to 29
C 121 to 140 III 79 to 117 30 to 44
D 141 to 165 IV 118 to 170 45 to 59
E 166 or Greater V 171 to 213 60 to 65
VI 214 up to but
less than 262
66 up to but
less than 80
Source: FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300-13A, Change 1, Airport Design

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The critical or design aircraft family represents the most demanding aircraft or grouping of aircraft with similar characteristics (relative to AAC, ADG) currently using or anticipated to use an airport on a regular basis.

The FAA uses these aircraft classifications relative to classifying airports and runways. As defined in FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300-13A, Change 1, the FAA classifies airports by Airport Reference Code (ARC), which identifies the overall planning and design criteria for the airport. The ARC is assigned based on the size of the largest aircraft that generally records at least 500 operations annually at an airport; this aircraft is known as the airport’s “critical aircraft”, also referred to as the design aircraft.

The ARC is based on the highest Runway Design Code (RDC) of a particular airport. The RDC is comprised of the previously discussed AAC and ADG, as well as the approach visibility minimums. Instrument approach visibility minimums are expressed in RVRvalues but are associated with flight visibility as described in Table 2-18.

Table 2-18: Instrument Approach Visibility Minimums
RVR (ft) Flight Visibility Category (statute mile)
VIS Visual approaches only
5,000 Not lower than 1 mile
4,000 Lower than 1 mile but not lower than ¾ mile (APV ≥ 3/4 but < 1 mile) 2,400 Lower than 3/4 mile but not lower than 1/2 mile (CAT-I PA) 1,600 Lower than 1/2 mile but not lower than 1/4 mile (CAT-II PA) 1,200 Lower than 1/4 mile (CAT-III PA)
Source: FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300-13A, Change 1, Airport Design The RDC provides the guidelines for pavement surfaces, safety area dimensions, runway lengths, separation standards, and taxiway criteria in an attempt to ensure that the airfield layout and geometry provide a safe and efficient operating environment for the aircraft that typically use the airport.

Aircraft with approach speeds included in categories A and B are typically small, piston-engine aircraft, whereas aircraft with C, D, and E category approach speeds are normally larger turboprop or turbine powered aircraft. Similarly, the wingspan and tail height of small, piston-engine aircraft normally correspond to design group I. Typical aircraft in design group II would be a Beechcraft King Air, Cessna Citation, or smaller Gulfstream business jets. Design groups III, IV, and V would represent air carrier aircraft, such as Boeing 737, B-757, and B-747, respectively. Group VI would include the largest of aircraft, such as an Airbus A380 or a C-5 military cargo aircraft.

2.10.2 Current and Future Critical Aircraft
The 2013 Airport Layout Plan listed the current and future critical aircraft as a Cessna Citation II, a B-II aircraft, for Runway 02- 20 and Beech Baron 58, a B-I aircraft, for Runway 09-27. A detailed analysis of the 2020 ADS-B database was conducted along with discussions with the Airport to determine the current critical aircraft for both runways at WVI. It was determined that the current critical aircraft for Runway 02-20 is a Beech King Air 350 (BE350), a B-II aircraft and for Runway 09-27,a Cessna 340, a B-I Small aircraft.

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Critical Aircraft
While there was no single type of B-II aircraft that conducts at least 500 operations there were more than 650 operations conducted by aircraft in the B-II family. Table 2-19 presents a summary of the annual operations recorded at WVI in 2020 by aircraft type. As shown, the King Air 300/350 conducted just more than half of the operations but did not reach 500 during the calendar year. The 340 remaining B-II operations were conducted by the following: Beech King Air 200, Beech King Air C90GTX, Cessna Citation Jet 2, Cessna Citation Jet 3, Cessna Citation V, Cessna Citation Latitude,Cessna Citation Sovereign,and Embraer Phenom 300.The images below are representative of the B-II family of aircraft typically operating at WVI.

Table 2-19: B-II Aircraft 2020 AnnualOperations by Type Aircraft Type Annual Operations (2020)
Beechcraft King Air 350 (B350) 261
Beechcraft King Air 200 (BE20) 141
Beechcraft King Air 300 (BE30) 78
Beechcraft King Air C90GTX (BE9L) 50
Cessna Citation Jet 3 (C25A) 31
Cessna Citation Jet 2 (C25B) 30
Embraer Phenom 300 (E55P) 25
Cessna Citation II (C550) 20
Cessna Citation Sovereign (C680) 14
Cessna Citation Latitude (C68A) 10
Other B-II (less than 10 annual operations) 19
Total B-II 679
Source: 2020 MIS Database
Cessna 340 (B-I Small)
Runway 9-27
Beech King Air 350 (B-II)
Runway 2-20