Airport

As the operating agreement between the FAA and the City of Santa Monica regarding the Santa Monica Airport approaches its expiration in 2015, the City has begun a process to determine the options available for the airport’s future. The airport consists of 227 acres located at the southeast corner of the City’s borders. The 5000 ft runway is embedded in a residential area, and the environmental and safety impacts have been a longtime concern for airport neighbors. In addition to the runway itself, the airport property hosts aviation-related businesses, non-aviation business, airport staff offices, aircraft tie-downs (parking spaces), aircraft hangers, restaurants, artist studios, sports playing fields, a dog park, a theatre, and some SMC classrooms. The City has engaged the services of three consultant firms to conduct an airport visioning process.

Phase I: February to September 2011

• HR&A will prepare a study of Airport’s economic impact.
• RAND will prepare a report and analysis of general aviation airport best practices, potential alternative layouts, operational configurations and uses.
• Point C will identify stakeholders, formulate a public process plan that will include all the stakeholders, and design presentations and formats to disseminate the information collected and produced by HR&A and RAND.

Phase II: October 2011 to January 2012

• A program of public workshops will be conducted. These meetings will be designed to include a broad range of participants.
• Meetings will be scheduled throughout this period to ensure all interested members of the public have the opportunity to participate.
• Recommendations will become part of the public dialogue report.

Phase III: February to June 2012

• City Council will begin the deliberative phase with presentations from RAND and HR&A on their reports and with a full review and discussion of the comments and recommendations from the Phase II public input process.
• City Council will consider appropriate policies and actions.