Both the FAA and the Department of Defense say the clear zone at the North end of the McChord runway is out of compliance. That could spell bad news in a round of base closures.

The South Sound Military and Communities Partnership (SSMCP) began this month contacting property owners located in the North Clear Zone to acquire data for the North Clear Zone Project - to begin looking at possibly moving those businesses out of the way of a potential airplane crash.

"Resolution to the Northern Clear Zone encroachments is the highest priority identified in the 2015 Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Joint Land Use Study," said the Lakewood North Clear Zone Project Program Manager, Bill Adamson.

"The findings confirmed that urban encroachment in the North Clear Zone posed an incompatible land use which violates FAA and DoD regulatory guidance."

The North Clear Zone study began back in July 2016 and is the current phase taking place, utilizing the recommendations made in the JBLM Joint Land Use Study back in November 2015.

"Public and air safety - an USAF Air Installations Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) Study determined that 28 percent of all air accidents occur within the Clear Zones," said Adamson.

The North Clear Zone does not currently comply with Department of Defense (DoD) or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards.

"Department of Defense guidelines call for Clear Zones to be undeveloped and free of people and flight obstructions," said Adamson.  "This protects the public's safety and the military's ability to carry out its missions. The bottom line - safety and risk avoidance!"

One might ask, why are these standards so important to the communities that neighbor JBLM?

After collecting the data, the South Sound Military and Communities Partnership (SSMCP) will evaluate property appraisals and produce relocation estimates to determine the potential cost of bringing the North Clear Zone into compliance with federal safety guidelines.

This strategy may include assisting businesses to move out of the North Clear Zone, as well as potentially acquiring properties.

"One aspect of the North Clear Zone Project is evaluating the costs associated with purchasing privately held properties, assisting the businesses in relocating elsewhere in the vicinity and returning the North Clear Zone to an undeveloped state," said Adamson.

Adamson provided a detailed description of what exactly will be taking place when looking at relocation estimates, property appraisals and the total cost of bringing the North Clear Zone into compliance.  

What are the relocation estimates?

"Determining the needs of property and business owners and the costs for relocating businesses from one location to another.  We will try to keep these relocations with a 20-mile radius of the current location, hopefully in the same local jurisdiction."

What do these numbers mean?

"Study will develop a total cost of relocation of businesses for the entire Clear Zone.  This figure will be the basis for future funding requests."

What about property appraisals?

"Property valuations will follow the requirements of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP)."

What do these numbers mean?

"The valuation process intends to determine the highest and best use of each property. These valuations report the fair market value of the Fee Simple interest in the properties and will be referred to as ‘initial cost estimates'.  Property appraisals will be used as a planning figure for future funding requests if purchasing the properties is the preferred approach to resolving land use incompatibilities in the Clear Zone."

Lastly, what might be the cost of bringing North Clear Zone into compliance?

"This is currently unknown but the North Clear Zone Project will determine this figure."

What do these numbers mean?

"The eventual numbers represent the costs for purchasing properties and relocating the businesses to a new location within twenty miles of the existing location."

There are five main objectives for the North Clear Zone Project, according to SSMCP's website:

• Ensure public and air safety

• Bring use of the North Clear Zone into Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense regulatory compliance

• Preserve JBLM "Mission Assurance"

• Maintain full operational capacity and capability

The current timeline for these essential phases are as followed:

Phase 1: Summer 2016 - Fall 2016: Project Startup

Phase 2: Fall 2016 - Spring 2017: Strategy Analysis

Phase 3: Spring 2017 - Summer 2017: Action plan and Implementation Program

Phase 4: Summer 2017 - Spring 2018: Initial Implementation

OTHER: Fall 2016 - Winter 2016: Cost Estimates for Property Acquisition and Business Relocation

"SSMCP has hired an independent appraisal firm, Montro & Johnston, to develop cost estimates for property acquisition and business relocation assistance," said Adamson.  "This will enable SSMCP to determine the approximate scale of funding that would be required."

Estimates are expected to be completed by December 2016.

"By the end of 2016, SSMCP hopes to have developed a recommended strategy and plan of action for resolving encroachment in the North Clear Zone," said Adamson.  "Property acquisition and business relocation is just one component of the strategy and there will likely be multiple elements to the strategy which will be implemented on an incremental basis based on funds availability."

Once this strategy is accepted by local leaders, SSMCP and local jurisdictions will pursue funding options.

"Local leaders and residents will have "three things they didn't have before," said Adamson. "A North Clear Zone (NCZ) strategy and master plan, a current cost estimate for NCZ properties, and cost estimates for relocating NCZ-based businesses."