Developers take aim at San Diego airport
Office buildings. Shopping centers. Apartment complexes. All are popping up around airports across the country, making encroachment and incompatible land use two of the top threats to general aviation.
Montgomery Field in San Diego, California, is the latest airport caught in a battle between developers and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the FAA, and AOPA. The issue: a 12-story office building under construction less than one mile from the airport. The city recently ordered developers to stop construction on the building - which violates federal, state, and city codes - so that the safety issues could be reconciled.
"When the city's deputy attorney, Caltrans, the FAA, and AOPA are doing everything in their power to stop construction, you know the building creates a serious threat to the safety of pilots and people on the ground," said AOPA Vice President of Airports Bill Dunn. "This case underscores why land-use decisions are so important to our airports. We will continue to work with all parties to prevent this hazard."
November 7, 2006
