Attempted Airport Closure

[mooneygirl]

The March 17th meeting is at 5:00 p.m.  The WHOLE meeting is about the plans to develop the land. This meeting is the developers meeting.  From his press release this is one of a series of meetings. This particular meeting has the lawyer from SoCal coming to speak.  We have carpools available from Oceano airport to the meeting.  I am going to call around and see if I can get a discounted rate on lodging should someone need to stay over.

For more details call me 805-709-6619

 

[mooneygirl]

This Tuesday is the SLO County Supervisors meeting at 9:00 a.m.  We have probably a half dozen or more attending.  We can speak during the beginning-- public comment---  The airport is not an agenda item.  The developer is trying to end run around the process.

For more details call me, or send me an email or PM.  We are limiting what we say in open forums.

[MooneyMitch]

"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."

Apathy and complacency have no room in this fight!  Thank you Michael...........you've pretty much hit the nail on the head with your advice!

[mooneygirl]

Hello Aviation Lover: If you are a member of an aviation forum, social club, flying club, aviation mailing list, please help us get the word out about the proposed closure of L52-Oceano.

Oceano, in addition to perhaps being the closest airport to the Pacific Ocean, is a vital link in emergency services in San Luis Obispo County. Life-flight, California Highway Patrol, Civil Air Patrol, Diablo Canyon evacuation, Beach rescues, Angel Flights all make use of Oceano airport.

We are working closely with AOPA's Bill Dunn, the airport administration, EAA, the FAA, NATA, and the San Luis Obispo County Supervisors.

It is a great field for training and is used by regional CFIs. The opportunities for recreation are bountiful, with on field camping and walking distance to the dunes/restaurants.

Several businesses are located on the field including Banner Airways owned by JR Smith. He gives rides in his 1943 Stearman. JR's father, and my father were both trainers in the Army Air Corps at Rankin Field in Tulare, CA.

Mitch and I organized a Vintage Mooney Group event in December of 2008. The event was a service event, as it helpedToys for Tots. We had 23 Mooneys on the ramp that day, loaded with toys. I was told by Toys for Tots, that because of our event, the children in our area got one extra toy under the tree.

Oceano is a good neighbor! We are fighting the closure of Oceano Airport!  We need pilots from all over CA to attend this meeting in a show of force. AOPA has been made aware and is on-board. Anyone flying into Oceano who needs a ride, please email us.

Article in the Tribune: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/02/25/1045185/oceano-county-airport-future-in.html

Both AOPA and AVWeb have run the story. AVWeb: http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/oceano_airport_developer_edwards_202087-1.html

A group of local pilots and business owners will be attending a San Luis Obispo County Supervisors meeting next Tuesday, March 2nd, at morning at 9:00. The Board of Supervisors meetings start at 9:00 a.m. in the County Government Center Board Chambers located at 1055 Monterey Street, Room D-170, San Luis Obispo.

A March 17th meeting is being planned by the developer at 5:00 p.m. at the Grover Beach Rabobank. We hope to have good attendance at this meeting.

Jolie Lucas jolielucas@charter.net

[hansel]

[2005 AOPA article on Oceano Airport]

______________________________________

California Flying

Reach the beach

By STEVEN W. ELLS

It's that time of year again — it's too hot. You think twice even about going outside because as soon as you open the door your body begins to feel as if it is drying up. There just don't seem to be any sunglasses capable of cutting the relentless glare. The relief of the cool, damp days of winter is a distant promise — but don't despair. Instead of retreating to wait the heat out, take action because cool weather is only a short hop away. Just jump in your airplane and fly to the Oceano County Airport. There you and your family will find steady onshore breezes, cool weather, and affordable low-key relief.

Cool breezes at Oceano County

Oceano is a small beach town located within an easy stroll of the ocean shore. It hasn't yet been gentrified; in fact, it's more on the funky side of the scale than on the glitz and glitter side. This means that fly-in visitors are welcome to toss out a tent — if you forgot to bring your tent you can rent one at the airport and enjoy a couple of days of minimalist airport living on a grassy area just to the east of the big hangar. There are even showers, rest rooms, and laundry facilities, not to mention a couple of picnic tables and a barbecue grill to make the stay more enjoyable.

