"Airport Land Use: County backs placing school near California airport"

Thursday, May 17, 2001

County backs placing school near Mather
By Robert D. Dávila
The Sacramento (CA) Bee


Despite deep misgivings about safety by their airports chief, Sacramento
County supervisors have endorsed efforts to locate an elementary school near
Mather Airport.

The board's action Wednesday gave a strong boost to Rancho Cordova community
leaders who have been struggling for three years to get a school for the
Villages of Zinfandel. Several campus sites proposed for the development
near Mather, a busy air cargo hub, have been rejected for safety and noise
reasons by state aviation officials.

By a 4-1 vote, the board expressed support for asking the Federal Aviation
Administration to allow changes in aircraft approaches to Mather. If the FAA
agreed, the Folsom Cordova Unified School District could ask the state to
reconsider an on-site school for the project.

Supervisors are expected to make a final decision July 25 on whether to
submit the request to the federal agency. A key remaining issue is whether
the school district should be required to indemnify the county, which
operates Mather, in case of any accident resulting from the "non-standard
traffic procedure."

The board action came after a two-hour hearing that renewed controversy over
plans to build homes and an elementary school near Mather Airport. An
air-cargo jet crashed near the development site in February 2000, killing
all three crew members aboard.

Elliot Homes is building Villages of Zinfandel, a development of 1,500
single-family homes and 200 apartments. The project, which also includes
offices, retail and open space, is between International Drive and Mather
Airport on the west side of the Folsom South Canal.

The project has faced obstacles because of its location near Mather. Last
year, Elliot won approval to begin construction after agreeing to delay work
near the airport while the county studies whether to expand a backup runway.

Meanwhile, the developer and school officials have scrambled to get a school
for the project.

After rejecting several on-site locations, aviation officials for the state
Transportation Department approved a parcel for a campus on county-owned
land just outside the project.

Folsom Cordova officials rejected that idea, saying the site would require
children to cross unsafe streets and a drainage ditch to get to class.
Superintendent Norman Siefkin also told

supervisors Wednesday that the approved site is too close to high-voltage
lines and a transitional housing development.

"This is certainly not the most suitable location for an elementary school
site," Siefkin said.

County airports chief G. Hardy Acree presented an advisory group's
recommendation to seek approach changes for general aviation aircraft at
Mather. He noted that such procedures are used at many airports nationwide,
including Sacramento International Airport.

But, in highly candid remarks, Acree voiced strong doubts about making
changes at Mather in order to get a nearby school site approved. He went
even further, saying he was not comfortable with the off-project school site
approved by Caltrans.

Besides warning of setting a precedent, the airports chief expressed strong
concern about noise and safety hazards.

"My concerns are professional and personal," Acree said somberly, glancing
down. "I've seen firsthand as a witness when airplanes don't land at
airports, and they land in school yards instead."

Supervisors Illa Collin, Roger Dickinson, Roger Niello and Don Nottoli voted
to direct staff to prepare the application for Mather. Majority members said
there was no evidence of increased risks from non-standard traffic
procedures and expressed confidence that federal aviation officials would
thoroughly consider safety issues.

"I don't think any member of this board would take any action that would
place people in jeopardy," Dickinson said.

Supervisor Muriel Johnson cast the dissenting vote, noting she voted last
year against allowing Elliot Homes to begin construction at Villages of
Zinfandel.

"I can't possibly vote for a school in the middle of a place I feel so
uncomfortable about," Johnson said.

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