|
The operating premise of the JLUS program is chat local
<br /> land-use planning and zoning are among the most effective tools
<br /> available ro reso[ve incomparime develoomenr issue~, .short o£
<br /> cosr-orohibitive land acquisition strategies. :5 JLUS is not
<br /> Def'ense Department plan. [t is developed by and For the
<br /> governing body ro support local land-use decisions
<br /> both the present and the
<br />
<br /> Stilt, devetopmenr actMdes [n the ~brm ofsprawlina residential
<br /> subdivisions continue, threatening the urili~, and v[abiliu~
<br /> milira~,, installations, a~r~dds, and test ~d rrainin~ ranges.
<br /> Todau, [nsr~lation commanders ~e findina their b~es pressed
<br /> on all sides by civilian de.doDmenrsl~'" char have encroached,
<br /> many cases, r~gnr up co the ~ence une, creauna operational
<br /> problems for the milira~ and public heakh and saf~u/concerns
<br /> For those who chose to live too close.
<br /> Encroachment h~ a cumulative effect. When residential
<br /> development seemingly appears over night next co a base, ~
<br /> the c~e near the Pensacola Nav~ ,~r Station in Pensacola,
<br /> Florida, drizen complaints over noise are nor hr behind.
<br />
<br />~esidenSia[ encroachment inw accident porch tm[ zones near the Pensaco[a
<br />zVavat Air Station in Pensacola, fi[orig.
<br />
<br /> ~en single-Gmity home sites, rownhouses, ap~tmenrs, ~d
<br />senior living communities crowd near &e fence lines in high-
<br />noise or accident porenriM zones as has occurred ar Fort Bragg,
<br />North Carolina; or when high-dsc buildings inhibit miliraw
<br />aircra~ approach and departures as has happened ar Kees[er
<br />AFB in Bitoxi, Mississippi; and communication towers invade
<br />helicopter training air space ~ has occurred at Fort Campbell,
<br />Kentucky.; or when urban lights reflecting into the night sky
<br />impair night vision training a h~ occurred ar Fort Huachuca,
<br />~izona, base commanders take note.
<br /> xJ~en ~x public or private solid w~te [andfiil is permitted m be
<br />sired too close to ~ airport'3 runw%q raisiug d~e risk of incre~ed
<br />bird strike hazards (or aircr~, airport operators r~e nom.
<br /> Encroachment creeps, parcel by parcel, tract by tract,
<br />spreading over the landscape. It is unconstrained and cmnuiarive
<br />as lc progressivei7 cMces away cririca~ natural habitat, driving
<br />wildlife of all ~pes, including endangered species, onto military
<br />reservations. This h:~ happened :epeated[7 at such premier
<br />mstailarions as Fr. gragg, North Carolina, Fr. Hood, Texas, and
<br />Camp Penal[eton, Caii}brnia, where base commanders today
<br />~nd chems&v~s having :o Secome endangered species experts
<br />
<br /> st. ~le~ E~Olse DtX~l~ Z0n*
<br />
<br /> Aeria/ #hoto ofl Fr. Bragg, North Carolina, and residential subdivisions.
<br />
<br /> Urban and suburban devdopmenr, primarily' residential, can
<br /> concentrate so close to active parachute drop-zones that cbc
<br /> operational mission may be brought into question. This
<br /> illustration, taken From tke Fr. Bragg JLUS, is an example where
<br /> suburban residential development closed a parachute and heavy'.
<br /> equipment drop zone and associated landing strip.
<br />
<br /> MI, LITA RY INSTALLATION '
<br /> The term "military' installation' includes a base, airfield, post,
<br /> station-; yard, operational test and ~raining range, or other activity
<br /> under the iurisdicrion of the Department o£De£ense, with the
<br /> exceptibn oi: civil works projects such as the U.S. ,~rny Corps of
<br /> Engineers.
<br />
<br />The Role of the Local Comprehensive Plan
<br />and Zoning Ordinance
<br />The comprehensive community plan is public policy, k
<br />expresses the projected development patterns of the
<br />community. Complementing the plan is the local zoning
<br />ordinance, and related land development and public health
<br />and safer7 codes. All are tools. Together the7 represent a
<br />guide For the public ro direct land use away From
<br />incompatible or unsuitable locations and promote viable,
<br />livable communities with high standards and quat/ty-oF-li£e
<br />expectations to protect the pubiic from nuisance and
<br />potential harm. These tools also present the most cosr-
<br />ef£ecrive way to guide community development patterns
<br />without compromising the utility and effectiveness of the
<br />military mission, which could lead co mission relocation, or
<br />worse, closure of the installation.
<br />
<br />The Role of State~
<br />Sevetal stare and local governments are very concerned about
<br />the issue oFencroachment and irs impact upon military
<br />installations and missions. ~izona, Califotnia, Florida, Georgia,
<br />Oldahoma, and Texas are notable in their efforts ro craft
<br />storewide [egislarion co deal with encroachment. Military
<br />installations are major contributors to state economies, and
<br />support thousands o(civilian defense jobs and the der%nsc
<br /> '00~ the Defense Department spent over
<br />industry. In the .',,rear .~ ~, .
<br />$276 b:tllion in personnel expenses, de?-ense contracts, and direct
<br />grants ci~rouglmut the 50 stares.
<br />.tn Februaty 2003 at irs winter meeting, the National
<br />Governors Association (NGAi adopted d~e eleventh smart
<br />
<br />
<br />
|