Air Traffic Control Tower Construction at the French Valley Airport (F70)
Summary
SCH Number
2025030721
Lead Agency
Riverside County
Document Title
Air Traffic Control Tower Construction at the French Valley Airport (F70)
Document Type
MND - Mitigated Negative Declaration
Received
Present Land Use
Land use designation: Public Facilities (PF)
Zoning designation: Manufacturing-Service (M-SC)
Document Description
The French Valley Airport (F70 or “Airport”) is a public-use Airport that is owned and operated by the County of Riverside, Transportation and Land Management Agency, Division of Airports (County). F70 was accepted into the FAA’s Federal Contract Tower (FCT) Program as documented in FAA’s acceptance letter of July 25, 2022. Pilots in the vicinity of F70 use the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to communicate. Riverside County, as the Airport Operator / Project Sponsor, proposes to construct an Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) to enhance aviation safety by improving air traffic communication, providing improved aircraft separation, and reducing the risk of mid-air collisions and other accidents, runway incursions, and other hazards. The proposed project will not affect air traffic patterns, increase Airport capacity, or affect the fleet mix. The proposed ATCT will be constructed entirely within Airport boundaries, and no property acquisition will be required.
The proposed ATCT will be constructed entirely within airport boundaries and in the central portion of the airport adjacent to the runway. The project site encompasses only 0.5 acre, which includes the tower, associated parking, generator, and fence (0.24 acre or 10,404 square feet), as well as the interior access road leading the tower (0.26 acre or 11,135 square feet). The proposed project includes: A 448-square-foot octagonal cab with a height of 93 feet above ground level (AGL); a chain-link security fence surrounding the tower site; an emergency generator with designated parking for a fuel truck; a parking area for tower employees (10 spaces); lighting for the tower and parking area.
The project will be served by connections to existing utility systems that serve the airport including: sanitation pipe (580 linear feet of trenching will be provided for connection); electricity (520 linear feet of duct bank will be installed); communication (90 feet linear feet of line will be installed); and water (150 feet of water line will be installed).
Construction is planned to commence in 2026 and will require approximately six months. Maximum staffing is anticipated to be 35 construction workers at peak utilization, with an average utilization of 15 construction workers on site daily. No night time work is proposed.
The French Valley Airport (F70 or "Airport") is a busy, public-use general aviation airport that is owned and operated by Riverside County and included in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). The FAA determined that the Airport is eligible for the Federal Control Tower Program in 2022. The County proposes to construct a 448-sqare-foot Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) to enhance safety by improving communication among aircraft to reduce the risk of accidents, incursions, and other hazards. The proposed project will not increase airport capacity or alter the aircraft fleet mix.
Riverside County and the FAA conducted a tower siting study to identify an appropriate ATCT location. The County will construct the ATCT on a previously disturbed area of airport property adjacent to the runway. The facility will include a secure interior access road, a parking area for tower staff (average of 3 staff members daily), a back-up generator, fence, and lighting. The ATCT will be served by existing utilities (sewer, electricity, communications, and water).
Contact Information
Name
Lisa Harmon
Agency Name
Mead & Hunt, Inc.
Job Title
Aviation/Environmental Planner
Contact Types
Consulting Firm
Phone
Email
Name
Angela Jamison
Agency Name
Riverside County Aviation Division
Job Title
Director of Airports
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Murrieta
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Unincorporated
Cross Streets
Sky Canyon Drive and Sparkman Way
Zip
92563
Total Acres
0.5
Jobs
6
Parcel #
000-250-925
State Highways
79
Railways
None
Airports
F70
Schools
Monte Vista Elementary
Waterways
Warm Springs Creek, Tucalota Creek, and Santa Gertrudis Creek
Township
7S
Range
2W
Section
7
Base
NAD 1983
Other Information
The proposed project would occur entirely within the airport boundary.
Notice of Completion
State Review Period Start
State Review Period End
State Reviewing Agencies
California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Inland Deserts Region 6 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 8 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Energy Commission, California Fish and Game Commission (CDFGC), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Diego Region 9 (RWQCB), California State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), Colorado River Board, Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 20, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights, State Water Resources Control Board, Divison of Financial Assistance
Development Types
Transportation:Air/Heliport (Construct an Air Traffic Control Tower at an Existing Airport )
Local Actions
Airport Layout Plan Update
Project Issues
Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Cumulative Effects, Energy, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Growth Inducement, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mandatory Findings of Significance, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Schools/Universities, Septic System, Sewer Capacity, Solid Waste, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Vegetation, Wetland/Riparian, Wildfire
Public Review Period Start
Public Review Period End
Attachments
Draft Environmental Document [Draft IS, NOI_NOA_Public notices, OPR Summary Form, Appx,]
Notice of Completion [NOC] Transmittal form
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