CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -There are some, including County Executive Chris Ronayne, holding on to hope that the final tripping point for the Browns moving to Brook Park is that it’s too close to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE).
This is something Cleveland 19 checked into back on February 8th, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) when the Haslam Sports Group was rumored to be buying the property across the highway from Hopkins.
We were told then, the FAA can make recommendations but it can not put restrictions on properties not owned by the government.
However, the developers must give the FAA a chance to evaluated any proposal so that it can make those recommendations.
> Under federal law, developers must give the FAA the opportunity to evaluate proposed structures near airports to determine whether they could pose a hazard to aircraft or interfere with navigation aids. If the FAA determines the structure height would be a presumed hazard, we try to negotiate a lower height with the developer. If the FAA determines the structure would interfere with navigation aids, we try to negotiate other mitigations with the developer.
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> The FAA’s determination is a **recommendation** and is not binding. The FAA does not have the authority to limit building heights, and the decision to issue a building permit is up to the local government. _Although the FAA does not issue or deny building permits, it encourages those with land use authority to consider the agency’s determinations in making zoning and permitting decisions._ Additionally, many local governments and states have laws that prohibit issuing building permits if the FAA determines a structure would pose a hazard to air navigation.
The FAA even has a [website and a video](https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/oe3a/main/#/home) explaining the process.
Need more proof? Just look at the Las Vegas Raiders Allegiant Stadium, which was completed in July of 2020 and is built near the Harry Reid International Airport.
A quick check of distance shows the Vegas stadium is 0.89 miles from the nearest runway.
A measurement of the estimated placement of the Brook Park stadium would be approximately 1.3 miles from the nearest active runway.
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