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News, Santa Monica, Santa Monica Airport
Airport2Park Urges Santa Monica City Council To Take Bolder Steps To Close Airport
Posted Mar. 22, 2014, 6:00 am
Mirror Staff
The Santa Monica City Council will discuss the future of Santa Monica Airport at its Tuesday meeting.
In the lead-up to the meeting, Airport2Park -- the organization a group of residents formed last summer to advocate for building a big public park on the airport site -- has released a news release saying that it supports City’s staff’s recommendations while “urging the council to take even bolder steps to hasten the closing of the airport.”
“We at Airport2Park applaud the fact that city staffers are recommending that in 2015 Santa Monica reclaim the 35-acre ‘Western Parcel’ of the airport,” said Airport2Park spokesman Gavin Scott. “It’s a smart move because that land isn’t tangled up the City’s current litigation with the Federal Aviation Administration. We very much look forward to working with the City’s planners to convert the Western Parcel into the kind of green space we’re all hoping for, with the ultimate goal of turning the rest of the runway - now a mile of sterile asphalt - into a great park.”
Airport2Park said it has asked for supporters of a great park at the airport to attend the hearing Tuesday night or email council members to convey their support for a park, and their support for other measures to reduce flight operations and terminate current aviation leases, actions that can lead to the closing of the entire airport.
Visit smmirror.com on Monday for further preview coverage of Tuesday’s agenda item on Santa Monica Airport.
Comments
Mar. 22, 2014, 3:58:31 pm
tim2v said...
Santa Monica Airport is a wonderful historical airport. It has important ties with our win in World War 2. Go see the Museum there. I am afraid that instead of an occasional airplane, we will see 10,000 new houses like the Great Park in Irvine, which is more like a Great Dump.
Mar. 22, 2014, 5:13:28 pm
mr. Fred said...
There are actually over 100,000 flight operations that burn over two million gallons of fuel annually that harm the over 60,000 residents that live within 2 miles of this noisy dangerous facility - that serves only a few mostly non residents. Let's honor that history with a new park for everyone just like was done in San Francisco where they turned historic Chrissy Air Field into a park that EVERYONE loves and uses.
Mar. 22, 2014, 7:00:10 pm
Whiners Go Home said...
You idiots are the ones who bought homes near an airport. I have no sympathy for you whatsoever. "Mr. Fred", if you're so afraid of all the "harm" being done by those 100,000 flight operations (which provide gainful employment for hundreds if not thousands of hard working people) then here's a suggestion: MOVE AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT!
Mar. 22, 2014, 7:27:15 pm
mr. Fred said...
Sorry Mr. Whiner. Yelling at me won't make the airport's problem of noise, pollution, health impacts, costs, danger and lack of sustainable go away. Residents don't use it, they don't want it and they don't want to pay for it anymore.
Mar. 23, 2014, 10:46:14 am
Robert (Bob Smith) said...
mr Fred. Are you prepared to pay the costs of "Litigation" yourself, or are you going to spread it amongst the other 59,999 you say are affected. Half a world away and I took the time to look at Aerial Photo's from the 50's and 60's, and "Guess What" not much in the way of residential suburbs around. So you are one of these people who moves into an area, and then proceeds to push the Council to change it to suit you at the expense of everyone else. I totally agree with Whiners Go Home. PACK YOUR BAGS AND GO!!!
Mar. 24, 2014, 3:46:07 pm
michael said...
Just was wondering if any thought was given to the emergency use the airport would provide in the case of a major earthquake. With all major roads impassable for days the airport could become a major life line to the city of Santa Monica and its residents. With 5000 ft runway it could accommodate C-17 heavy lift aircraft or C -131 which could provide medical evacuations and emergency supplies to the city. It doesn't take much imagination to think of a worst case scenario where the airport could become a major player in saving the lives of many people in such a disaster.