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Consider a memorandum/resolution authorizing the City Manager to sign an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation-Aviation Division the for the administration of a Federal Aviation Administration Airport Infrastructure Grant for the Automated Weather Observation System Relocation Project at Skylark Field.
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DATE: June 18, 2024
TO: Kent Cagle, City Manager
FROM: Mike Wilson, Executive Director of Aviation
SUBJECT: Resolution to Authorize the City Manager to Sign an Agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation - Aviation Division for a Federal Aviation Administration Airport Infrastructure Grant
BACKGROUND AND FINDINGS:
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) signed into law on November 15, 2021, provides the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with $15 billion in Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) over a five (5) year period for airport-related projects as defined under the existing Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) criteria. The funding can be invested in runways, taxiways, safety, and sustainability projects, as well as terminals, airport-transit connections, and roadway projects.
Skylark Field has an FAA owned and maintained Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) on the west side of the airport that provides pilots with critical safety information on cloud height, visibility, wind direction and speed, as well as other weather information to assist with safe flight operations. The FAA has standards for keeping the areas within 1,000 feet of the AWOS clear of obstructions that would affect the ability of the sensors to collect accurate readings. The proposed Anthem Park development, when constructed, would cause the existing AWOS to not meet FAA standards for the 1,000 feet radius. It is necessary to relocate the AWOS to a location that will meet FAA standards for weather data collection.
Aviation submitted a BIL AIG application to the Texas Department of Transportation's (Tx...
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