Del. Code tit. 2, ch. 6 — Obstructions in Airport Approach Areas | Delaware Code — Delaware

Del. Code tit. 2, § 601 Jurisdiction.

The Department may enforce this chapter by the filing of a complaint in a court of appropriate jurisdiction, including a complaint for injunctive relief.

Del. Code tit. 2, § 602 Erection or maintenance of obstructions; prohibitions.

(a) A building permit issued by the county or municipality having land use jurisdiction, after review and approval as provided herein, shall be required for the construction, erection, placement or alteration of any smokestack, tree, silo, flagpole, elevated tank, power line, radio or television tower, antenna, building, structure or other improvement to real property which meets any of the following conditions: (1) Is greater than 200 feet in height above ground level; (2) Is greater in height than an imaginary trapezoidal shape, beginning at the end of a runway of a public use airport, at an initial width of 50 feet, and extending outward and upward at a slope of 100:1 for a distance of 20,000 feet, to a width of 3,000 feet at its ending point; (3) Is located within the runway approach area of each public use airport in the State; or (4) Otherwise constitutes an obstruction as defined in this title or acts as an obstruction to the operation of aircraft as those terms are defined by Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 77. (b) Such building permit for each such object or structure will not be issued until such time as the Department of Transportation through the Office of Aeronautics has reviewed and approved the application. The Department of Transportation, through the Office of Aeronautics, shall respond to the county or municipality having land use jurisdiction regarding any objections it has to the issuance of a building permit within 30 days of receipt of such permit for review. (c) In order to provide safe aircraft approach areas to airport runways, the Department may, after notice and a hearing, enter upon any lands or improvements located thereon which are situated in said airport approach areas and may remove obstructions to aviation. Owners of obstructions that were erected prior to the enactment of or in compliance with this chapter are entitled to compensation for the removed obstruction and/or any damages incurred in the removal thereof from funds applicable to aeronautics and administered by the Office of Aeronautics. The process for condemnation of real property or improvements thereon under this chapter as required by applicable law and constitutional provisions shall be governed by the procedures set forth in Chapter 61 of Title 10 and Chapter 95 of Title 29. (d) In order to ensure that new structures are not erected that pose potential obstruction hazards, it shall be unlawful to erect any new structure or add to any existing structure if such structure is thereby made to extend more than 200 feet above ground level at its site without giving prior notice to and obtaining prior approval from the Department.

Del. Code tit. 2, § 603 Erection or maintenance of obstructions; penalties.

Whoever constructs, erects, places or alters any obstruction without first obtaining a building permit as required in this chapter shall, upon being found liable therefore in a civil proceeding, be fined an amount not exceeding $1,000. Each day’s continuation of a violation of this section shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense, all of which may be brought together in a single action.