(1) In order to prevent the creation or establishment of airport hazards, every political subdivision having an airport hazard area within its territorial limits shall adopt, administer, and enforce, under the police power and in the manner and upon the conditions hereinafter prescribed, airport zoning regulations for such airport hazard area, which regulations may divide such area into zones, and within such zones, specify the land uses permitted and regulate and restrict the height to which structures and trees may be erected or allowed to grow.

(2) Where an airport is owned or controlled by a political subdivision and any airport hazard area appertaining to such airport is located outside the territorial limits of the political subdivision, the political subdivision owning or controlling the airport and the political subdivision within which the airport hazard area is located may, by ordinance or resolution duly adopted, create a Joint Airport Zoning Board, which Board shall have the same power to adopt, administer and enforce airport zoning regulations applicable to the airport hazard area in question as that vested by subsection (1) of this section in the political subdivision within which such area is located. Each Joint Board shall have as members two representatives appointed by each political subdivision participating in its creation and in addition a chairman elected by a majority of the members so appointed. The chairman shall be elected from the appointed membership of the Board for a term of two (2) years.

(3) Where the airport hazard area appertaining to any airport is located within the territorial limits of two or more political subdivisions, such political subdivisions together with the political subdivision, if any, owning or controlling said airport may, by ordinance or resolution duly adopted, create a Joint Zoning Board, which Board shall have the same power to adopt, administer and enforce airport zoning regulations applicable to the airport hazard area in question as that vested by subsection (1) of this section in the political subdivision within which such area is located. Each such Joint Board shall have as members one member appointed by each political subdivision participating in its creation and an additional member appointed by each political subdivision having a total population in excess of thirty-six thousand (36,000). The chairman shall be elected by a majority of the members so appointed. The chairman shall be elected from the appointed membership of the Board for a term of two (2) years. The Joint Board shall have the power to make its own rules governing its meetings and procedure and any zoning regulation shall be effective upon adoption by a majority of its members and shall thereupon be filed with the county clerk, without charge, of each county in which the airport hazard area is located. The resolution shall then be presented for adoption to each of the political subdivisions participating in the Joint Airport Zoning Board. The failure of a political subdivision to participate in the creation of the Joint Airport Zoning Board shall not restrict the authority of the Joint Airport Zoning Board to make and enforce zoning regulations over the entire airport hazard area.

Added by Laws 1945, p. 10, § 3. Amended by Laws 1953, p. 13, § 1; Laws 1986, c. 20, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 1986; Laws 1995, c. 181, § 8, eff. July 1, 1995.