Council approves airport master plan
At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved an update to the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport Master Plan.
The master plan establishes recommendations for airport development that will best meet the site’s anticipated demands. It outlines development objectives and provides for a 20-year planning period that looks at airfield configuration, facility development, land use recommendations, and support facilities.
The plan also makes high-level recommendations for improvements, including a suggested timeframe, but does not require specific actions or projects. Instead, it serves as a strategic tool for establishing airport improvement priorities and obtaining funding.
Grant funding for airport improvements through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can only be obtained by placing projects in the five-year Airport Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP), which is reviewed yearly by the FAA and Arizona Department of Transportation. A project cannot be placed on the ACIP for funding consideration if it does not first appear on the Airport Layout Plan, which is developed based on the recommendations of this master plan.
However, even though projects and timelines have been identified by the master plan, airport activity levels and needs will ultimately influence development priorities and timeframes. Furthermore, the approval has no budget appropriation. Instead, funding will be based on the availability of grants or through City Council’s annual budget process.
In other business:
- Mayor Clea McCaa presented the City’s procurement team with a 2025 Excellence in Procurement Award on behalf of the National Procurement Institute. This prestigious recognition is given to organizations demonstrating outstanding achievements in procurement and supply management. This is the third year in a row that the City of Sierra Vista has earned the award.
- Council accepted a construction grant and a design grant from the FAA for apron and taxi lane reconstruction and design reimbursement for improvements to the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport.
- Council accepted deeds from Castle & Cooks for roadways including E. Buffalo Soldier Trail, Ben Franklin Boulevard, and Francis Lewis Street, plus a deed for the conveyance of properties to the City from Castle & Cooke.
- Council approved granting a water easement to Arizona Water Company.
