Attempted Airport Closure

[MooneyMitch]

Need some help here!  We just received word that a local developer has intentions of trying to close our beach community airport Oceano [L52], for home development.   The airport is a favorite fly-in spot for pilots wishing to spend the day or more at our local beaches here on the Central Coast of California. 

The airport is operated by San Luis Obispo County, which also operates San Luis Airport [sBP].  There are approximately 20 privately owned hangars on the field along with two private business.  One business is a bi-plane ride/banner towing company which does quite well with tourists.  The other company is a software firm that rents office space in the small terminal bldg.

I've read about airport closures, but this is a first for us here in our area.  Any comments, suggestions or otherwise would be most appreciated from anyone on this forum.

Thank you.

[Gone]

Mitch:

I live in Canada, so please take my advice as that of in interrested outsider.  Interested, yes, but not a person whose opinion would count in your legal system. I would strongly advise your contacting the AOPA Airport Support Network folks (http://www.aopa.org/asn/). They do have such standing.

I have read, over the six or so years of my AOPA membership, about 40 cases involving AOPA's involvement in a community activity to stop just the kind of thing you have mentioned.  They did not save Meigs Field, but they have saved many others and their work has resulted, in one case I recall, lopping the top three floors off a building being constructed contrary to FAA flight path safety requirements.

[FlyDave]

Mitch,

Do you have a link to any info on the proposal?

I fly out of EMT and, although I have not flown to Oceano yet, I know a lot of people that do. Based on what they say about Oceano, it's a great place to go and I can get people rallied here in the LA basin to try to stop this closure.

If you have any, please post links so I can get them out to my fellow pilots.

[hansel]

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[MooneyMitch]

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[MB_M20F]

You should definitely get AOPA involved. Oceano is one of our favorite destinations (renting ATVs to ride in the sand dunes is awesome; besides, my wife loves the milk shake at the diner) so I'll be happy to chime in.

[MooneyMitch]

If you would like some quality Italian food next time you fly-in, give Mama's Meatballs a try.  Top notch.  They are located just about 1 block up from the beach ramp on Pier Ave.  When you walk out of the aiport, turn left and walk up to Pier Ave.  Not much farther of a walk than to the Rock N Roll Diner.  Yum!!  p.s We live 1.1NM from L52!

[hansel]

I forgot about the ATVs at pismo! We should have a fly-in/support the airport meeting (fill up the tanks Mitch-- a long flight for you )

[MooneyMitch]

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[MooneyMitch]

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[MooneyMitch]

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[MooneyMitch]

Quote: hansel

I forgot about the ATVs at pismo! We should have a fly-in/support the airport meeting (fill up the tanks Mitch-- a long flight for you )

[skyking]

We just went through the same thing here with the Edmonton city centre airport.

Try as we did when the city council sees the money they can make off the land we were pooched.

We were only partially successful in saving the airport. One runway will close this year and the rest of the airport will close in the next 5 years.

You can look it up online.

 

Good luck

 

Russ

[mjc]

Reid-Hillview recently survived an attempt to close the airport as well. The county was facing a budget shortfall of $225M, so they started looking for assets to sell off. Reid-Hillview is cash-flow positive, but the money goes into an enterprise fund, so the airport had a great big target on it. (Not to mention that there is a small but vocal group of anti-airport crusaders.) The politicians that wanted the airport closed directed county counsel to "investigate options" for Reid-Hillview. We were only allowed to see a portion of the attorney's response, which essentially enumerated four ways the airport could be closed, along with the costs for each. The only "cheap" way could only work if no one fought the closure (a "buyout" similar to the situation in Rialto). The rest all potentially invloved years in court and significant expenses, denying the county the short-term lump-sum they needed. The supervisors voted the take no action on the issue.

An important factor was that our airport consumes no general fund money. If you haven't already, you MUST determine what the financial situation is at Oceano, both on-airport and for the airport's overall impact. AOPA has resources for this. If the airport is drain on the community, you'll have a much harder time convincing folks to keep it open. People are funny. They don't mind subsidizing a muni golf course because everyone knows someone who plays golf. Not everyone knows someone who uses an airport.

Another thing I think really helped in our case at the time was correspondence from AOPA and the FAA indicating that they would fight any such closure attempt in court. However, both organizations were very clear that they could ONLY do so by working with a LOCAL organization of pilots on the "front lines." In our case, this was CRAMP and the RHVAA. Even under this imminent threat, it was difficult for us to mobilize pilots. Many were of the opinion that even if they did nothing, the county officials would give up and leave the airport be. They could not be more wrong, as the closure of Rialto proves. Pilots there didn't fight for their airport, and so the FAA let the city do as they pleased, and now it is gone forever.

I guess this is a long-winded way of saying that you're fighting a committed enemy from a weak position. They have had time to gather information and experts favorable to closing the airport. You have to mobilize local opposition that can work with AOPA and the FAA to convince your enemy that even if they are ultimately successful, the fight will be more effort than it is worth.

[MooneyMitch]

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[mooneygirl]

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Jolie

[MooneyMitch]

We are in full campaign for this, just deleting specific information on the plan.  Please contact us if you like.  Thank you for your support.

[hansel]

Quote: Mitch

 Great idea Eric!  Let's talk about this..............all flying objects that need a runway are invited!..........and then some.

[Gone]

Operational Security has been increased??

[MooneyMitch]

Correct!  Thank you.

[MooneyMitch]

We have been asked to appear before our San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisor's meeing this coming Tuesday, March 2nd in support of the Oceano Airport.

Also, the initial presentation meeting by the developer on March 17 here in Grover Beach.  The Rabobank branch is approx. 1 mile from L52 if anyone wants to fly-in for the meetings.  We will provide transportation to/from.

AOPA says that they will help, but they state it is extremely important that we locals have a strong physical presence at these meetings as we protest the closure. 

If any of you Mooney folks have contact information to other Mooney clubs, or other social flying clubs, please  ask them to come to the meetings or to write an email to our District 4 Supervisor,

 Katcho Achadjian kachadjian@co.slo.ca.us

 

 

 

 

 

  

[hansel]

We'll be there on the 17th Mitch! Thanks to you and Jolie for all your effort!

Again, if anyone in Norcal (Bay Area, Sacramento, etc.) would like a ride, please let me know.

[mooneygirl]

Hi Eric

Thank you for helping with the March 17th meeting. Are you planning on flying??

We are going to be speaking at the Supervisor's meeting on Tuesday, and we are hoping to make a strong show of force then. The County Supervisors are against this idea. 

 

Please help us get the word out. If you frequent other boards or fly with groups, let them know.  We have been in contact with many of them, but the more the merrier so to speak. 

 

 

[hansel]

Quote: mooneygirl

Are you planning on flying?? 

 

[mjc]

What time is the meeting on March 17th, and when is the Oceano Airport item expected to be discussed?