Supervisors vote to study legal issues at Reid-Hillview
By AOPA ePublishing staff
County supervisors stepped back from studying closure, and instead voted to study the legal issues surrounding any attempt to close California’s Reid-Hillview Airport.
Originally, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors considered a resolution to study closing the airport. But objections from AOPA, the FAA, the Reid-Hillview Airport Association, and two members of the board led the supervisors to amend the resolution, removing all references to airport closure. The board voted 4-0 in favor of the amended resolution during a March 18 meeting.
“Local pilots responded quickly to the airport closure threat,” said Bill Dunn, AOPA vice president of local airport advocacy. “By getting involved, they showed county officials that the airport is truly important to the community. But the threat still remains, and AOPA and local pilots will continue to work to protect this important airport.”
The county wanted to look at closing the airport and developing the property as a means of generating revenue to solve its current budget woes. But AOPA and the FAA objected strongly, reminding county officials that they are legally obligated to keep the airport open and vowing to defend the field.
Reid-Hillview will be a key airport this fall when AOPA Expo 2008 comes to San Jose. AOPA already has discussed the threat to the airport with the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau.
March 20, 2008
AOPA ePublishing staff
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