The Sierra Vista City Council on Aug. 28 approved an update to the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport master plan and accepted two Federal Aviation Administration grants to reconstruct and rehabilitate apron and taxi-lane pavement on the airport’s north side.

The master-plan update covers a 20-year planning horizon and is intended to keep the city eligible for federal funding for airport capital projects. “My name is Chandra Burks. I'm an airport planner with Kaufman Associates,” Chandra Burks said during the council meeting, summarizing the study and next steps.

The council’s approval authorizes staff to submit the airport layout plan (ALP) drawings to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for federal review. The ALP and the master plan are required by the FAA for projects that seek federal grant funding. Kaufman and Associates completed the update following a nearly two‑year planning process that included a planning advisory committee and multiple public meetings.

Why this matters: The approved master plan and ALP let the city pursue FAA and state grant funding for priority pavement repairs at areas between the self‑serve fuel area and hangar banks — repairs the general aviation community has sought to address pavement distress and loose aggregate that can damage aircraft.

City staff and consultants emphasized that the master plan is a civilian planning document and that FAA‑eligible projects must demonstrate a clear general‑aviation benefit. “For FAA funded projects, we have to be able to show a clear general aviation benefit,” a city staff presenter said, describing the FAA’s review standard.

Council discussion and clarifications: Council members asked a number of clarifying questions during the presentation. Topics raised included (1) updating the project website to reflect completed public meetings, (2) whether the airport will need a dedicated airport manager if activity increases, (3) clarification of grant and project descriptions, and (4) whether informal vehicle‑parking arrangements with Border Patrol are documented. Consultant and staff responses noted that the website will be updated to show completed meetings, that staffing for an airport manager would be considered later as activity warrants and through the city budget process, and that no formal written parking agreement with Border Patrol was identified in the master‑plan materials.

Grant awards and local match: The council separately approved two related resolutions accepting FAA funding: one construction grant and one design reimbursement grant for the apron/taxi lane project. City staff said the FAA grant offers will cover about 91% of the project cost, and that the Arizona Department of Transportation is expected to contribute approximately 4.5%, leaving the city with an estimated 4.5% match — about $20,000 total for the two grants combined.

Timing and next steps: If the council’s acceptance is finalized, staff said design work and bidding will proceed and construction is expected to begin later this fall. The consultant will submit the ALP package to the FAA for its review and approval; annual capital improvement programming meetings with the city, FAA and ADOT will set short‑term priorities and identify funding needs going forward.

Background: The previous Sierra Vista Municipal Airport master plan was completed in 2014. Kaufman and Associates led the current update, which the consultant described as an intensive process including four planning advisory committee meetings and three public meetings prior to the final recommendation.

Meeting action: The council voted to approve Resolution 2025‑068 (master plan update) and to accept FAA construction and design grants via Resolutions 2025‑069 and 2025‑070. Staff will proceed with submittal to the FAA and with project planning tied to the approved grants.