City of Kissimmee Airport Noise Overlay District Regulations
In the City of Kissimmee, the Airport Noise Overlay District serves to restrict specific land uses that are incompatible with high-noise aviation environments and to enforce strict compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety standards. The most critical requirement is the prohibition of indoor recreation facilities within the T5-M (Mixed-Use Center) transect zone if the property is located inside the overlay boundaries. Furthermore, all structures within airport-related areas must adhere to height limitations and glare-reduction standards specified in the City of Kissimmee’s aviation and hazard regulations.
Land Use Restrictions
The primary impact of the Airport Noise Overlay District on land use within the City of Kissimmee is found in the permitted use tables for both standard non-residential districts and form-based code transect zones. Specifically, "Recreation facilities, indoor" are classified as a permitted or conditional use in the T5-M (Mixed-Use Center) zone, but this permission is strictly qualified by Footnote 10, which mandates that such uses are only allowed if they are located outside of the Airport Noise Overlay District [Section 14-5-6, Table 5-1].
Aviation Safety and Hazard Compliance
All development activity and structures within the City of Kissimmee that fall within or near airport operations must meet a hierarchy of safety and noise-mitigation requirements:
- FAA and Master Plan Adherence: Development in the Airport Operations (AO) and Airport Industrial (AI) districts must conform to the Kissimmee Airport Master Plan and all applicable regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration [Section 14-4-4.O].
- Height Restrictions: The City of Kissimmee enforces specific height limits for all structures to prevent interference with flight paths. These standards are maintained in Chapter 8 (Aviation) of the municipal code and are cross-referenced in all residential and non-residential site standard tables [Section 14-4-6, Table 4-3 and Table 4-5].
- Airport Hazard District: Beyond noise considerations, structures must comply with the "airport hazard district" standards to ensure the physical safety of both the aviation facility and the surrounding properties [Section 14-4-6.A.4.e].
Signage and Illumination Standards
To protect the operations of the City of Kissimmee’s aviation facilities, the Land Development Code (LDC) imposes specific restrictions on signage located within the Airport Operations (AO) and Airport Industrial (AI) districts:
- Glare Prevention: All lighted signs within these districts must be designed, located, and shielded to prevent the casting of glare or direct light upon any adjacent runway or taxiway. This requirement extends to any property located outside the AO and AI districts if the lighting impacts airport operations [Section 14-11-7.A.3].
- Allocation and Size: In the AO district, wall signs are permitted to face a runway or taxiway, provided they do not occupy more than two sides of a building. The combined area of these signs is restricted to a maximum of one foot of sign area per one linear foot of building frontage [Section 14-11-7.A.1].
Technical Development Standards for Airport-Related Areas
| Category | Requirement/Standard | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Use Limitation | Indoor Recreation Facilities in T5-M are only allowed outside the Noise Overlay District. | Section 14-5-6, Table 5-1 |
| Structural Height | Must comply with Chapter 8 (Aviation) and FAA regulations. | Section 14-4-6.A.4.e |
| AO District Signage | Max 1 sq. ft. of sign per 1 linear foot of building frontage. | Section 14-11-7.A.1 |
| Illumination | Signs must be shielded; no glare permitted on runways or taxiways. | Section 14-11-7.A.3 |
| Aviation Fuel Signs | Exempt from standard tract frontage requirements at the airport. | Section 14-11-7.A.2 |
Sections Cited
- Section 14-4-4, Standard zoning districts—Intent
- Section 14-4-6, Regulations for zoning districts (including Table 4-3 and Table 4-5)
- Section 14-5-6, Site Standards (including Table 5-1)
- Section 14-11-7, Special district/use signs