SR283: SR283 Joint Study Committee on Height Restrictions Surrounding Georgia Airports; create

Georgia is one of only three states without rules limiting how tall structures can be near airports. Tall buildings and towers near runways can force airports to shorten or relocate runways, or even close, at significant cost, especially for smaller rural airports. This resolution creates the Senate Height Restrictions Surrounding Georgia Airports Study Committee to look into the problem. The committee would review how other states regulate structure heights near airports, study the economic effects of unregulated development, weigh the legal issues around limiting what private landowners can build, and gather input from airport operators, aviation experts, economic development officials, and property owners. It would then recommend legislation or regulations balancing aviation safety with property rights. The committee is made up of Senate appointees plus the state transportation commissioner and local government association leaders. It must file any report before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the Senate Height Restrictions Surrounding Georgia Airports Study Committee to study whether Georgia should regulate building heights near airports.
• Directs the committee to compare Georgia to other states' height restriction policies and identify best practices.
• Requires the committee to assess the economic and operational costs airports face from unregulated nearby development.
• Requires the committee to consider legal issues involved in restricting what private landowners can build near airports.
• Sets the committee's membership, meeting rules, expense allowances, and requires any findings or proposed legislation to be filed as a report.
• Abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025, ending its work unless a report is filed before then.

Airport operators and rural airports facing runway limits, private landowners near airports whose building rights could be affected, state senators and officials appointed to the committee, the Department of Transportation, the Georgia Municipal Association, and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.

If tall structures keep going up near airport runways, airports may have to shorten runways or close, especially smaller rural ones. This committee's work could lead to future legislation limiting building heights near airports, which would directly affect what property owners in those areas can construct.

• Paragraph (1) creates the Senate Height Restrictions Surrounding Georgia Airports Study Committee.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership: four Senate appointees including the Transportation Committee chair, the commissioner of transportation or designee, and the presidents of the Georgia Municipal Association and Association County Commissioners of Georgia or their designees.
• Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study the issues and recommend action or legislation it deems necessary.
• Paragraph (5) sets allowances and expense reimbursement for legislative and non-legislative members, funded through Senate appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved findings or proposed legislation to be filed as a report with the Secretary of the Senate before abolishment.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2025-03-20Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2025-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2025-02-27Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-02-26Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)Primary sponsor
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)

1. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 1 absent)

   Consent Calendar For Senate Study Committees: Senate Vote #380

• airport safety
• building height restrictions
• property rights
• aviation policy
• rural airports