Airport Land Use Commission

About ALUC

Airport Land Use Commissions (ALUC) have been established for all counties with public use airports within the state of California. ALUCs are formed with the specific intent of implementing state law (Public Utilities Code) regarding airports and surrounding land use compatibility.

Statutory Requirements

With limited exceptions, an Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) is required by California law in every county with airports in their jurisdiction. Each ALUC must develop a plan for promoting and ensuring compatibility between each airport in the county and surrounding land uses. In Los Angeles County, the Regional Planning Commission also acts as the ALUC.

Purpose

The purpose of the ALUC is “to protect public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring the orderly expansion of airports and the adoption of land use measures that minimize the public’s exposure to excessive noise and safety hazards within areas around public airports to the extent that these areas are not already devoted to incompatible uses.”

Powers and Duties

To fulfill its purpose, each ALUC has three primary responsibilities: coordinate airport land use compatibility planning efforts at the state, regional and local levels; prepare and adopt an ALUCP for each public-use airport in its jurisdiction; and, review plans, regulations and other actions of local agencies and airport operators.In Los Angeles County, the Advance Planning Division acts as the staff for the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC).

Limitations

While the goals of the ALUC concern planning for compatible uses around airports, there are limitations on ALUC jurisdiction. Recommendations made by the ALUC are advisory to local jurisdictions. The ALUC also has no authority over airport operations. For County-owned Airports, the Department of Public Works Aviation Division handles all operations for those airports.