Concord airport battle to continue until September
The battle by a developer for the land on which Buchanan Field sits offers a lesson in the persistence of home builders and the political power they wield.
More than a year ago a staff member for a California congressman thought the battle to save the airport had been won because the FAA had written a letter saying restrictions that came with past federal funding protected the airport. But Shapell Industries found a loophole — the FAA will allow an airport in which it has invested funds to be closed if an alternative airport is opened nearby. Shapell found several airport sites, most of which were quickly determined to be unsatisfactory, but last year pinned its hopes on a landfill atop a hill close to the existing airport.
In March it submitted the sole development proposal to be received by the county board of supervisors listing the landfill and a new site, one on an existing refinery, as the alternative airport. Before the ink was dry Shapell officials found out that the landfill wasn't really an "ideal" location and that the oil-refinery officials didn't want to sell parcels of land for an airport so close to their highly flammable daily operations, according to reports in the Contra Costa Times.
The Acme landfill may have fallen out of the running for several reasons: It, too, is near a refinery, considerable fill dirt would be needed to create what would become the site's longest runway, and nasty crosswinds routinely whip the hill on which the landfill sits. The site generates methane gas from the waste beneath, which is captured by several manifolds (pipes) that currently rise several feet above the surface.
With the refinery site out of the picture in the current proposal, the developer needed an extension to look for yet more airport sites, Shapell officials told the county board in March. AOPA Regional Representative John Pfeifer opposed the extension on behalf of AOPA, but the board voted unanimously to give Shapell and its partners, Lennar Communities and Garaventa Enterprises, until September.
Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier told the Contra Costa Times he didn't see any harm in letting the developer have a little more time, not unexpected since DeSaulnier is the chief proponent of closing the airport to aid local housing needs. Grateful Shapell officials told the newspaper that they had been so focused on their "lovely community" that there wasn't time to find better sites for an alternative airport. The proposed community is to include homes, offices, businesses, and a college.
Rialto conducts hearing on sale of airport land
AOPA has requested additional assistance from the FAA to thwart a city plan that on its surface simply sells and develops land around the airport, but is actually what one city councilman called a first step to closing the airport. "I think the thing we're doing is to prepare, if possible, to close it," Councilman Joe Sampson told the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.
The city claims it is merely conducting a study. The city favors closing, downsizing, or relocating the airport — relocating means moving the airport businesses and tenants to San Bernardino International Airport at the former Norton Air Force Base, and then closing Rialto to develop the land for nonaviation uses.
AOPA contends that the city is working to create a self-fulfilling prophecy for the airport's failure, and the association is asking the FAA to weigh in to stop that effort. The FAA's Western Pacific Region Airports Division has tried to stop it with little success.
While the city's "study" is in progress, the City Council has completed a public hearing on the sale of 504 acres to developers Lewis-Hillwood LLC, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reported. The venture is made up of Upland-based Lewis Operating Corp. and Hillwood Investment Properties. Of the 504, 55 are already owned by the city's Redevelopment Agency and can be sold immediately; 178 are owned by the city for airport expansion that didn't happen, and are therefore vulnerable; much of the remaining property is bound by FAA restrictions that would allow the FAA to receive 90 percent of the sale price, unless the airport is transferred to another site, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin said.
"Rest assured that AOPA is going to continue to defend the continued viability of this key reliever airport," wrote Bill Dunn, AOPA vice president of airports, in a letter to FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Woody Woodward. "We will battle this proposed airport closure all the way."
Rialto is a vital general aviation airport that is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). The city has accepted more than $15 million in federal aid since 1984 — more than half of that was for airport land acquisition. It also is home base to the San Bernardino County sheriff's Aero Squadron and a major air ambulance company.
The city claims that it cannot afford to operate the airport, yet it has repeatedly rejected proposals for aviation businesses. AOPA believes the proposed closure and redevelopment of airport property for other purposes are driven by local real estate developers. The airport land is situated next to the Interstate 210 bypass project, which would significantly increase the value of the land.
