Santa Monica Airport


What do you want on the Santa Monica Airport Property?

With the closure of Santa Monica Airport just 5 years away (December 2028), the City is beginning to gather input from residents.
Timeline:
  • Consultant Selection: Summer 2023
  • Project Initiation: Winter 2023
  • Existing Conditions: Spring 2024
  • Scenario Planning (Preferred Scenario Approved): Spring/Summer 2026
  • Specific Plan Initiation: Fall/Winter 2026
  • Consent Decree Airport Closure Authorization: Winter 2028
  • Specific Plan Adoption: Fall 2028-2033 or beyond

For more information about the Future of Santa Monica Airport Project, click here

January 2023 –  Santa Monica City Council Approves Process to Determine the Future of Santa Monica Airport – press release

March 2020 – Santa Monica Airport to Park Draft Conversion Report

2014 – Measure LC – Approved by Santa Monica voters 60% to 40% – itsourland.org


Santa Monica City Council Approves Process to Determine the Future of Santa Monica Airport
1/26/23 – City of Santa Monica press release

City Council January 24, 2023 Study Session
Public Process to Determine the Future of the Santa Monica Airport
Staff recommended that the City Council 1) Confirm the goals, values, and principles that will guide the planning the planning process for the future of SMO; 2) Confirm that the proposed process for community engagement, testing, and refinement is appropriate; 3) Confirm that the proposed scope, including Existing Conditions, Diverse ad Inclusive Outreach, and Alternatives development is sufficient to support the City’s interest in identifying a preferred scenario. Study Session staff report

March 2020 – Santa Monica Airport to Park Conversion Plan

2014 – Measure LC – Approved by Santa Monica voters 60% to 40% : itsourland.org


Airport Administration

Stelios Makrides, Airport Manager
3223 Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Hours: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM on Monday-Thursday; 8 AM to 5:30 PM on alternate Fridays
Phone: 310-458-8591
Email:  Airport@smgov.net
Web site: www.SantaMonicaAirport.org 
Facebook: https://Facebook.com/SantaMonicaAirport

Santa Monica Airport Commission 
Website

The Commission meets the 4th Monday of the month 10 times a year. Agendas are posted on the Airport Commission web site the Thursday prior to the meeting date. For information on flight tracking and noise concerns click here. 

Noise Hotline: 310-458-8692
Email: Noise@smgov.net – Include the complaint, date, time, and location.
Online SMO complaint form 
Helicopter Noise Complaint Hotline: http://heli-noise-la.com or phone 424-348-4354
Even if you don’t feel that your complaint will make a difference, please be aware that the Airport staff logs all complaints. The records are useful to the City of Santa Monica as verification of Noise nuisance in communicating with other government agencies (i.e., the FAA) and in court if there is litigation.


Operations – Landings and takeoffs
Noise/Operations Reports: July and August 2021 

Piston/propeller –                  6,029 and 6,044
Turboprop –                             328 and 353
Helicopter –                             149 and 176
Jet —                                         215 and 243

Total landings & takeoffs – 6,721 and 6,816

Voluntary arrival curfew violations — 5 and 15 
Noise violations by aircraft — 1 and 1  
Complaints from residents — 135 and 89  
Email complaints to Noise@smgov.net 


Santa Monica Airport Noise Ordinance:  


On Oct. 23, 2001, the Santa Monica City Council approved the Revised Airport Noise Ordinance

  • 
1st Violation of 95decibal limit: Warning
  • 2nd Violation: $2000 fine
  • 3rd Violation: $5000 fine
  • 4th Violation: $10,000 fine
  • 5th Violation: 6 month suspension
  • 6th Violation: Ban

Departure Curfew Hours: 


(No departures allowed except for medical emergencies and police activities)
11 PM to 7 AM Monday through Friday

11 PM to 8 AM Saturday and Sunday


2017 Consent Decree between the City of Santa Monica and the FAA  

The City of Santa Monica entered into an agreement with the Federal Government in January 2017.  Leading up to this agreement was the expiration of a previous agreement in 2015, a dispute about the City’s right to close the Airport, and multiple pending lawsuits involving the City and various aviation entities.

Consent Decree Highlights: 

-Resolved pending litigation involving SMO

-Allowed the City to reduce the runway length from 5,000 feet to 3,500 feet and install Runway Safety Areas at both ends of the runway

-Requires the City to operate the Santa Monica Airport until December 31, 2028 

Learn more


2014 Measure LC Ballot Measure

Measure LC passed in November 2014 with 60% of the votes cast. It amended the City Charter to limit future development on Santa Monica Airport property.  

“(1) prohibit new development on Airport land, except for parks, public open spaces and public recreational facilities, until the voters approve limits on the uses and development that may occur on the land; and (2) affirm the City Council’s authority to manage the Airport and to close all or part of it.”

Learn more


More Information

For information on the future transformation of Santa Monica Airport into park land visit the Airport 2 Park website.

For questions about  Airport issues, contact Cathy Larson, FOSP Airport Committee Chair: FOSPairport@rocketmail.com

For updates on Santa Monica Airport issues, sign up for the FOSP email list here.  


Santa Monica Airport Update – November 2021

The next Santa Monica Airport Commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 22, at 6 PM via teleconference.

The Airport Commission passed the following two resolutions on September 27, 2021: 

First motion:

WHEREAS, no level of lead exposure is safe, and lead exposure particularly affects children, and

WHEREAS, the recent Reid-Hillview Airport Study (attached) showed conclusively that lead from aviation emissions near their airport increased blood lead levels in children, in concentrations in some cases far higher than during the Flint Water Crisis, and

WHEREAS, studies previously performed at Santa Monica Airport (AQMD & EPA in 2010) have also shown elevated levels of lead in the areas surrounding the airport due to leaded aviation fuel, and

WHEREAS, Santa Monica and West Los Angeles have multiple childcare centers, pre-schools, and elementary schools in close proximity to Santa Monica Airport, and

WHEREAS, we currently have a national administration that has made it a policy priority to promote clean energy, and reduce pollution and lead exposure,

NOW THEREFORE, we strongly encourage the City of Santa Monica to explore steps taken and actions initiated by the County of Santa Clara in their efforts to address and mitigate lead pollution exposure, and to take similar measures including (but not limited to) joining the recent petition filed by Earthjustice and the County of Santa Clara. 

Second motion:

WHEREAS, the FAA “is committed . . . to support the development and use of unleaded aviation gas” (Consent Decree, Section VII), and

WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica strives to be a “Green” City, and

WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica currently owns and operates fuel tanks on the South Side of Santa Monica Airport that sell leaded fuel, and

WHEREAS, Atlantic Aviation provides (and is anticipated to continue to provide) leaded fuel at the North Side of the Airport, and

WHEREAS, it is our belief that the City can and ought to provide unleaded fuel options at the Airport,

NOW THEREFORE, we recommend the City Council pursue all avenues available to reduce, or even eliminate, lead pollution at the Airport.

These avenues could include, and are not limited to, providing unleaded fuel at cost, and the promotion and assistance in the acquisition of Supplemental Type Certificates for aircraft based at SMO.