(a) The Legislature finds that an airport hazard endangers the lives and property of the general public, the users of airports, and the occupants of land in their vicinity, and reduces the size of the area available for the landing, taking off, and maneuvering of aircraft, thus tending to destroy or impair the utility of the airport and the public investment therein. Accordingly, the creation, establishment, or maintenance of an airport hazard is a public nuisance and harms the community served by the affected airport; it is therefore necessary in the interest of the public health and safety and general welfare that the creation or establishment of airport hazards be prevented and both the prevention of the creation or establishment of airport hazards and the elimination, removal, alteration, mitigation, abatement, or marking or lighting of existing airport hazards are public purposes for which political subdivisions may raise and expend public funds and acquire land or property rights therein.

(b) The department shall formulate, adopt, and revise airport approach plans for each public use airport in this state. Each airport approach plan shall determine and indicate the circumstances in which structures and trees are airport hazards, the airport hazard area within which measures for the protection of the airport's aerial approaches should be taken, and what the height limits and other objectives of measures should be taken. In adopting or revising a plan, the department shall consider, among other factors, the character of the flying operations to be conducted at the airport, the nature of the terrain, the height of existing structures and trees above the elevation of the airport, and the possibility of lowering or removing existing structures that create an airport hazard. The department may obtain and consider the views or findings of the agency of the federal government charged with the fostering of civil aeronautics, as to the aerial approaches necessary to the safe flying operations at the airport.

(c) In the interest of protecting the public health and safety and general welfare, the department may declare or set aside airspace reservations over specific land and water areas.