Fort Campbell Community Planning 

 

Welcome to the Fort Campbell Community Planning website.   This office is part of the Fort Campbell Plans, Analysis & Integration Office and works to promote cooperative land use planning between Fort Campbell, surrounding local communities and other key stakeholders.

When originally built, most major military installations (including Fort Campbell) were outside of urban areas.  However, the spin-off economic effects of operations and the general trend in rural areas have led to compatibility challenges as installations and communities grow closer together.  Coupled with the consolidation of military assets and the subsequent closing of active installations, increased pressure is being placed on remaining installations to preserve mission capabilities.  In light of these issues, the importance of collaborative land use planning becomes critical1.  

Fort Campbell participates in several Army/Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored programs that encourage compatible land use with surrounding local communities, to include:

1. Army Compatible Land Use Buffer (ACUB) Program 
2. Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) Program

These programs are intended to protect the mission and long-term viability of Fort Campbell Army Post and enhance local quality of life in the vicinity of the installation.   They also support the triple bottom line-plus of Army sustainability - mission, environment,  community, plus economic benefit. 

  

Why Compatible Land Use Planning is Needed adjacent to Fort Campbell

Fort Campbell Army Post is one of the largest military installations in the country, supporting over 30,000 Soldiers, 50,000 Family Members, 8,000 Civilian employees and numerous military retirees.  The post is home to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and other elite military units.  These "front-line" units are critical to our Nation's security and comprise a significant portion of America's combat power. 

To maintain their combat readiness, military units assigned to Fort Campbell need to be able to conduct realistic training.  Military training activities are conducted on the post twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.  This includes aircraft operations, live-fire training, ground maneuvers and night-vision device (NVD) operations.  A map highlighting Fort Campbell airfields and training areas is shown below.  Incompatible land use (or urban encroachment) near installation airfields and training facilities can seriously compromise mission essential training at Fort Campbell. 

 

Fort Campbell Airfields and Training Areas Map (from 2009 Fort Campbell JLUS Plan Update)

 

Examples of Incompatible Land Development

Incompatible development (or urban encroachment) of land near military installations can adversely affect the ability of an installation to carry out its mission.  It (encroachment) can threaten the safety of surrounding public and commercial activities; affect the economic vitality of a community; and force military operations and missions to relocate.  Therefore, it is critical for local governments and military installations to cooperate and develop short and long term plans for compatible land use to help prevent incompatible development and facilitate the continued presence of a major military installation in their area.  The aim is not to prevent growth or limit any state or local authority, but to encourage land uses that avoid encroachment and unnecessary risk to the safety of the neighboring community2.  

Some of the types of incompatible land use/development that can negatively impact the mission of a military installation (to include Fort Campbell) include: 

1. Height obstructions within designated military airport safety zones and aircraft overflight areas. 
2. Residential uses and high-intensity commerical uses within airfield Clear Zones and Accident Potential Zones (APZs). 
3. Noise-sensitive land uses (such as housing, schools and churches) within designated military high noise zones.
4. Excessive over-lighting in close proximity to military airfields, training areas and aircraft flight corridors.

 To help prevent these adverse impacts from occurring within these areas, Fort Campbell actively works with surrounding local jurisdictions and other area stakeholders.   The Department of Defense and the Federal Interagency Committee on Urban Noise (FICUN) have also published recommended land use guidelines (see attached) to encourage compatible land use adjacent to installation airfields, training areas, and aircraft flight corridors.   These guidelines are strictly advisory, although local officials and affected landowners are encouraged to consider them in local development decisions around the perimeter of Fort Campbell.

  

 Actions to Date

Fort Campbell takes compatible land use very seriously.  To date, the installation has spent over $20 million and expended thousands of man-hours to protect Fort Campbell airfields and training areas from incompatible land uses.  Several adjacent communities, along with the State of Kentucky, have also adopted specific regulations to encourage compatible development adjacent to Fort Campbell.  While these actions are significant, additional efforts will be needed to preserve Fort Campbell's status as a Premier Power Projection Platfform and a major Army manuever installation. 

 

Additional Information

Several links are attached which highlight additional actions that local stakeholders and Fort Campbell can take to promote cooperative land use around the installation perimeter.   Additional information can also be obtained at (270) 798-3897 or by email at christopher.j.brown2@us.army.mil.