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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-93-0326APR 16 ' 93 15 t 37 rAA SO RN REGION, ASS-420 d'tAtlanta. GW(Ila SOW ftdo si Avkol 16 Ird�MMrlsflrOlWM1 Cesar H. Odio City Managers Office 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, 'Florida 33133 Dear Mr. Odio, I am writing to request a proposal be placed on the May 13, 1993, Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting agenda. The proposal is to re-establish a Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), air navigation facility on Virginia Key. The FAA is seeking approval to lease the proposed site from the City of Miami. Enclosed is a briefing "FAA Ilavtgationai Facility (VORTAC), Virginia Key," providing general information on the proposal. Any questions you have, may be addressed to Mr. Steve Duckett, Facility and Equipment Planning and Fiscal Management Section, •ASO-423, at (404 ) 763-7851. Sincerely, D. Alan Bryan Assistant Manager, Resource and Planning Branch Enclosure cc: Lori Lutes City Managers Office 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, Florida 33133 ran 'Ps Ai..' �r:� l�jvTra 93- 326 r� FAA NAVIGATIONALFACILITY (VORTAC) VIRGE41A KEY WHAT o The Federal Aviation Administration proposes to construct an air route navigational (VORTAC) facility on Virginia Key. The acronym "VORTAC" stands for Very High Frequency Omni -Directional Radio Range with Tactical Air Command. The facility is an FM radio transmitter and receiver which provides distance and direction information to pilots for navigation. o Facility Description See Exhibit 1 (back). WHY o Hurricane Andrew destroyed an existing FAA VORTAC located in Biscayne Bay. The option of restoring the site was abandoned due to environmental sensitivity, technical difficulties and the need to move the facility to a land site. o Loss of the Biscayne Bay VORTAC and the Richmond Radar Facility has greatly impacted Miami air traffic control procedures by eliminating essential air routes to the South Florida/Miami area. Simply stated the Biscayne Bay VORTAC was the most important and most used air navigation facility in the South Florida Airspace System. Eighty percent of all aircraft traveling to Miami utilized air routes generated by the Biscayne Bay VORTAC. Air Traffic Controllers must now provide verbally the navigation information the Biscayne Bay VORTAC once provided electronically. These manual procedures increased work for Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers, resulting in the need for greater separation between aircraft. The increased workload results in arrival and departure delays to the flying public. These delays will continue until a replacement VORTAC is established. o The FAA has been attempting to replace the Biscayne Bay VORTAC for the past 15 years. The importance of the facility requires that it be maintained in top working condition. The Bay marine environment deteriorates the performance of the facility and greatly increases maintenance activities. Replacing the VORTAC facility on Virginia Key will; reestablish the automated method of navigation, maximize use of the Miami airspace, make maintenance less intensive and establish a more rr.liable facility. WHERE o The proposed site is a remote, undeveloped area of Virginia Key, across the basin from the Marine Stadium. See Exhibit 2 (back). o Urgent efforts have been ongoing since the Hurricane to locate a replacement land side site that meets the needs of a VORTAC facility. The Virginia Key site meets these needs and appears to have minimum impact to the environment and public. WHEN o Start Construction March 1994 = o Complete Construction September 1994 o These estimates are based on Miami City approval at the May 13, 1993 Regular Commission Meeting. 93- 326 2 Facilit} Description: Lease lot 200 ft x 200 ft Antenna Height 76 ft above ground Structure (counterpoise) height 65 ft above ground Structure diameter 150 ft Lease height restriction area 1000 ft radius (65' Above Mean Sea Level) t . 6 ! LAM I If v";+� wk , Cky of Miami Q U A T—i C P R E S E E Ousm OUght Proposed VORTAC Site , 4 Miami Quadrangle Rey Biscayne Quadrangle 015MYSL WAY A C ^RESERVi'; .. wluaiw W /MILL ONOW 8 i Mann* S a I I Lease height restriction area - 1000 ft radius \ S 17 65' Above Mean Sea Level) t -,-- j OLon t � � I j t ;iilic. � VM• -w-'-- Antenna .Oft-MOOM ■ Counterpoise Exhibit Z i -t_J e V, r