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FAA land‑use inspection prompts corrective‑action work on leases, standards and UNICOM license at Lawrence airport
Summary
City staff said they received an FAA land‑use inspection report that flagged master‑plan items, incompatible land uses, lease language and safety/minimum standards; staff is preparing a corrective action plan, revising lease templates with outside counsel, and working to renew an expired UNICOM (radio) license.
City staff told the Aviation Advisory Board on June 4 that an FAA land‑use inspection and subsequent report — conducted in September and delivered to the city in April — identified several areas for corrective action, including updates to the master plan, incompatible land uses, leases, minimum standards and pavement management.
“Back last summer, Scott and I had just been out to Renton, Washington…and we got contacted by the FAA, and they would like to do a land use inspection,” an airport staff member said, summarizing the inspection process. Staff said the FAA’s April 22 report listed items for action and that the city has submitted or will submit responses as part of a corrective action plan.
Staff singled out incompatible land uses that the FAA called out: apron tie‑down fees and terminal space used by a tenant other than the fixed‑base operator. On leases, staff said the city is revising aeronautical and non‑aeronautical lease templates with outside counsel and other professional advisers to address language the FAA flagged.
Scott Wagner, the airport manager, described efforts to renew an expired UNICOM radio license. “There is documentation on the federal communications website on how to renew an expired license. So I’m trying to get our existing, old FRN number…renew that permit,” Wagner said. He said staff will document the renewal process, include it in credentialing materials, and add procedures to city records so the license will be kept current going forward.
Wagner said not all items in the FAA’s list will affect every lease or tenant — the report included many bullets covering multiple scenarios — and staff will return to the board with draft lease templates and proposed minimum standards in coming months. He said staff plans to coordinate with tenants and stakeholders while implementing required changes and will update the FAA on corrective actions taken.
Board members asked for clarity on whether FAA expectations include monitoring UNICOM operations; staff said they will follow up with FAA to confirm operational expectations once the license is renewed.
Staff also noted other items from the inspection: pavement management updates and airport management and operations documentation that the FAA expects as part of the corrective plan. Staff said some of those items align with work already underway in the master plan and minimum standards updates.