The Oceano airport is located about 13 miles south of San Luis Obispo near the towns of Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, and Grover Beach. Airports up and down the scorching central valley as far away as Sacramento are less than two "Cessna 172" flight hours away from the cool breezes of Oceano.

The Oceano airport is an ideal fly-in destination for a young flying family just beginning to explore California's many fly-in attractions. Tiedown fees are very reasonable, camping is inexpensive, and in addition to the beach, there are a couple of other unique attractions nearby.

The Great American Melodrama

The locals simply call it the "melodrama" and it's located less than two miles south of the Oceano airport on state Highway 1. Performances are staged every night except on Mondays and Tuesdays — on Saturdays there's also a 4:30 p.m. matinee. Like all true vaudeville shows, a honky-tonk piano player busts out an amazing selection of tunes. The performances lean heavily on simple good-guy (yea! cheer!) and bad-guy (boo! hiss!) themes. Audience participation adds to the fun. The 2005 playbill includes deftly adapted classics such as A Night on the Town and Heaven Can Wait, as well as a western take on Gilbert and Sullivan's classic called The Mikado, Y'all. There's also a couple of shoot-'em-up westerns — Curse You, Jack Dalton and The Road to Dusty Death — as well as an Irish tale about Mr. Conn O'Kelly who strives to save his wrongly imprisoned master and rescue a beautiful heroine from a treacherous villain. You get the idea — every show is memorable because of witty, rollicking good fun. The small theater fills up fast. For more information and to reserve your seats, call 805/489-2499 or visit the Web site (www.americanmelodrama.com).

Riding those dunes

The Oceano airport is located at the edge of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreational Area (SVRA). The sand dunes and beach are part of a 15,000-acre Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes complex. Three and one-half miles of beach and 1,500 acres of sand dunes in the complex are available for off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. In addition to unlimited off-highway vehicle use, there are 1,000 campsites located on the beach that are used year-round by motor homes, trailer campers, and sport-utility-vehicle campers. The beach is divided into two distinct zones — the part north of marker 2 is for street-legal vehicles only, and the much larger section south of that marker is designated as an open riding and camping area. There's a sand highway that weaves through the dunes to the southern end.

Visitors who fly in can get astride a horse from the Pacific Dunes stables (805/489-7787) for a ride in the dunes or they can put on a helmet and then strap into a rented dune buggy or all-terrain vehicle (ATV) for a ride up and down the sandy dunes behind the shoreline. All rental shops conduct training sessions and supply helmets. There are at least three ATV rental facilities within a few steps of the beach. Check out the Web sites for more details (www.sunbuggiefunrentals.com; www.stevesatv.com; and www.pismoatvrentals.com).

Getting around

There are a couple of beachfront eating establishments within a couple of blocks of the airport. The Rock and Roll Diner — created out of two railroad dining cars — is a five-minute walk from the beach, while Oceano Beach Fish and Chips is only a few-minutes walk toward the beach. Directly across the street from the airport is the Oceano Park. There little kids can jump, climb, run, and swing on the park playground before heading to the beach.

The Central Coast Taxi Company (805/544-1222) can be called for pickup, or rental cars can be arranged through Enterprise Rent-A-Car (805/489-6161). There are many very good restaurants in the nearby towns of Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, and Grover Beach.

If camping out is not on the agenda, the Oceano Inn (805/473-0032) is located near the beach. There also are accommodations ranging from studios to adjoining rooms less than a block from the airport at the Pacific Plaza Resort. For more information, visit the Web site (www.pacificplazaresort.com).

Last but certainly not least, J.R. Smith of Banner Airways offers biplane rides at the Oceano airport in its 450-horsepower Pratt & Whitney-powered Super Stearman open-cockpit World War II trainer. An around-the-patch scenic tour of the area starts at $49 each for kids and $59 for adults (based on double occupancy). For more adventuresome souls, there's the Thrill Ride, which includes a loop, hammerhead, and barrel roll. For those who seek more aerobatic adventures, the Top Gun ride includes every-thing in the Thrill Ride plus a lot more. For more information, call 805/474-6491 or visit the Web site (www.bannerairways.com).

