§ 3.3.6. AO - AIRPORT OVERLAY DISTRICT

A.

Intent:

It is hereby found that an obstruction has a potential for endangering the lives and property of users of Bladen County Airports, and property or occupants of land in its vicinity; that an obstruction may affect existing or future instrument approaches of Bladen County Airports; and that an obstruction may reduce the size of areas available for landing, take-off and maneuvering of aircrafts, thus tending to destroy or impair the unity of Bladen County Airports and the public investment therein.

Further, it is the intent and purpose of this section to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare by regulating and restricting the development of structures for human occupancy within an area surrounding airports within Bladen County to protect residents from harmful noise. Therefore, the Airport Overlay District is established, which includes Height restriction and Noise restriction zones within the overlay (see section 11 for definition of Overlay District).

B.

Permitted Principal Uses and Structures:

1.

Shall be the same as those in the underlying zoning districts with the exception of the provisions in 3.3.6 G. Noise Restrictions and the following:

No use may be made to land or water within any zone established by this section in such a manner as to create electrical interference with navigational signals or radio communication between the airport and aircraft, make it difficult for pilots to distinguish between airport lights and others, result in glare in the eyes of pilots using the airport, impair visibility in the vicinity of the airport or otherwise in any way create a hazard or endanger the landing, takeoff, or maneuvering of aircraft to use the airport.

C.

Permitted Accessory Uses and Structures:

Shall be the same as those in the underlying zoning districts with the exception of the provisions in 3.3.6 B. and 3.3.6 G.

D.

Preexisting Uses (Also see Section 5. Nonconforming uses)

1.

MARKING AND LIGHTING - Notwithstanding the preceding provision of this Section, the owner of any existing non-conforming structure or tree is hereby required to permit the installation, operation, and maintenance thereon of such markers and lights as shall be deemed necessary by the Airport Commission, to indicate to the operators of aircraft in the vicinity of the airport, the presence of such airport hazards. Such markers and lights shall be installed, operated, and maintained at the expense of the Airport Commission if the requirement is in the vicinity of the airport.

E.

Dimensional Requirements:

Shall be the same as those in the underlying zoning districts with the exception of the provisions of any part of this section 3.3.6.

F.

Height Restriction Zones:

In order to carry out the provisions of this section, certain zones, which include all of the land lying within the approach zones, transitional zones, horizontal zones, and conical zones as they apply to a particular airport are established and defined on the Zoning Map. An area located in more than one (1) of the following zones is considered to be only in the zone with the more restrictive height limitation. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as prohibiting the growth, construction, or maintenance of any tree or structure to a height that is below the limitations set forth in this Section. The various zones are hereby established and defined as follows:

1.

APPROACH ZONE A (PRECISION INSTRUMENT RUNWAY) - The inner edge of this approach zone coincides with the width of the primary surface and is 1,000 feet wide. The approach zone expands outward uniformly to a width of 16,000 feet at a horizontal distance of 50,000 feet from the primary surface. Its centerline is the continuation of the centerline of the runway.

a.

Height Restricted Area: Slopes fifty (50) feet outward for each foot upward beginning at the end of and at the same elevation as the primary surface and extending to a horizontal distance of 10,000 feet along the extended runway centerline; thence slopes upward forty (40) feet horizontally for each foot vertically to an additional horizontal distance of 40,000 feet along the extended runway centerline.

2.

APPROACH ZONE B (RUNWAY LARGER THAN UTILITY WITH A VISIBILITY MINIMUM AS LOW AS ¾ MILE NON-PRECISION INSTRUMENT) - The inner edge of this approach zone coincides with the width of the primary surface and is 1,000 feet wide. The approach zone expands outward uniformly to a width of 4,000 feet at a horizontal distance of 10,000 feet from the primary surface. Its centerline is the continuation of the centerline of the runway.

a.

Height Restricted Area: Slopes upward thirty-four (34) feet horizontally for each foot vertically beginning at the end of and at the same elevation as the primary surface and extending to a horizontal distance of 10,000 feet along the extended runway centerline.

3.

TRANSITIONAL ZONES - These zones are hereby established as the area beneath the transitional surfaces. These surfaces extend outward and upward beginning 500 feet each side of the runway centerline at a slope of 7:1 to the primary surface. The runway centerline extended at a slope of seven (7) feet horizontally for each foot vertically from the sides of the primary and approach surfaces to where they intersect the horizontal and conical surfaces. Transitional zones for those portions of the precision approach zones, which project through and beyond the limits of the conical surface, extend a distance of 5,000 feet measured horizontally from the edge of the approach zones and at 90-degree angles to the extended runway centerline.

a.

