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Airport operations should be considered as an industrial classification of land use. However, within that general claSSification, certain aspects of airport operations require special ]dnds of facilitation, which, in turn, impacts land use and compatible relationships. ~cal activities within the airport confines consist primarily of those activities which relate to the flying, maintenance, and storage of aircraft. Aircraft parking is considered as a form of storage, even thouqh it may only be for a few hours. In order for an airport to function safely and efficiently, it is necessary that these functions be supported by other kinds of activit.ies and facilities such as navigation aids, clear zones to protect approaches, air field lighting, and other key functional OOOlf)OIlents. Providing facilities for future airport operations is a key respa1Sibility of airport ownership, and there are obvious physical as well as fiscal considerations which must be weighed carefully against commitments to aeronautical verses non-aeronautical land uses. Notwithstandinq, the fact that airport operations do fall within the industrial land use category, there are many industrial uses which are DOt compatible with airport operations. There are also many non- lOOustri.al land uses which have proven to maintain a very comfortable level of compatibility with airport envirorunents. IaDd Jbt. ~%"ll i JIll to Avi.at:i.al San Marcos Municipal Airport is presently classified as a Basic Transport Airport, even though it is a general aviation facility. The increasing density of aviation activity in the Austin-San Antonio corridor has placed San Marcos in a position to be considered as a candidate for upgraded status as a reliever airport, which increases growth potential. At the present time, the San Marcos Municipal Airport occupies an estimated 1,303 acres. However, the acreage requirement to develop a Basic Transport Airport with normal facilities and a full Instrument landing System is in the range of 350 to 400 acres, including land area for clear zones. This, of course, would be a single runway facility with parallel taxiway and other basic features. Obviously an airport with multiple runways, such as San Marcos, will utilize larger land areas. It must be recognized, however, that it may be desirable to reduce the total acreage committed to aeronautical activities and increase land uses which either produce revenue for the airport, or enhance it in terms of envi.:r:omnental compatibility. 5.8