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Board approves airport rent and fee updates; new skydiving and advanced‑air tests fees added
Summary
Ventura County supervisors approved the Department of Airports' fiscal 2025‑26 rent, fee and insurance schedule, keeping hanger and tie‑down rents unchanged but adding fees for skydiving operations, raising some insurance minimums, and waiving unleaded fuel flowage fees for emerging aviation fuels.
The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on June 3 approved the Department of Airports’ fiscal year 2025‑26 rent, fee and insurance schedule, including several changes to reflect insurance‑market shifts and new commercial activities.
Airport Director Keith (last name not specified in the record) told the board hanger rents and tie‑down fees remain unchanged. The department raised utility charges slightly and kept a waiver for a 6¢ per‑gallon flowage fee on a new unleaded aviation fuel to encourage operators to adopt the cleaner product.
New or revised items in the schedule include an annual permit fee for skydiving operations (about $6,000 per year) and a higher cost‑recovery charge for advanced‑air‑mobility flight testing (electric vertical‑takeoff and landing devices), set at $1,500 per day or $6,000 per week. Director Keith said the advanced‑air fee is competitive with other test sites and lower than some out‑of‑state facilities that have charged much more for exclusive access.
The department also adjusted insurance requirements across categories to reflect current market standards: for example, some commercial‑auto and fixed‑base‑operator coverages were raised and minimum aircraft‑owner liability moved from $500,000 to $1 million. Keith told the board he worked with the county risk manager and airport advisory bodies; the changes were reviewed by the Aviation Advisory Commission and local airport authorities.
The board approved the schedule on unanimous voice vote; staff noted film‑and‑TV activity at the county airports has continued despite last year’s fee changes.
Why it matters: The annual fee schedule governs commercial and tenant activity at the county’s two airports, shaping airport finances and permitting rules for aviation businesses and operators. Higher insurance minimums reflect risk‑management decisions and industry trends; new line items aim to accommodate emerging activities such as advanced‑air testing and organized parachute operations.