Height Restricted Area: Slopes seven (7) feet outward for each foot upward beginning at the sides of and at the same elevation as the primary surface and the approach surface, and extending to a height of 150 feet above the airport elevation. In addition to the foregoing, there are established height limits sloping seven (7) feet outward for each foot upward beginning at the sides of and the same elevation as the approach surface, and extending to where they intersect the conical surface. Where the precision instrument runway approach zone projects beyond the conical zone, there are established height limits sloping seven (7) feet outward for each foot upward beginning at the sides of and the same elevation as the approach surface and extending a horizontal distance of 5,000 feet measured at 90 degree angles to the extended runway centerline from the edge of the approach surface.

4.

HORIZONTAL ZONE - The horizontal zone is hereby established by swinging arcs of 10,000 feet radii from the center of each end of the primary surface of each runway, and connecting the adjacent arcs by drawing lines tangent to those arcs. The horizontal zone does not include the approach and transitional zones.

a.

Height Restricted Area: One hundred and fifty (150) feet above the airport elevation or a height of 283 feet above mean sea level.

5.

CONICAL ZONE - The conical zone is hereby established as the area that commences at the periphery of the horizontal zone and extends outward there from a horizontal distance of 4,000 feet at a slope of 20:1. The conical zone does not include the precision instrument approach zones and the transitional zones.

a.

Height Restricted Area: Slopes upward and outward twenty (20) feet horizontally for each foot vertically beginning at the periphery of the horizontal zone and at one hundred and fifty (150) feet above the airport elevation and extending to a height of 350 feet above the airport elevation, or an elevation of 483 feet above sea level.

G.

Noise Restriction Zones

In order to carry out the provisions of this section, certain Noise zones are created, which include an area abutting and completely surrounding any airport in Bladen County in which aircraft noise may occasionally interfere with certain activities of the residents. The Zones are identified as Land Use Guidance or "LUG" zones; "A", "B", "C", or "D". The zones are defined as:

A.

Zone "A" - That area having a Day-Night Sound Level (Ldn) of 55 and less.

Permitted Use Guidelines: Generally acceptable for all activities and land uses and no special noise considerations are required.

B.

Zone "B" - That area having a Day-Night Sound Level (Ldn) between 55 and 65.

Permitted Use Guidelines: Few, if any, activities will be affected by aircraft sounds, although building designs for especially sound sensitive activities such as schools, churches, auditoriums, hospitals and theaters should consider sound control in areas closest to the Airport. Detailed studies are recommended for outdoor amphitheaters and similar places of public assembly for those areas closest to the airport.

C.

Zone "C" - That area having a Day-Night Sound Level (Ldn) between 65 and 75.

Permitted Use Guidelines: Activities where uninterrupted communication is essential should consider sound exposure in design. Generally residential development is not considered a suitable use, although multi-family developments where sound control features have been incorporated in building design might be considered. Open-air activities and outdoor living and auditoriums, schools, churches, hospitals, theaters, and similar activities should be avoided.

D.

Zone "D" - That area having a Day-Night Sound Level (Ldn) of 75 or greater.

Permitted Use Guidelines: Land should be reserved for activities that can tolerate a high level of sound exposure. Generally, land in this zone is owned by the Airport and is left vacant or for use in industrial and commercial uses where relatively high levels of sound exposure may be acceptable.

E.

Construction Standards for all noise zones

An applicant for the construction of a new building shall provide the Zoning Officer with the necessary calculations to assure that noise levels with in the proposed building will not exceed the following standards:

1.

SLEEPING QUARTERS (Windows are assumed to be open unless other provisions are made for adequate ventilation).

a.

Ldn 55 for more than an accumulation of 60 minutes in any 24 hour period, and

b.

Ldn 45 for more than 30 minutes during night-time sleeping hours from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., and

c.

Ldn 45 for more than an accumulation of eight (8) hours on any 24-hour day.

2.

NON-SLEEPING QUARTERS - ALL STRUCTURES (Windows are assumed to be open unless other provisions are made for adequate ventilation).

a.

Normally Acceptable

Ldn 65 for not more than 8 hours per 24-hour period.

b.

Acceptable

Ldn 45 for not more than 30 minutes per 24-hour period.

3.

INSULATION BETWEEN DWELLING UNITS

Floor and dividing walls between attached dwelling units shall have a Sound Transmission Class (STC) of greater than 45.