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Council approves minor contract correction as staff begins study of possible runway shift
Summary
City staff presented a scope amendment for airport planning and environmental services tied to land acquisition and a possible shift of the commercial runway threshold; council corrected a contract language typo and approved the consent item.
Prescott — City staff said March 25 they will study a potential shift of the commercial runway threshold at Ernest A. Love Field and pursue related environmental work and land acquisition to protect runway protection zones under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant assurances.
During consent agenda review Councilmember (name not specified) flagged a contract reference that read "in an amount to exceed" and asked staff to confirm the intended language. Christina (last name not provided), the airport services manager, acknowledged it was a typo and confirmed the contract should read "not to exceed." The council approved the amended consent item with that correction.
City staff said the planning and environmental services amendment would pay for environmental analysis tied to land acquisition in the South Ranch area and for public outreach on a potential shift of Runway 3R/21L. The shift — a staff estimate described at the meeting as "approximately about a thousand feet" — would aim to reduce obstructions on the departure end of Runway 21L and bring the commercial runway threshold closer to an intersecting runway. Airport staff said an airport layout plan update and FAA required studies would be part of the scope.
Christina said the work would be FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) eligible and that the airline and other airport users would be included in outreach. Charlie Dibble, an airport staff member, told the council the objective is to "totally eliminate the obstacles on the departure end" and that the team would estimate potential construction and land‑acquisition costs as part of the study.
Councilmember Roosing asked whether the change would create additional land-acquisition needs; staff said the proposal would make aircraft higher over Deep Well Ranch and that no further land acquisitions beyond the South Ranch parcel purchases were proposed at this time.
Action: Council approved the corrected consent agenda item that amended contract language to read "an amount not to exceed" the figure shown in the packet.
Ending: Staff said the study will include cost estimates, public outreach and potential follow‑up council briefings; funding questions and precise cost estimates will be developed once the study identifies an exact shift distance and construction scope.
