After almost two years of deliberations, the Washington Aviation Planning Council has released its final statewide aviation recommendations.
The Aviation Planning Council was appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire in 2007 as part of the Long-Term Air Transportation Study (LATS). The Council’s purpose was to use LATS Phases I and II technical findings, and include public input, to determine:
– How best to meet commercial and general aviation capacity needs.
– Which regions of the state are in need of improvement regarding the matching of existing, or projected, airport facilities and the long-range capacity needs at airports within the region expected to reach capacity before 2030.
– Recommendations regarding the placement of future commercial or general aviation facilities to meet the need for improved aviation planning in the region.
Some highlights of the Council’s findings include:
– No immediate capacity constraint exists at any airport in Washington State today.
– Future capacity constraints will exist within the time frame of this study (2030), primarily in the Puget Sound Region.
– Washington’s aviation system is threatened by encroachment from land uses that are incompatible with aviation operations, and existing land use laws are inadequate.
Here’s where to click to read the entire report, which includes the full list of recommendations.