Above is a video of the slide presentation given at the March 13, 2015 kickoff meeting for the newly formed “Santa Monica Airport2Park Foundation”. The video presents the foundation’s plan for the first stage of converting Santa Monica Airport into a great park for the benefit of all. That process can, and we hope will, begin on July 1, 2015.
I have lived in Mar Vista for the past twelve years. I coached and my children played in the Santa Monica AYSO at Airport Park. I actually live closer to the SM Airport than most residents of Santa Monica! Now, I imagine when the Airport becomes a park, Mar Vista residents will get no special benefits and will not be afforded any of the rights that SM residents will receive. Maybe I’m being petty, but those of us who live near the airport, though our zip code is 90066, should be afforded some of the same benefits that SM residents will receive when this park becomes a reality. As an active person, and a father, it’s about time we put a stop to the exhaust from airplanes that our kids breathe every day.
Then why did you buy near an airport if you did not want to live near the exhaust fumes?
City of Santa Monica residents pay in city taxes for upkeep of land here. You can use what you pay for. So we do also “pay” for those “rights” of which you speak.
Hey Ronnie, I would think just having the park so close means you win either way. As a SM home owner I know that our taxes pay for stuff in SM and yours go to LA. You may not get the full bennies that we have but it’s still open space. My guess is my house gets hit by more golf balls from Penmar than yours but I still have to pay more for my rounds then you. Yes am on Dewey. Enjoy what you have.
Peace
I would think that the Harrison Ford crash would be another piece of evidence showing why the airport should convert to a park. It is just too dangerous and noisy near the Santa Monica airport. Those ultra-rich and/or pilots flying out of Santa Monica can figure out how to fly out of LAX or some other larger airport where they can truly handle airplanes. The children of Santa Monica deserve a park, with playing fields, museum (airplane museum is fine), maybe even pool, tennis courts, golf course I think that the citizens of Santa Monica, if they were all convinced that you could accomplish this, would fund the airport to park.
Keep going! Just do whatever it takes to convert the airport to a park.
Ellyn Roth, owner of 1128 Marine.
Can’t we move at least part of the Santa Monica College to the airport once we own it again, with access from Bundy only? That would make a huge impact on our neighborhood We would actually be able to get to the other end of town without getting stuck in traffic. AND people would be able to park their cars on their streets where they live without hving to lose every available space in a 10-block radius from the campus.
Monika – re-purposing of the airport land is now covered by Measure LC which became part of the City Charter last November. LC states that the only thing that can happen to any land released from aviation use is parkland or other similar uses UNLESS the City proposes something else AND the voters of Santa Monica approve that alternate use in a general election. So what that means is that re-purposing for Santa Monica College use would require a general election and a majority of people to approve that use over use as a park. I don’t believe that is likely to happen. Santa Monica college has not expressed any interest in moving their campus in that way.
None of us want to build another street, but perhaps looking into the future we should consider a through-way? One day, something the size of a 251 acre park might need to re-leave traffic congestion. It’s also beneficial for emergencies, event management and visitors to the park.
Jay, that can only happen when we get to rev 3.0. For an early concept plan (including connecting streets) see here.
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John:
While there is great momentum from the citizen who reside in Santa Monica to convert the airport to a park, it sounds as though it is still possible that the FAA may not release the space for 1.0 and 2.0 initiatives on July 1, 2015. Is this a possible scenario?
It is unlikely that the FAA will agree to release land required for the 2.0 (i.e., Western Parcel), or 3.0 (1948 Parcel) versions of the plan on July 1. As for the 1.0 version, that land is on the non-aviation parcel which has been free from aviation encumbrances for over 30 years. There is no reason why that land cannot be repurposed on July 1, and the FAA has no rights whatsoever to prevent it. We hope and expect that Council will direct staff to move forward immediately on July 1 to re-purpose that land in compliance with the mandate of Measure LC.
Does Airport2Park have a position on the proposed ordinance being submitted to the SM City Council regarding restricting flight operations by the higher polluting aircraft?
Airport2Park does not have an official position on this matter. Our focus is on advocating for and financing parkland on any aviation land released. However, it is clear that pollution and recreational uses do not belong next to each other.
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Well, its official, at the Tuesday City Council meeting Council instructed staff to begin work on the new 21-acre park we asked for (per Measure LC). They instructed staff to have the 6-acre playing fields portion done within 2-3 years, and the 6-acre parkland aspect as soon as practical, even if not in its final form. This kind of rapid progress is unheard of. This action takes away the “you can’t trust ‘em on LC” argument pilots have foisted on us since the start of the D/LC campaign. I believe it may also have a chilling effect on our opponents morale as they see their territory being visibly seized and repurposed faster than they could ever have imagined. This Council move is directly respondent to measure LC. In voting for LC so resoundingly the public said “we want a park!”, Tuesday night Council gave them one and fast tracked it. In voting against D so resoundingly the public said “deal with the airport for us”, Tuesday night the Council did everything they could to do so, given current legal uncertainty.
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