§ 256.5 - The air installation compatible use program.

(a) The Secretaries of the Military Departments will develop, implement and maintain a program to investigate and study all air installations in necessary order of priority to develop an Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) program for each air installation consistent with § 256.4. AICUZ studies which contain an analysis of land use compatibility problems and potential solutions shall be developed and updated as necessary. As a minimum, each Study shall include the following:

(1) Determination by detailed study of flight operations, actual noise and safety surveys if necessary, and best available projections of future flying activities, desirable restrictions on land use due to noise characteristics and safety of flight;

(2) Identification of present incompatible land uses;

(3) Identification of land that if inappropriately developed would be incompatible;

(4) Indication of types of desirable development for various land tracts;

(5) Land value estimates for the zones in question.

(6) Review of the airfield master plans to ensure that existing and future facilities siting is consistent with the policies in this part.

(7) Full consideration of joint use of air installations by activities of separate Military Departments whenever such use will result in maintaining operational capabilities while reducing noise, real estate and construction requirements.

(8) Recommendations for work with local zoning boards, necessary minimum programs of acquisition, relocations, or such other actions as are indicated by the results of the Study.

(b) Procedures. In developing AICUZ Studies the Secretaries of Military Departments shall:

(1) Follow the review and comment procedures established under OMB Circular A-95;

(2) Ensure that appropriate environmental factors are considered; and

(3) Ensure that other local, State or Federal agencies engaged in land use planning or land regulation for a particular area have an opportunity to review and comment upon any proposed plan or significant modification thereof.

(c) Coordination with State and local governments. Secretaries of the Military Departments shall develop procedures for coordinating AICUZ Studies with the land use planning and regulatory agencies in the area. Developing compatible land use plans may require working with local governments, local planning commissions, special purpose districts, regional planning agencies, state agencies, state legislatures, as well as the other Federal agencies. Technical assistance to local, regional, and state agencies to assist them in developing their land use planning and regulatory processes, to explain an AICUZ Study and its implications, and generally to work toward compatible planning and development in the vicinity of military airfields, should be provided.

(d) Property rights acquisition. The AICUZ Study shall serve as the basis for new land acquisitions, property disposal, and other proposed changes in Military Departments real property holdings in the vicinity of military airfields where applicable.

(e) Required approvals. Based on the results of the AICUZ Studies, each Military Department will prepare recommendations for individual installations AICUZ programs for approval as follows:

(1) The Secretaries of the Military Departments or their designated representatives will review and approve the AICUZ Studies establishing the individual air installation AICUZ program.

(2) When relocation or abandonment of a mission or an installation is apparently required, the Secretaries of the Military Departments will submit the proposed plan for the installation, with appropriate recommendations, to the Secretary of Defense for approval.

(3) A time-phased fiscal year plan for implementation of the AICUZ program in priority order, consistent with budgetary considerations, will be developed for approval by the Secretaries of the Military Departments, or their designated representatives. These plans will serve as the basis for all AICUZ actions at the individual installations.

(f) Coincident actions. The Secretaries of the Military Departments will also take action to assure in accordance with § 256.4 (a) and (b) that:

(1) As the first priority action in developing an AICUZ program, full attention is given to safety and noise problems.

(2) In all planning, acquisition and siting of noise generating items, such as engine test stands, full advantage is taken of available alleviating measures, such as remote sites or sound suppression equipment.

(3) The noise exposure of on-installation facilities and personnel are considered together with that off the installation.

(4) There is development or continuation with renewed emphasis, of programs to inform local governments, citizens groups, and the general public of the requirements of flying activities, the reasons therefore, the efforts which may have been made or may be taken to reduce noise exposure, and similar matters which will promote and develop a public awareness of the complexities of air installation operations, the problems associated therewith, and the willingness of the Department of Defense to take all measures possible to alleviate undesirable external effects.

(g) Responsibilities for the acquisition, management and disposal of real property are defined in DoD Directive 4165.6, “Real Property; Acquisition, Management and Disposal,” September 15, 1955 (20 FR 7113).

(h) The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Installations and Housing) will examine the program developed pursuant to this part, and from time to time review the progress thereunder to assure conformance with policy.