In January, AOPA filed a freedom of information request under the California Public Records Act to force the city to reveal what it is doing with airport funds and to produce communications with consultants and developers. At the time of the filing, the city attorney told AOPA the documents would be provided in about two weeks. It had been six weeks by press time with nothing from the city.
"AOPA's next course of action may very well be to file an action in state court to compel the city to respond to our request," Dunn said.
This isn't the first time the city has shown disregard for federal and state laws. In 2002 the FAA's Western Pacific Region notified the city twice that it was not in compliance with federal grant obligations. Violations included using airport property for nonaviation purposes, a lack of maintenance, contract compliance deficiencies, and improper use of airport revenues.
In 2004, the FAA notified the city of more deficiencies, including its use of airport property for drag racing and the placement of concrete barriers on airport property. To AOPA's knowledge, the city did not respond to any of the FAA's letters.
On occasions during meetings with pilots and visits to the airport, Dunn witnessed the city's blatant disregard firsthand. Aircraft hangars are used for motor vehicle repair; part of the terminal building (a prime location for aviation businesses) houses a flower shop; and one of the taxiways is used for drag racing.
Dunn also spoke with local pilots who said that more than 75 percent of the hangars are used for nonaviation purposes. Pilots report receiving pressure not to oppose closing the airport, and airport businesses have been promised financial incentives and lease promises to entice them to relocate to San Bernardino International Airport, located about nine miles east of Rialto.
AOPA fights for services at Montgomery Field
AOPA is urging the City of San Diego to continue to offer high-quality services to pilots at Montgomery Field if it continues with plans to take over the operation of the leasehold when Gibbs Flying Service, a fixed-base operator (FBO) at the airport, leaves in May.
"Our principal concern is to ensure that our members receive the same quality services they have enjoyed over the years that Mr. Gibbs has always provided," wrote Bill Dunn, AOPA vice president of airports, in a letter to San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy.
The city is facing budget constraints and pressure on the Airport Enterprise Account because of recent litigation. But the city's desire to bolster the account's finances cannot be solved simply by taking over operation of an FBO. They must continue to provide services that meet pilots' needs.
"Operating an airport as the management organization and operating an FBO are two totally different worlds with little commonality outside of the fact that aircraft are involved," Dunn explained.
AOPA has informed the city that it is imperative to immediately establish a flight training facility in place of Gibbs Flying Service and to continue to provide skilled flight instruction and other services to the general aviation community.
"To ignore or sidestep these necessary services will surely have a detrimental impact on the airport's bottom line," Dunn said.
AOPA urges protection for Watsonville
AOPA is urging California's Santa Cruz County to create a county-sponsored airport land use commission to protect Watsonville Regional Airport from potential incompatible development.
The county has a legislative exemption from the airport land use commission requirements of the California Public Utilities Code. But AOPA is asking the county to create a commission anyway — an important move because the City of Watsonville is planning significant residential projects that could have a detrimental impact on Watsonville airport.
Currently, planning for the airport falls into the city's general plan, which can be changed with little thought to the needs of the airport and its users. A county airport land use commission would create a comprehensive airport land use plan and help maintain the positive economic impact that the airport has on the entire county.
Nut Tree Airport hopes to expand
Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville is in negotiations to purchase 16 acres bordering the airport. The land would be used to support aviation-related activities. Federal and state officials will be asked to contribute to the purchase of the property.
Housing proposal watched at Jackson
A proposed housing development near the Westover Field Amador County Airport in Jackson, California, led AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer Larry Stampfl to brief the local Board of Supervisors about Caltrans standards for buildings near airports. The developer has not presented his plans to the board yet. The board members told Stampfl that the project will not proceed if it does not have Caltrans' approval.
Columbia Airport grass runway ready
Fill-in on a grass runway is nearing completion at Columbia Airport, and a new unicom frequency will be in use this flying season. Be sure to check notams for the frequency.
