To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Public Infrastructure
Staff Name and Phone Number: Johannes J. Hoevertsz, 707-565-2550
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Consolidated Fee Hearing FY26-27 Public Infrastructure - Airport Land and Facility Use
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution establishing rates and charges for the use of land and facilities at the Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport effective July 1, 2026.
end
Executive Summary:
The Airport imposes charges for use of Airport land and facilities, including covered and non-covered aircraft storage, terminal building use, aircraft landing, vehicle parking, fuel flowage, autocross track, security badges, special events, applications to conduct business on the Airport, and penalties. Staff annually evaluates Airport rates and charges for accuracy, overhead costs, and fair market value. The proposed new charges and rate increases recommended today were all reviewed and approved by the Aviation Commission on February 19, 2026. Proposed adjustments are estimated to increase FY 26/27 Airport revenues by $1,040,780.00.
Discussion:
The Airport rates and charges set the price structure for general and commercial aviation users of certain Airport services, as well as the rental or use of Airport-controlled property and amenities. The rates and charges schedule both sets fees for services at the Airport and serves as the pricing metric for certain agreements pursuant to which users may contract with the Airport for the use of real property or other amenities. The proposed rate increases for the upcoming fiscal year will provide revenue to meet the increased costs associated with operations, regulatory compliance, and future Airport improvements. The increases will be imposed equally on all users for specific uses. An individual rate change summary table has been included to call out the individual rate change requests.
This fiscal year, the Airport is recommending updates to certain Aircraft Storage and Storerooms, certain Landing Fees, Terminal Digital Advertising, Ground Lease Rates, Commercial Vehicle Operator Fees, Staff Labor Fees, Non-Refundable Application Fees, Badging Fees, and Badging Remedies Fees as follows:
A. Landing Fees: The Airport is proposing a 1.92-3.85% increase in landing fees for State of California Fire (CalFire) Suppression Flights. This proposed fee increase will help recover maintenance costs incurred due to the impacts of Tankers on Airport pavement including runways, taxiways, and apron (airline parking/gate) areas. The rate for non-STS based commercial flights as well as non-commercial flights over 12,500 lbs. are recommended to be increased 2.67% from $3.00 to $3.08/1000 lbs. Signatory airline flights are proposed to increase from $1.60 to $1.64/1000 lbs. or 2.5%. This is necessary due to the cost of pavement maintenance which has increased significantly. This increase will help support the increased costs of maintaining the aviation related surfaces as mentioned above.
B. Staff Escorts: The Airport is proposing an increase to the amount charged hourly for staff escorts and other related services by 15% during staff member’s normal hours from $76 to $87 or 29% if overtime is required from $85 to $109 based upon the average cost of salary and benefits for the positions typically involved in those duties with the rates based on current labor information for projected costs.
C. Vehicle Parking Rates: The Airport is proposing a change in the air side authorized monthly permit parking rates of 2.5% from $80 to $82 or from $120 to $123 depending upon the size of the vehicle. The land side parking rate from 0-12% a daily increase from $2 to $4 and valet fees will increase 16.67% from $30-$35 per day. All fees are based on the lot used and type of parking (permitted, reservation, normal). In addition, the airport has been experiencing a high demand on its parking facilities and regularly exceeds current capacity during high demand times. The airport wants to incentivize the use of their reservation system to assist in pre-planning for parking. The airport is also exploring the use of new technology to make parking at STS easier by allowing for automated processing for parking using a pass-through system. A survey supporting these rates was conducted by the Airport’s parking management company in support of these increases which included local area airports as well as similarly sized airports including: San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and California Redwood Coast Airport in Humboldt County. They also provided additional information on why demand-based pricing is a good model for airports.
D. Airline Terminal Agreements, Rates and Charges: The airport is currently requesting an increase in joint use fees from $1.60 to $2.60 per passenger for daily flights and from $2.09 to $3.09 per passenger for non-daily flights. These fees are based on increased terminal maintenance costs. In addition, the airport is also proposing an increase in Remain Overnight (RON) fees from 3.37-5.56%. These fees are based on the size of the aircraft and the daily/monthly need of an airline. Airport is proposing inclusion of language in the Airline Terminal Rates and Charges section to direct Airport Manager to execute board-approved airline operator agreement where operational space is available, to comply with Federal Aviation Administration economic non-discrimination requirements and the federal Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990. The currently implemented template airline operator agreement is on file with this item for Board approval to implement this proposed additional direction.
E. Ground Lease Rates: The Airport proposes an increase in Ground Lease Rates on improved or unimproved parcels of land on the airfield from $1.82-$3.33 per square foot based upon location on the airfield with improved parcels seeing the higher rates. These rates increase with the market values of other square footage based rents.
F. Non-Covered Storage: The airport is proposing changes to non-covered tie-down aircraft storage depending upon the wingspan and frequency of use from 7.41%-10% or increases of $1 to $4 per day or from $3 to $20 per month.
G. Advertising: The airport is seeking to offer additional options for advertising and establish rates for those opportunities for these static locations with varied rates from $850-$2,000 per month based upon size and location. These are new rates as the airport is adding these static (fixed signage) displays in addition to their digital offerings and is drawing on past experience with this type of advertising offering that declined after the introduction of the digital displays.
H. Badging: The airport is requesting changes and addition to security badge related application, processing, replacement and penalty rates based upon the type of badge required and the process required. The additions clarify more specific processes and there are increases to other currently available options. The increases range from a low of 8.7% to a high of 25% or from a $5 to $10 increase covering the increased cost associated with the different related processes. The airport conducted a survey of other airports in support of these changes. Responding airports included: San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Redding, Arcata and Santa Barbara.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
03/25/2025 FY25-26 Consolidated Fee Hearing Airport Item #40
03/26/2024 FY24-25 Consolidated Fee Hearing Airport Item #47
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$1,040,780 |
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
|
$1,040,780 |
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
$1,040,780 |
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
|
$1,040,780 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
These increases will result in additional revenues of approximately $1,040,780 necessary to help offset increased costs.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
1 - 2026 Airport Rates-Fees Resolution
2 - FY26-27 Fees Summary Final
3 - Master Fee Schedule of Airport Rates and Charges Fiscal Year 2026-2027
4 - Badging Comparison
5 - Parking Analysis
6 - Comparable Staging Fees
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Airline Operator Agreement Template