Illinois Valley Airport Fence Project Mitigation Recommendations for ADVERSE IMPACTS

Transcription

1 Illinois Valley Airport Fence Project Mitigation Recommendations for ADVERSE IMPACTS to historic resources Introduction This document contains improvements to the Illinois Valley Airport fence project that will help to retain the historic authenticity of the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base while achieving Federal Aviation Administration requirements. The following improvements were discussed and approved by all the participants in the public meeting on November 1, 2010 with the three Commissioners, most of the members of the Illinois Valley Airport Board, and about 15 interested community residents. The following fence improvements are intended to provide a resolution to concerns about adverse impacts of the fence to the authenticity and historic integrity of the historic Siskiyou Smokejumper Base. The objective of these improvements is to achieve the goals of the FAA while protecting the historic resources and values that make this historic site eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. This document is the most recent addendum to a previous document titled Illinois Valley Airport Fence Project Adverse Impacts to Historic Resources that was submitted to FAA, SHPO, and Josephine County Commission. A copy of this document is attached after page six. Grants Pass Highway 199 AIRPORT Cave Junction OREGON CALIFORNIA

2 Adverse Impacts 1-4 The suggested arrangement of the six foot fence (thick black line) at the entrance to the historic smokejumper base mitigates the first four adverse impacts. 1) The entrance to the historic base retains an open appearance as visitors enter. This is accomplished by routing the six foot fence around the back of the historic supervisor residence. This also provides protection from children and animals associated with this residence from wandering into the active area of the airport, a measure that was not considered in the original fence plan. 2) The turn-around area is moved to the north side of Smokejumper Way with adequate turning radius for motor homes towing vehicles and room for parking a few vehicles. 3) Fence and gates at the entry ways into the historic residence are no longer an issue with the suggested change in routing of the six foot fence. 4) The interior six foot fence, a wasted duplication of the exterior six foot fence, is unnecessary. Measurements on the illustration below are approximate. A 50 foot buffer of natural vegetation and trees is requested west and a north of the fenced area. Trees in these areas are naturally depauperated and pose no immediate or future threat of penetrating airspace Page 2 Adverse impacts on historic smokejuper base by airport fence project

3 Adverse Impact 5 This issue concerns the four foot-tall fence that will follow along the west side of Smokejumper Way to prevent the drivers, children, and pets from entering the airport operations area. The suggested improvement of making this a split cedar post and rail fence to be more compatible with historic fences at the base. On the runway side of the fence, hog wire is recommended to be attached to the rails and posts from the ground to the top rail to prevent pets and children from easily accessing the air operations area. The four foot tall fence should be pushed as far back as possible from the edge of Smokejumper Way to the extent that it will comply with FAA regulations, which will allow parking to continue in this area as it has for the past 60 years. A) Pedestrian access gate for tarmac: See next page for more detial on a suggested solution with the least impact. B) There is no discussion in this document nor the original fence proposal about providing an access gate for pilots who park on the historic smokejumper football field, an area designated in the draft version of the Airport Layout Plan for visiting aircraft parking. B A The brown line shows the approximate location of post and rail fence. Adverse impacts on historic smokejuper base by airport fence project Page 3

4 Adverse Impact 6 The original fence proposal had a six foot fence between the property line and the historic parachute loft. This is the oldest smokejumper parachute loft in the United States and the improvements outlined in the illustration below provides the same access controls between land-side and air operations as well as allows the public to see both the north and south sides of the building. A) A vehicle fence is included between the warehouse and parachute loft to allow electrician vehicle access to electrical panels on the warehouse. B) Suggested public access gate and walkway from Smokejumper Way to tarmac. C) Six foot fence segment that was between the loft and property line as been moved to the north east end of the warehouse. C A Fence is located 1-2 feet away from historic rockwork. Gate B 6-8 feet between fence and mulberry trees Page 4 Adverse impacts on historic smokejuper base by airport fence project

5 Adverse Impact 7 The concerns about visual impacts of a chain link fence in a historic district with no history of chain link fencing in any part of its history from the smokejumper base being established in 1943 to now, 2010, were addressed in this section. The general consensus among the participants in the November 1, 2010 workshop was that the chain link fence needs to be a black vinyl coated fence. The recommendation is to install a black, vinyl coated fence along the east, south, and north boundaries of the airport. Adverse Impact 8 The proposed interior fence through the historic training area of the base is unnecessary. Adverse Impact 9 Historic rock pillars are situated on the property line and create a unique situation not found on any other part of the fence line. The proposal is to leave the rock structures in their current location and wrap the chain link fence around the east side of these structures. This was the solution proposed by the Airport Manager. Adverse impacts on historic smokejuper base by airport fence project Page 5

6 END MITIGATION DOCUMENT Page 6 Adverse impacts on historic smokejuper base by airport fence project