An ALUCP is based upon guidance published by the Caltrans Division of Aeronautics. Each ALUCP designates an Airport Influence Area (AIA) whose geographic extent is based upon the location and configuration of the airport and extent of noise and safety impacts with the airport. Within the AIA, proposed projects may be subject to policies and standards set forth by applicable ALUCPs.

All 16 public-use and military airports within San Diego County have adopted ALUCPs. Private airports and helipads are not subject to the State mandate for ALUCPs.

An ALUCP establishes policies and standards of noise, safety, and airspace compatibility for the appropriateness of land uses in the vicinity of the 12 public-use and four military airports in San Diego County. ALUCPs only apply to land outside airport boundaries and do not govern aircraft in flight or airport ground operations, master planning, or potential expansion.

The ALUC has no permit authority of its own, but state law mandates the referral of local agency land use projects, plans, and regulations to the ALUC to determine their consistency with the adopted ALUCP. A local agency includes any city, the unincorporated county, school district, community college district, or special district (such as utility or maintenance district) that has land use permitting authority. The local agency then incorporates that determination and any conditions into the project design, plan, or regulations.

By state law, once an ALUCP is adopted, affected local agencies must modify, as applicable, their general/master plan and zoning code to be consistent with the ALUCP. Alternatively, the local agency may refer all land use projects, plans, and regulations to the ALUC for a consistency determination of each action. The local agency may instead choose to overrule the ALUCP entirely or in part, as well as any individual ALUC determination of consistency, by a two-thirds vote of its governing body (such as a city council or school board) if it makes certain statutory findings and notices them within a specified timeline.

ALUCPs do not apply to existing land uses. Even if existing uses do not meet ALUCP compatibility criteria, they may continue to exist so long as they remain the same and are not intensified. ALUCPs only apply to newly proposed development or redevelopment of property within the AIA.

The California Legislature mandated that each county create an ALUC with the authority to adopt ALUCPs in 1970. SANDAG was the original ALUC for San Diego County, and it adopted ALUCPs for certain airports during its tenure as the ALUC. With advances in technology, changes in airport operations and fleets, and revised guidance from Caltrans, ALUCPs are amended and replaced.

The Air Installations Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ) study is a document prepared by the Department of Defense for military airfields. It establishes standards of compatibility for land uses based upon noise exposure contours and accident potential safety zones. By state law, the ALUCP for a military airport must be consistent with the noise and safety compatibility standards established by the AICUZ, so the ALUC must revise an applicable ALUCP when a new AICUZ is released