The airport

There's one 2,325-by-50-foot paved and well-marked runway at Oceano. The approaches to Runway 29 are very clear. Patterns are flown to the south of the airport. Airport elevation is 14 feet msl and pattern altitude is 1,000 feet msl. Runway 29 is the departure runway and visitors are requested to observe the local noise-abatement rules by maintaining the runway heading while climbing at VY until reaching 1,000 feet msl.

The Oceano airport often is under a marine layer of fog — which can last well into the afternoon — during summer months. There is no weather reporting at Oceano and the airport webcam (www.aircamp.com) was out of service when this article was written. Until the webcam is fixed, the best weather reports can be obtained by calling the airport office at 805/473-2001, or calling J.R. Smith at Banner Airways.

Oceano is one of a very few airports in California that is within easy walking distance of the Pacific Ocean. That, plus the promise of cool breezes and the lure of a relaxed small-town airport, makes a stop at Oceano worthwhile.

[mooneygirl]

I remembered that article. Thank you, Eric.  I couldn't remember which year it was published in AOPA magazine. Steven Ells is working with us, and of course JR from Banner Airways too.

A fun addition is http://www.oceanoairport.com  With its live cameras on the ramp and looking toward the dunes.

 

 

[mjc]

Quote: mooneygirl

I remembered that article. Thank you, Eric.  I couldn't remember which year it was published in AOPA magazine. Steven Ells is working with us, and of course JR from Banner Airways too.

A fun addition is http://www.oceanoairport.com  With its live cameras on the ramp and looking toward the dunes.

[mooneygirl]

Hi Michael

The supervisors meeting was at their request, we are not an agenda item. They want us to talk in the public comment section.  The March 17th meeting might be more important.  It is the [potential] developer's meeting.  Why don't you wait and see how the Tuesday meeting goes?  I realize it is a long haul for folks, though we definately appreciate it.

 

Any chance I can get that article online or???

[MooneyMitch]

We had a very successful intial meeting in front of our San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisor's this morning.  They repeatedly stated they have no desire to dismantle Oceano Airport [L52] and that the airport is not for sale. 

We will continue to fight any proposals to close the airport.  We cannot let our guard down, become complacent or apathetic. Please look for us on Facebook, Friends of Oceano Airport.  If you can, please come to the March 17th meeting in Grover Beach, CA.

Thank you for your support.

 

[hansel]

Thanks for the update, Mitch. Made my day. See you on March 17th.

[mooneygirl]

I was so happy to see 18-20 pilots attend the supervisors meeting today.  As Mitch indicated, they were resounding in their contempt for the idea of shutting down Oceano Aiport.  The potential developer, Jeff Edwards, spoke during public comment.  I did as well.  I believe this is the correct link for the audio/video, but the meeting is still in progress.  http://slocounty.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

I hope we can continue a strong and unified front to fight this.  We had folks from Paso Robles to Lompoc and everywhere in between.  EAA was represented as well as the Santa Maria 99s and the SLO 99s too.  Horray for us, we made the commitment to be there!

Let's keep up the pressure!  See you all on March 17th, it was suggested we all have a green beer after the meeting... 

[Buster1]

Good work you guys, I've been following the progress.  Small victories!  Wish I could fly in to help, but Uncle Sam has other needs for the jets these days.

[MooneyMitch]

Quote: Buster1

Good work you guys, I've been following the progress.  Small victories!  Wish I could fly in to help, but Uncle Sam has other needs for the jets these days.

[mooneygirl]

We have received another write up in the newspaper  http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/03/02/1051046/supervisors-oceano-airport-is.html

And it looks like some pilots will be on a radio show tomorrow.

 

Let's keep this rolling until it is all a distant memory.

[hansel]

Quote: mooneygirl

I was so happy to see 18-20 pilots attend the supervisors meeting today.  As Mitch indicated, they were resounding in their contempt for the idea of shutting down Oceano Aiport.  The potential developer, Jeff Edwards, spoke during public comment.  I did as well.  I believe this is the correct link for the audio/video, but the meeting is still in progress.  http://slocounty.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

[MooneyMitch]

Great news here!  AOPA's Bill Dunn, Vice President, Local Airport Advocacy is coming to the March 17th opening presentation meeting!  This is a great asset to this issue.  If you can come, please do!

