The Federal Aviation Administration has issued an Interim order to Cease and Desist order to the City of Santa Monica effective immediately.
This mandates that the City “maintain the status quo” with regard to American Flyers and Atlantic Aviation and to take no further action to evict them until the FAA has concluded its investigations detailed in their Notice Of Investigation (NOI) into the matter that began two months ago.
In the FAA’s words:
“In sum, given the City’s stated policy to close the airport, and the commercial instability and uncertainty it created for aeronautical service providers, its ongoing legal actions to evict tenants violate its assurance to “make the airport available as an airport for public use on reasonable terms ….”
“The City’s ongoing eviction action is inherently inconsistent, absent conditions not present here, with the assurance that requires the City to provide access to SMO to aeronautical service providers on reasonable terms.”
Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles County) issued a statement after the Federal Aviation Administration’s move that prevents the City from evicting American Flyers, Inc. and Atlantic Aviation FBO, Inc. from Santa Monica Airport. In September, Santa Monica issued Notices to Vacate to these two tenants.
Congressman Lieu: “I am outraged the FAA continues to waste tax payer dollars fighting with the residents of Santa Monica over the use of the City’s land. The people of Santa Monica have made clear their concerns with the airport and local elected officials have taken appropriate actions to protect the wishes and health of their citizens.”
