Want to have a voice in the future of the Santa Monica Airport? Don’t like the planes buzzing over Venice all day long? If so, NOW is the time to step up to the plate!
At 6:30pm tonight, there will be a special meeting of the Santa Monica City Council to discuss the “Airport Visioning Process” for the Santa Monica Airport. The meeting will be held at the City Council Chambers at 1685 Main St. in Santa Monica, and this is the only item on the agenda. To view the agenda and staff report, click here.
If you cannot attend the meeting, a helpful reader has submitted a sample letter which is below that you can send in to the Santa Monica City Council by clicking here. It will be distributed to all council members prior to the meeting and be a part of the public record if you submit it by 5pm!
From The Friends of Sunset Park Airport Committee via E.S.:
FOSP has done a preliminary review of the Staff Report. The City Staff presents legal difficulties of closing the airport which leads us to believe it is an option they are reluctant to entertain. Unfortunately, the consultants finding DO NOT offer future airport options that address the major concerns of the surrounding neighbors: aircraft fumes, noise, safety.
If you don’t have a lot of time to read the whole staff report, skip the Historic Context and the Airport Campus Today sections. Read the Legal Constrains Section and scroll down to the bullet points of the Consultants Findings.
IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE OPTIONS PRESENTED IN THE STAFF REPORT, PLEASE SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT!!!!
Sample Letter:
To: City Councilmembers
From: [your name]
Re: City Council Special Meeting – October 4, 2011 – Agenda Item 4-A
I am disappointed that the Staff Report shows that Phase I (Point C interviews of selected stakeholders) and Phase II (consultant studies) were conducted with a bias. Point C was directed to conduct interviews viewing the airport as a “community asset.” The consultant reports reflect the same view.
The Airport exposes my neighborhood to noise, environmental impacts, and of lack of adequate safety measures. Even though these are the primary concerns of the communities surrounding the airport, Phase I and II did not address these issues at all.
[your personal comments on how the airport affects you and what you would like it’s future to be]
As the Airport Visioning process continues, I would like the City Council to direct staff to:
· Provide a more in depth, unbiased analysis of laws, documents, court cases, etc. that would have bearing on options for the airport’s future including potential closure. Make the analysis available to the public.
· Study options available at the expiration of the 1984 Agreement that could reduce the safety, noise, and environmental impacts. (For example, don’t renew or grant leases to businesses that have negative impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods.)
· Ensure that the Phase III focus groups are NOT conducted within a biased framework
· [your personal requests]
Special Meeting of the Santa Monica City Council
Airport Visioning Process
Tuesday Oct. 4th 6:30pm
SM City Council Chambers
2ND Floor
1685 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Free Street Parking after 6pm
Validated City Structure Parking after 6pm, corner 4th St. and Civic Center Dr.
(the validator is in the hallway directly opposite the entrance to the chambers)
