The Avon Park Air Force Range Joint Land Use Study website is undergoing modifications to provide enhanced access to documents for disabled individuals who are visually impaired and to comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to make reasonable accommodations. While these modifications are being made many documents have been removed. If you would like to obtain a document not currently provided on the website, please contact our Deputy Director, Jennifer Codo-Salisbury, at (863) 534-7130 ext 178 or jcodosalisbury@cfrpc.org, or Donna Horvath at (863) 534-7130 ext 101 dhorvath@cfrpc.org. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we implement these changes.
An Analysis of the Noise Coming from the APAFR
The Avon Park Air Force Range (APAFR) is a bombing and gunnery range located approximately 11 miles east of the cities of Avon Park and Sebring and approximately 3 miles southeast of the City of Frostproof, Florida in the central part of the state. APAFR encompasses over 100,000 acres of land and its associated Special Use Airspace (SUA) overlies nearly 1.5 million acres. While the Range boundary only falls within Polk and Highlands counties, the SUA activity areas include the additional counties of Osceola, Okeechobee and Hardee. The Range boundary also contains MacDill Air Force Base Auxiliary Airfield (KAGR) near the western edge of the Range, with a single runway (Runway 05/23), 8,000 feet in length.
In 2005, a noise study for the Avon Park Air Force Range (APAFR) complex was completed (Schmidt-Bremer Jr., et al 2005) in support of a Navy-sponsored Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The study assessed the noise exposure from aircraft operations both in the immediate vicinity of the airfield (KAGR) as well as in the SUA associated with APAFR. In addition, noise exposure from ground-to-ground small arms fire and air-to-ground large-caliber weapon fire was also assessed. The noise study considered events occurring in Calendar Year (CY) 2000 and several operational alternatives.
This study was prepared under contract with the Central Florida Regional Planning Council with financial support from the Office of Economic Adjustment, Department of Defense. The content reflects the views of the Central Florida Regional Planning Council and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of Economic Adjustment.
In 2010, with the intent of fostering a cooperative effort between the military installation and adjacent communities to adopt compatible land use controls, a Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) was completed for the APAFR JLUS Policy Committee (Tetra Tech et al 2010). The JLUS’s recommendations were based, in part, on results from the 2005 noise study.
In 2013, with the intent of aiding the surrounding counties and cities in making informed decisions on zoning, land use and development issues supplementing the JLUS, the 2005 noise study was updated for the Central Florida Regional Planning Council (CFRPC) and the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners (Schultz and Czech 2013). The 2013 noise study examined CY2010 conditions and a potential CY2020 environment and covered the same components as the 2005 noise study. The study determined
- predicted noise exposure from KAGR and SUA flight operations would not present land use compatibility issues, but
- noise exposure from large-caliber weapons and ordnance, and to a minor extent from small arms fire, would extend beyond the APAFR boundary.
The purpose of the current project is to help the CFRPC further interpret the 2013 noise study and to assess the effect of its findings upon the 2010 JLUS recommendations.
Noise Study Documents