[hansel]

Quote: Mitch

Great news here!  AOPA's Bill Dunn, Vice President, Local Airport Advocacy is coming to the March 17th opening presentation meeting!  This is a great asset to this issue.  If you can come, please do!

[MooneyMitch]

Great point and we're on it!

[carusoam]

The data included here may help others research their oponent or better understand the mode of that person's operation.  Keep up the good work.  The challenges keep coming....

 

J. H. Edwards Company, Jeff Edwards

Mailing Address: p o box 6070

City: LOS OSOS

Zip Code: 93412

Is this the same person?

http://www.smartvoter.org/2000/11/07/ca/slo/vote/edwards_j/

"top priorities if elected: Be honest with the community...."  2000 - he was not elected....

 

This is a post from calcoastnews.com.  Apparently someone is familiar with the other Jeff Edwards projects.

Jeff Edwards will cause havoc in poor little Oceano as he always has everywhere he’s been, I know, I live in Los Osos. Falsifying Geological reports, DUI’s, not paying his bills, bankruptcy and even wife stealing are in his past. Ever know a type A with smarts but just can’t play it straight? As a planning consultant his professional advice to prospective home buiders in Los Osos where a protected snail and rat dwell is Snarol and D-Con. Illegal grading is also suggested. The only thing good that will come from him “working” in Oceano is he won’t be “working” in Los Osos at that moment.
Consider these accusations the tipof the iceberg. -justme

[Bob]

Mitch,

I bet if SBP got some stimulus money and improved the airport, the city would count the improvement as added value and it may be too expensive for the developer to even consider. Not sure what it would take to get some stimulus money, but a lot of small airports are doing it. 

Just a thought?

[MooneyMitch]

Thank you for your input.  According to the SBP/L52 airport manager, the County is seeking another $450,000 of FAA grant money for airport improvements.  This should help also.

[flight2000]

Quote: carusoam

Jeff Edwards will cause havoc in poor little Oceano as he always has everywhere he’s been, I know, I live in Los Osos. Falsifying Geological reports, DUI’s, not paying his bills, bankruptcy and even wife stealing are in his past. Ever know a type A with smarts but just can’t play it straight? As a planning consultant his professional advice to prospective home buiders in Los Osos where a protected snail and rat dwell is Snarol and D-Con. Illegal grading is also suggested. The only thing good that will come from him “working” in Oceano is he won’t be “working” in Los Osos at that moment.

Consider these accusations the tipof the iceberg. -justme

[Bob]

Just thought of something else.  Usually when an airport accepts grant money, it comes with a agreement that forces the airport to stay open for a stated length of time like 20 to 30 years.  I bet if they receive any money, the airport is safer.

[MooneyMitch]

We are not letting up until we smother this foolish plan.  Even though our officials say it cannot happen, we are not going to rest on that until the beast is dead and buried.  We will take no chances here.  We are strong and we are united in this.  I have had so much input from aviators around this country that have had similar experiences with attempts to close the airport or curtail certain activities at their airport.  All have been success stories, but it was not easy at all. 

There have been stories and enlightenments about airports that were not successful and are gone forever.  We're going to make sure that does not happen at L52...........not now.

We are all passionate about our airplanes, passionate about our abilities to fly, passionate and determined about our special freedoms and our rights to fly, takeoff and land our airplanes..........and we have stay this course to protect and continue those passions. 

Now, more than ever, we have to make sure this doesn't happen due to our apathy, complacency of thinking it cannot happen to us and that the fight is over.    Let's stay focued and finish the job!  Participate all you can!

[mooneygirl]

Bill Dunn from AOPA will be speaking to the issue of the FAA funding and the ability, or inability to "pay it back."  We are thrilled that he is driving up from Los Angeles for this meeting.  This does speak to the severity of the situation.  We cannot underestimate this threat to Oceano.

 

Please mark your calendars for "Oceano Airport Celebration Day" May 8th.  Food, Fun, Music, Airplanes...a chance for us all to fly our Mooneys! 

 

Thank you all for your support, and thanks to my family for commenting on how good my hair looked on TV yesterday!