04/05/05 Gates to LeistikoU. S. Department
Of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
April 5, 2005
Mr. Fred A. Leistiko, Manager
Kalispell City Airport
P.O. Box 1997
Kalispell, MT 59903
Dear Fred:
Helena Airports District Office
2725 Skyway Drive, Suite 2
Helena, Montana 59602
This letter is in response to your March 28, 2005 letter and March 24 e-mail, regarding federal funding and
support of proposed improvements at the Kalispell City Airport (S27) as well as an update to the status of
development improvements, Including property acquisition at the City Airport. As previously indicated, we
will not support funding of any airport improvements through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) until
the south AM radio towers are mitigated or removed. In our January 22, 2003 letter to the City, we
indicated that FAA would support funding of the tower removal in FY-2004 provided that costs were
reasonable, and a detailed plan for removal had been provided and accepted by the FAA. Since that time
we have been advised that the State Department of Transportation will initiate legal proceedings against
the station owner in May 2005. Please provide us an update of these proceedings as they become
available.
The City Airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) as a non -primary
general aviation airport, which is one of the criteria for consideration of federal funding through the Airport
Improvement Program (AIP). Each year the FAA assesses development needs at all NPIAS airports in
order to determine the national aviation system funding needs. This assessment is used in -part to
determine projected funding needs, including the allocation of non -primary entitlement (NPE) funds. The
City Airport (S27) currently has $150,000 of NPE funds that can be used for FAA approved and eligible
airport work under AIP. The NPIAS currently identifies approximately $ 8 million of proposed development
over the next five years at the City Airport.
A letter was sent April 1, 2005 to NPIAS airports including the City Airport, requesting that Capitol
improvement Plans be updated and reviewed by our office to determine the five year funding needs. We
will use this process to evaluate a funding plan to support the projected airport development needs at the
City Airport. You had asked when the city could expect to obtain AIP funding including for AIP eligible
development. If the towers were removed late this fall, we would be in a position to reimburse the City for
the approved federal share of the costs using your non -primary entitlements in fiscal year'06 (FY'06
begins October 1, 2005, grants issued spring 2006). Next year, it is expected that the City will have
$300,000 available in NPE funds (fiscal year'05 and '06 combined) The City can carry these funds over a
maximum of 4 years before they expire and continue to accumulate these funds or use for eligible work
(such as land acquisition) after the towers are removed. Another option is to transfer these funds to
another eligible airport and have these funds returned by the borrower at a later date. We do not currently
have sufficient funds (including state apportionment funding) outside of your non -primary entitlements, to
fund eligible work next year. We will use the CIP process to identify and prioritize the total funding
needed. We expect to have the CIP process complete and our five year funding plan developed by
August 2005, subject to receiving CIP's from individual airports in May.
We advise that a meeting or teleconference be held soon between the FAA, City of Kalispell, land
consultants, appraisers etc. to discuss the land acquisition process, in particular what processes and
documentation we will require for reimbursement of City land purchases for the airport. Eligible and
approved land acquisition may be reimbursed through your available non -primary entitlements or state
apportionment funding, but must be acquired in accordance with federal procurement requirements. I
have also attached land acquisition management guidance that should be used in preparation for our land
discussion and future acquisitions. Per your March letter, we also received the contracts between the City
and Robert Peccia and Assoc for airport planning as well as Jim Trowbridge regarding land acquisition
services.
We also advise that you send us a copy of the current Airport Layout Plan (ALP) as soon as it is
completed and immediately send construction drawings and completed form 7460 that show the proposed
utility, apron and taxiway improvements (Apron construction is planned for July 1, 2005). 1 have attached
the FAA notification requirements (form 7460) for construction on a public use airport, which is required
irregardless of funding sources. The notification also gives us the opportunity to validate that the
proposed improvements are in accordance with the FAA approved Airport Layout Plan (ALP) and that
development will not impact future projects funded through FAA.
Please provide us with a revised cost estimate and a tentative schedule for tower removal and land
acquisition as well as a time to discuss or meet regarding these issues. Contact this office if you have any
questions regarding this letter or any other issues relating to the airport development.
Regards,
GaFyk. Gates, P.E.
Airport Planner and Engineer
Enclosures (via e-mail)
cc:
James Patrick, Kalispell City Manager
Phil Porrini, RPA (via e-mail)
Ryan Mitchell, RPA (via e-mail)
Jim Trowbridge (via e-mail)