In November 2012 Airport staff received an inquiry to enhance the fuel system at and services available for the Byron Airport by installing a Jet A fueling facility. The proposed site is located on the west side of Byron Airport in an area designated for aviation use on the Byron Airport Master Plan. The area is adjacent to the County 100 low lead (100LL) fueling facility and is proximate to the Byron Airport taxiways and runways. The County currently owns and operates the seventeen (17) year old 100LL aviation fueling facility to service the smaller general aviation aircraft that are based at, or use, the Bryon Airport. The fueling facility has limited capacity, storage and application (no jet fuel is currently provided). As such, the fueling facility needs expansion and upgrades to best serve new development tenants and the future anticipated growth as the number of based jet aircraft continues to grow.
In accordance with prior discussions with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airports District Office (ADO) regarding development requests, the County solicited for competitive interest in providing fuel system enhancements for the Byron Airport.
On November 12, 2012, Notices were distributed to existing commercial tenants at Buchanan Field and Byron Airport and to parties on the interested developer list for the airports, and by advertising in the American Association of Airport Executives’ (AAAE), a national aviation organization, publication. The solicitation request and publication process provided for a response deadline of December 5, 2012, for all competitive interests in enhancing the fueling system at the Byron Airport. The Airports Division received one letter of interest.
Consistent with the master developer selection process that was approved by the Board of Supervisors on May 23, 2006, projects without a competitive interest are to proceed with the traditional environmental review and lease development processes. The fueling enhancement project will be presented to the Aviation Advisory Committee, the Airport Committee, and any other party as deemed relevant to enhance community relations and collaborative relationships.
Enhancements to the fuel systems and the conveyance of the County fueling facility for expansion and upgrading would expand economic development activity at the Byron Airport, lead to increased revenues to the Airport Enterprise Fund, and expand aviation related business available at the airport. These fuel system enhancements are also needed to facilitate the growth and development as identified in the adopted Byron Airport Master Plan and to provide needed services for the pending new aviation tenants. A business proposal must be consistent with the Airport Master Plan and General Plan for consideration.
Delay in initiating the developer selection process will result in a delay of developing vacant land at Byron Airport, expansion of the fueling facility, and may negatively impact the Airport Enterprise Fund and County General Fund.