Title
HEARING - Airports, a division of the Chief Administrative Office, recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 111-2026 establishing an updated Airport Division Fee Schedule;
2) Approve updates to Board of Supervisors Policy F-10, County-Owned Airports - Regulations, Security, and Leases;
3) Designate the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer as the County Airports Director; and
4) Provide conceptual approval, pursuant to Board Policy A-3, to make minor amendments to Title 18 of the County Ordinance Code, Airports, to align with changes to Policy F-10.
FUNDING: Fees for Service.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On December 10, 2024, the Board held a public hearing on airport policies and fees and adopted Resolution 188-2024 establishing an updated Airport Division Fee Schedule. On January 26, 2026, the Board approved the use of lease templates, which included a 2.5% annual adjustment, for all new Ground leases and County Hangar leases and authorized the Chief Administrative Officer or Assistant Chief Administrative Officer to make minor modifications to the templates, including changes related to any new Federal Aviation Administration laws or guidelines, if necessary pending approval by the Airport Ad-Hoc committee, County Counsel, and Risk Management.
The attached resolution brings the Airport fee schedule into alignment with the lease templates approved in January including an annual increase of 2.5% for County Owned Leases effective annually every January 1st as well as an annual increase of 2.5% for the Personal and Commercial Use Ground Leases effective annually every July 1st.
In addition to the fee changes based on the new lease templates, staff are also recommending the following fee changes:
- 2.5% increase to Category E - Application Fees, effective annually every January 1st to keep up with increasing labor costs.
- Reduction of the Commercial Ground Lease rate of 0.08 per square foot to bring the Commercial Ground Lease rate down to the same amount as the Personal Use Ground Lease.
- Removal of the Commercial Landing Fees.
- Removal of the Oil Disposal fees (due to implementation of the CalRecycle oil disposal program which now allows for oil disposal free of charge).
- Addition of film monitoring fees.
Staff are recommending the reduction of the Commercial Ground Lease rate and the removal of the Commercial Landing Fees in an effort to promote economic activity at the Airports. Increased commercial activity brings higher fuel sales, property taxes based on commercial equipment and potentially more revenue based on additional tie down revenues. Ideally the airport would like to see a flight school open at the airports which would help to bring the next generation of airport users to the airports, increase fuel sales and tie down revenue. Recent conversations with aeronautical commercial businesses have indicated that the higher commercial rate and the commercial landing fees were a strong deterrent to any new commercial activity at the airports. If the Board approves this decrease, staff will monitor this activity over the next two years and report back to the Board regarding the success of these economic incentives. If these changes do not result in increased economic activity, staff may recommend taking another look at the Commercial ground lease fees in the future.
Staff are recommending the addition of a film monitoring fee that allows recovery of costs associated with the staff time necessary to monitor any authorized filming activities that occur at the County Airports for safety compliance.
When the Board approved the updated lease templates in January, 2026, staff noted that Board Policy F-10 would need to be updated to align with changes to the templates. The attached updated Policy F-10 includes changes to Section B - Lease Provisions, that align the maintenance requirements with the leases; provides clarity as to when an application fee must be paid; and changes the required documentation for a Commercial Lease removing the requirement of a credit report and providing more descriptive detail of the business plan information required. The Fueling section was removed as this is not required in a policy and fueling needs and requirements change which could then put the Airport in a situation that is not in line with the policy. Finally the Airport Director definition was cleaned up to remove the outdated reference to designated deputies.
On June 25, 2024 (Legistar file 24-1111) the Board designated the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer who at that time, had direct oversight of the Airports as the Airport Director. This oversight has now been assigned to the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer and staff are recommending that the Board officially designate the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer as the Airports Director.
Finally, staff are asking for conceptual approval pursuant to Board Policy A-3, to make minor amendments to Title 18 of the County Ordinance Code to align with changes in the F10 policy.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose to provide alternative direction to staff regarding the proposed recommendations for an updated fee schedule and F-10 Board Policy.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Legistar file 24-1111 - 06/25/2024 - Conceptually approve an amendment the El Dorado County Ordinance Code, Title 3 - Revenue and Finance, Chapter 3.08 Leases of County property, to change the authority for airport agreements and leases from the Director of Planning and Building to the Airport Director, and effective July 1, 2024, designate the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer overseeing Airports as the Airport Director.
Legistar file 24-1891 - 12/10/2024 - Resolution 188-2024 established an updated Airport Division Fee Schedule and revisions to Board of Supervisors Policy F-10 County-Owned Airports - Regulations, Security, and Leases, Repeal Resolution 052-2018, County Airport Advisory Committee, dissolving the Committee; and direct the Airport Director to hold at least one annual meeting with the airport users, interested parties, and the District III and IV Supervisors.
Legistar File 26-0259 - 1/26/2026 - The Board approved the use of templates, which included a 2.5% annual adjustment, for all new Ground leases and County Hangar leases and authorize the Chief Administrative Officer or Assistant Chief Administrative Officer to make minor modifications to the templates, including changes related to any new Federal Aviation Administration laws or guidelines, if necessary pending approval by the Airport Ad-Hoc committee, County Counsel, and Risk Management.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Airports Ad-Hoc Committee
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Revenue from all ground and county-owned hangar leases will grow at an annual rate of 2.5% which could equate to approximately $6,000 annually. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 this increase will be offset with a decrease in commercial lease revenue due to the decreased commercial rates. Staff anticipate that the FY 2027-28 budget will see increased fuel sales, property taxes and tie down revenue that will exceed the impacts of any reduced commercial lease revenue.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Obtain the Chair’s signature on the Resolution and forward one copy to the Chief Administrative Office.
2) Post the updated F-10 Policy to the Board of Supervisors Website.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Laura Schwartz, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer
Dale Lusby, Airport Operations Officer