Open Space and Wildlife
For 126 years, the Perkins family has cared for this land as a working ranch. The airfield plan is designed to help keep it that way: open, productive and permeable for wildlife.
The Phase One airfield would be concentrated on open ranch pasture. Natural drainage patterns and riparian areas would remain undisturbed. The broader ranch would remain open for pronghorn movement.
Reviewed by Arizona Game &Fish
The Arizona Game & Fish Department reviewed the application and prepared an Environmental Review Tool report for the project. Its review found that the design includes buffers and setbacks along wildlife corridors east of the airfield.
“After reviewing the application, we found that the project design already incorporates the Department’s standard best management practices related to wildlife and habitat considerations.”
Game & Fish also noted:
No anticipated alterations to riparian corridors, ephemeral washes or natural drainage patterns.
No noise-sensitive land uses within 2,000 feet of the proposed runway.
Wildlife-exclusion fencing and pre-flight monitoring around the operating area.
Wildlife-awareness and reporting procedures for airfield operations.
“The facility design incorporates appropriate buffers and setbacks adjacent to natural wildlife corridors to the east, minimizing habitat disruption for pronghorn, while allowing permeability throughout the ranch property boundary for pronghorn movement.”
The Department recommended scheduling construction outside the April 1–June 30 pronghorn fawning season and conducting nesting-bird surveys before construction during breeding season. It concluded that the applicant had already addressed these considerations and elected not to submit formal comments.
Arizona Game and Fish provides technical guidance but does not regulate or take positions for or against private land-use proposals.
Environmental Due Diligence
The environmental work went beyond a wildlife screening. Information found in the Town’s January 6 agenda packet shows comprehensive due diligence had been completed, including a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, biological and cultural-resource reviews, a jurisdictional-water review and FEMA floodplain mapping.
Town staff reported that no significant environmental constraints had been identified for the Phase One airfield.
What a Phase I ESA Does
A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is the industry-standard investigation used to identify evidence of hazardous substances, petroleum releases and other recognized environmental conditions on a property. It examines government records, the property’s history, interviews and an onsite inspection.
The Phase I ESA evaluated approximately 450 acres of Perkins Ranch under the ASTM E1527-21 standard. It found: No recognized environmental conditions identified. No controlled or historical recognized environmental conditions identified. No significant data gaps identified. No further investigation recommended at that time.
Additional Environmental Findings
The biological review documented pronghorn and three protected native plants within the study area. It found no federally listed threatened or endangered species or associated habitat.
The jurisdictional-water review identified ephemeral drainage features but no jurisdictional Waters of the United States.
The FEMA review found no regulated floodplain within the study area.
The Town’s review also requires non-aviation lighting to comply with Chino Valley’s dark-sky standards. Fixtures must be shielded, directed downward and limited to the intensity needed for safety. No high-mast lighting is proposed for Phase One, and aviation lighting is limited to what is required for safe operations.
Future phases would require additional Town review and approval.
What About Leaded Aviation Fuel?
General aviation is moving away from leaded gasoline. The FAA and aviation industry have set a goal of eliminating leaded fuel from piston-engine aircraft by the end of 2030. The FAA has already approved several unleaded alternatives and released a national transition plan in July 2026.
The type of fuel used at Perkins Ranch will depend on federal aircraft approvals and fuel availability as that transition continues. The Town’s review also requires any onsite fuel storage to follow an approved containment and spill-prevention plan protecting soils, washes, drains and groundwater.
Designed Around the Land
The airfield plan concentrates activity while preserving the larger landscape around it. Wildlife corridors remain open. Natural drainage remains intact. Lighting is controlled. Environmental conditions have been examined by qualified professionals and reviewed in the public process.