JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Landowners around Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph gathered
with leadership from the 12th Flying Training Wing at Converse City Hall Feb. 1
for a town hall to discuss concerns regarding land near the base’s runways.
The town hall provided an opportunity for community members
to discuss recent updates to the JBSA-Randolph Air Installation Compatible Use
Zones Study with base representatives and ask how their land may be affected.
“We wanted to provide an opportunity for local residents to
come and ask questions or voice any concerns they might have,” said Col. Matt
Isler, 12th Flying Training Wing commander. “Our mission success depends on the
support of the community, and Military City USA provides incredible support to
our mission, Airmen, and their families.
We are committed to safety, open communications, and transparency in
working with our neighbors and community leaders to keep our flight operations
compatible with development ongoing around the base. Open and active lines of communication
between the base and local residents is crucial to that success.”
In October 2015, JBSA sent letters to landowners with
property near the runways to inform them that an update to the 2008
JBSA-Randolph AICUZ Study found their land to be located in a clear zone.
A clear zone is one of three safety zones defined by the
Department of Defense AICUZ program. Clear zones extend out 3,000 feet from the
runway and run 1,500 feet to either side of the runway centerline. Prior to the
update, the JBSA-Randolph AICUZ clear zones only showed land within the
installation’s boundaries.
“We are actively engaging property owners with land in the
clear zones to make sure they are informed about the AICUZ update and have the
most up to date information,” said Lt. Col. Robin Baldwin, the 12th Flying
Training Wing Community Initiatives director. “We want property owners to know
that we take several precautions to make our operations as safe as possible,
especially in areas near the runways.”
Since the update, JBSA-Randolph representatives have been in
continuous contact with members of the community. Local governments have passed
resolutions adopting compatible land use recommendations and expressed support
for efforts to keep their communities safe.
“The safety of the community is very important to us. At the
end of the day, if there is an aircraft mishap, I would much rather it occur in
a field than near a house or a school. There is absolutely no excuse for that
scenario if there’s something we could have done to prevent it,” Isler said.
For more information on updates to the
JSBA-Randolph AICUZ, call the 12th Flying Training Wing Community Initiatives
Office at 210-652-2144 or visit http://www.jbsa.mil/Resources/HomeBuyers.aspx.