Future Land Use Planning for Airport EnvironsTHE CITY OF
DUB E
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MEMORANDUM
February 28, 2007
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Future Land Use Planning for Airport Environs
The Long Range Planning Advisory Commission has recommended that the City
Council open communications with the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors regarding
land uses and zoning which surround the airport. The recommendation includes a
reference to Airport Manager Bob Grierson's suggestion for atwo-mile buffer of
agricultural land use surrounding the airport.
There is currently a buffer of industrial zoning surrounding the airport. There are also
height restrictions imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Iowa
Department of Transportation to protect the flight patterns. There are 8,641 acres within
two miles of the airport. The current situation within two miles of the airport is that 3,188
acres are planned agricultural, 1,414 acres are planned industrial, 1,558 acres are
planned single-family residential, 1,157 acres are planned commercial, 1,160 acres are
planned rural density residential, 116 acres are flood plain and 48 acres are planned for
parks. I believe as Dubuque County updates their comprehensive plan, more of the
agricultural land will change to other uses.
If the two-mile agricultural buffer from the geographic center of the airport were adopted,
6,170 acres of the 8,641 acres would be planned for agricultural use. The airport will
remain 1,108 acres and the planned industrial land use surrounding the airport will be
1,363 acres.
The City of Dubuque is in a difficult position when it comes to growth. Between the
1980 and 1990 census, the City of Dubuque lost 4,775 residents. In the year 2000, the
City gained only 140 residents since the 1990 census. If the Gity is to grow, there must
be a place to grow.
The City is blocked from expansion on the east side by the Mississippi River, expansion
is limited on the north side by the topography and the City of Sageville, and expansion
is limited south by the topography and the Mines of Spain. The City of Asbury on the
northwest side limits the City's options for growth. This leaves the City the option to
expand west and southwest.
Taking over 5,000 acres out of the possibility of future development will severely restrict
the ability of the City of Dubuque to grow and will put a huge obstacle in the efforts of
businesses to find workers.
I respectfully request that the Mayor and City Council continue on the current path of
planned and managed growth and not support atwo-mile agricultural buffer around the
airport.
Michael C. Van Milligen ..
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
THE CITY OF / °~,
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arming Services Department L~~
City Hall ~ _-_ ! ~ ~
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
(563) 589-4210 office
(563)589-4221 fax
(563) 690-6678 TDD
p~anningQcityofdubuque.org
www,cityofdubuque.org February 23, 2007
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
City of Dubuque
City Hall-50 W. 13"' Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
RE: Future Land Use Planning for Airport Environs
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
The Long Range Planning Advisory Commission conducted a public hearing for the draft 2030
Future Land Use Map for the Dubuque Comprehensive Plan update on January 17, 2007.
Robert Grierson, Dubuque Regional Airport Manager, addressed the Commission regarding
land uses and existing zoning within airport environs. He expressed his and the Airport
Commission's concems with the County's Single-Family Residential zoning which surrounds
the Airport. He also expressed concems with the City's draft 2030 Future Land Use Map's
designation of residential to the north and east of the Airport. He explained how residential
land uses are incompatible with airport operations and would limit the Airport's ability to
expand in the future. He also explained the greatest concentration of accidents occur within
five miles of an airport. He stated that noise from flights and other residual effects of airport
operations suggest that the best land uses surrounding an airport are agricultural or industrial.
The Commission discussed Mr. Grierson's comments and his suggestion for a two mile buffer
of agricultural land use surrounding the Airport. The Commission noted that the City has no
authority regarding the County zoning surrounding the Airport. The Commission felt the
Dubuque County Board of Supervisors should be aware of Airport Commission's concerns.
By a vote of 7 to 0, the Long Range Planning Advisory Commission recommends that the City
Council open communication with the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors and transmit the
Airport Commission's concems regarding land uses and zoning which surround the Airport.
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. Charles Winterwood, Chairperson
Long Rang Planning Advisory Commission
cc Michael Van Miltigen, City Manager
Robert Grierson, Dubuque Regional Airport Manager
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