TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer, Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Mark Witsoe, Airport Manager
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Amending Fees at the Napa County Airport
RECOMMENDATION
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Director of Public Works requests adoption of a Resolution amending the County’s Policy Manual Part III, Fees, Part 30 Airport, effective January 1, 2023, amending the parking, fuel flowage, landing, tiedown rental, and miscellaneous fees at the Napa County Airport.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Adoption of the resolution will amend Part III, Fees, Part 30 Airport, within the County’s Policy Manual by modifying those fees as shown by strike-out in Exhibit A of the resolution. The proposed adjustment reflects an increase in parking, fuel flowage, landing, tiedown rental, and miscellaneous fees at the Napa County Airport.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Airport Enterprise Fund |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The fee amendment will result in additional revenue at the Napa County Airport which is necessary to fund airfield and building maintenance costs, keep up with rising costs of inflation, and to invest in the restoration of airfield pavements and the old Japanese Airlines facility as the new general aviation terminal. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
Additional revenues will be budgeted in future fiscal years according to the new fee schedule. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
If not approved, the Napa County Airport would not be able to raise fees consistent with rising inflation costs, ultimately resulting in reduced ability to maintain airport operations. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Livable Economy for All |
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Title 14, California Code of Regulations, section 15273 (a)(1) (Rates, Tolls, Fares, and Charges).
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Airport Enterprise Fund is financially self-sufficient, receiving no financial support from the County’s General Fund. Staff is requesting an amendment to Napa County's Policy Manual, Part III: Fees, Part 30 Airport, in order to ensure the continued financial viability of the Airport Enterprise Fund and maintain consistency with negotiated ground lease agreements. In addition, costs associated with utilities and the ongoing maintenance of the Airport continues to rise and periodic cost adjustments are needed to keep up with the rate of inflation. Significant fee adjustments for the Airport have not been done since September 1990 under Resolution 90-113. A summary of the requested amendment of Part III: Fees, Part 30 Airport, of the County of Napa Policy Manual, as outlined in Exhibit A of the attached resolution, is as follows:
• Sec. 30.020 Parking Fees:
– Fees for small aircraft weighing up to 5,000 pounds remain unchanged at $10 per 24-hour period.
– Fees for aircraft weighing 5,001 pounds and above will now be charged for any portion of a 24-hour period rather than per 24-hour period fee. Fees for small aircraft weighing between 5,001 and 12,500 will be $15.50 for any portion of a 24-hour period.
– Fees for aircraft weighing between 12,501 and 30,000 pounds will be a straight fee of $150.00, an update from the straight fee of $15.50 plus $1.03 per additional 1,000 pounds for aircraft weighing over 12,500 pounds.
– Aircraft weighing more than 30,000 pounds will be a straight fee of $250.00, also updated from the straight fee of $15.50 plus $1.03 per additional 1,000 pounds for aircraft weighing over 12,500 pounds.
• Sec. 30.030 Fuel Flowage Fees:
– Fuel flowage fees are increasing from $0.08 per gallon to: $12.00 per 100 gallons (equivalent to $0.12 per gallon) for AvGas fuel, Diesel fuel, and Mogas and to $25.00 per 100 gallons (equivalent to $0.25 per gallon) of Jet A fuel.
• Sec. 30.040 Airport Landing Fees for Commercial Operations:
– Landing fees are increasing from $3.10 per each 1,000 pounds to a straight fee of $42.00 for aircraft between 12,501 to 15,000 pounds and $42.00 plus $3.50 per each additional 1,000 pounds for aircraft above 15,000.
– Landing fees for aircraft up to and including 12,500 pounds remain unchanged.
• Sec 30.050 Tiedown Rental Fees:
o Monthly tiedown rental fees are changing to a flat fee of $75.00 for all aircraft 5,000 pounds and under. To facilitate FBO business, no other monthly tiedown rent options will be available.
• Sec. 30.100 Miscellaneous Fees:
(a) Access control remote openers will increase from $25.00 to $30.00 each.
(e) Waiting list fees will change to a subscription of $35.00 per year, replacing the one-time fee of $35.00.
(f) This section will become specific to vehicles. Vehicle parking will be free for the first 24-hours. A Daily Use Permit will be $10 per day per vehicle beyond the first 24-hours and a Monthly Use Permit will be $150 per month per vehicle. An Administrative Towing Fee of $275.00 per vehicle is also be added.
(g) New optional services for gutter cleaning and hangar light bulb replacement are being created. The service fee will be $350.00 per equipment hour plus employee costs for gutter cleaning and $48.00 per equipment hour plus employee costs for hangar light bulb replacement with replacement materials supplied by tenants.
(h) An additional fee, as applicable, to cover “other department” costs has been added to fees for Special Events. Fees will be estimated at time of an event.
(j) - (m) These SASO and Commercial Transport Fees were adopted by Resolution 2020-96 on June 23, 2020 and are being reinstated after inadvertently being removed from the fee schedule on May 17, 2022. These fees have not been charged since May 2022.
(n) New Rideshare Transportation Fee (non-Airport Operations Area (AOA) Access) will be $2.00 per pickup or drop-off.
(o) New unauthorized vehicle and aircraft parking fees will be $20.00 per day for vehicles, $50.00 per day for aircraft under 12,500 pounds and $375.00 per day for aircraft over 12,500 pounds.
The proposed fees have been developed to better fit with a competitive FBO marketplace. These fees will focus the transient activity toward the two FBO aprons. Secondly, the increased rate better messages that County’s overflow areas are truly for overflow parking. Commercial landing fees have increased, but recreational flyers in small, light single and twin-engine airplanes coming in from other cities will continue to have no fees for landing or parking for a day-trip. This further entices the General Aviation community to frequent the Napa Valley and our planned restaurant.
By comparison, other airports are charging nearly double Napa County’s proposed landing fee of $42 for commercial aircraft weighing between 12,501 and 15,000 pounds. San Carlos Airport is $100.00, Palo Alto $81.50 and Reid-Hillview (San Jose) $82.00 respectively.
Fee increases were discussed at length with the Airport Advisory Commission at their October 3, 2022 meeting. The Commission provided suggestions that were incorporated into the proposed fee schedule under consideration today. After discussion, the Commission recommended Board approval of the fee schedule as currently drafted.
This item is specifically exempt from the voting requirements of Article XIIIC of the California Constitution because it is a charge imposed for entrance to or use of the County of Napa property or the purchase, rental or lease of County property (facility rental fees, room rental fees, equipment rental fees, on and off-street parking, tolls, franchise, park entrance, museum admission, tipping fees, golf green fees, et cetera).