CAA: GA News, "San Martin, California fights looming airport expansion"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Friday, October 4, 2002

SM fights looming airport expansion
Despite local protests, county pushing for more flights, hangars
By DALE RODEBAUGH
The Hollister (CA) Pinnacle


    The buzz of angry words from San Martin residents is beginning to
rival the noise from the aircraft they expect to hear over their rural
paradise if plans to accommodate expansion of general aviation at three
county-controlled airports continue on course.

    Two opportunities this week to vent their feelings - a community
forum and an airports commission meeting - won them few concessions as
the county moved another step toward sending most of the increase in
general aviation over the next 20 years to the South Valley.

    "We totally disagree that North County demand (for hangars and
tie-down spots) should drive South County (airport) expansion," said
Sylvia Hamilton, president of the San Martin Neighborhood Alliance, the
grassroots organization leading the fight against increased activity at
the San Martin facility.

    The fuss concerns the updating of the county's airports master plan
- prepared in 1980 -- to look at the next 20 years. The county operates
Palo Alto airport, Reid-Hillview airport in East San Jose and South
County airport in San Martin.

    Santa Clara County supervisors are scheduled to make a final
decision Nov. 19 on how much each airport should grow. Consultant Shutt
Moens Associates estimates from a half-dozen long-range forecasts that
1,960 plane owners will want to base their planes in Santa Clara County
by 2022.

    Space constraints at urban Reid-Hillview and Palo Alto made it a
virtual foregone conclusion that relatively wide-open San Martin would,
by the end of the master plan period, see more than its share of the 324
estimated new aircraft expected in Santa Clara County.

    But the inevitable is not necessarily more palatable, according to
San Martin residents, who feel that they've been put upon by the county
over the years. Facilities such as a methadone clinic, automobile
dismantlers, waste-treatment centers and non-local-serving businesses
always find their way to San Martin, residents say.

    South County airport currently rents about half of its 178 available
spaces, and is scheduled to see 100 hangars built soon. According to the
draft update, the facility would ultimately be home base to 425
aircraft. Palo Alto airport would get 60 new airplanes, while
Reid-Hillview would house only 24 more than its current capacity of 726.


    San Jose International Airport is phasing out its general aviation
component. The number of planes recommended for the facility in 2022 is
179, down from 279 currently and 804 as envisioned in the last master
plan.

    Residents and South County pilots alike are unhappy. In addition to
the increased number of planes using their airport, they don't like a
proposal to lengthen the runway from 3,100 to 6,000 feet and strengthen
the tarmac to handle bigger, heavier planes, which would account for
some of the growth.

    A decision by airport commissioners Tuesday left San Martin
residents scratching their heads. While the panel left intact staff
recommendations on how many planes South County airport can handle,
commissioners voted against lengthening the runway, which would be a
requirement to bring in bigger planes. 

    The 1982 master plan, residents point out, says that San Martin
airport was not suited as a reliever for North County. The same holds
true now, they add.

    Bob Cerruti said six real estate agents assured him that more
airport activity would decrease property values.

    "A few select people with large aircraft shouldn't jeopardize the
rest of us. Is the county going to pay us what we lose in property
value?" Cerruti said.

    Barry Shiller said airport expansion is inconsistent with a number
of county planning documents, including the general plan and the San
Martin Integrated Design Plan.

    Also, Shiller added, no one bothered to think about investigating a
deal to use Moffett Field, a federally controlled base in Mountain View,
or looking to the Hollister airport in San Benito County, about five
minutes flying time from San Martin.

    Steve Miller, representing the South County Pilots Association, said
the consultant didn't contract his group. "Without giving input, we
can't help," he said.

    Hamilton alleged that those preparing the update fudged the figures
to make it appear that the number of airplanes based at San Martin would
decrease. The 550 given as the maximum number of airplanes the airport
can handle currently, she said, was taken from the 1960 airport master
plan. The 1982 master plan puts the number at 300.

    Hamilton said that only 9 percent of the aircraft registered in
Santa Clara County belong to South County residents. She also cites the
consultant's preliminary report: "Demand for spaces is likely to be
substantially higher at Palo Alto and Reid-Hillview."

    Accommodating general aviation growth has unleashed strong reaction
from people who live around Reid-Hillview as well. They complain about
noise and the inherent danger of aircraft in proximity to houses and
schools.

    Airport critic Bud Beacham said there are eight schools and up to
30,000 residents within a one-half mile radius of Reid-Hillview. He said
public money should not subsidize private aviation.

    Patricia Ramos, community coordinator of the San Jose Strong
Neighborhoods Initiative, opposes basing more planes at Reid-Hillview.
She doesn't say directly to place them elsewhere, but at Tuesday's
commission meeting and an earlier one, Ramos called for equity.

    "We can't carry the burden alone. There must be shared
responsibility," Ramos said Tuesday.

    At the commission's September meeting, Ramos said: "There can be no
NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitudes."

    Expansion of South County airport is a given, residents said, and
they are willing to do their fair share, but they resent being imposed
upon.

    Airport commissioners Tuesday were not entirely happy with the draft
update prepared by Shutt Moens.

    Pria Graves lamented a short-sighted report.

    "I think the board of supervisors would like some options instead of
a single recommendation," Graves said.

    A motion by commissioner Eric Fuller to approve the draft update as
presented triggered discussion. Graves proposed two amendments - a
continued effort by the county to extend its lease at the Palo Alto
airport, which expires in 2017, and the elimination of plans to extend
the runway at South County airport.

    A proposal by commission chairman Robert Lenox to maintain the
capacity of Reid-Hillview at 900 aircraft, which would have taken
pressure off South County airport, found no support. Elma Rosas said she
prefers the lower number of 750. Lenox then declined to support the
amended motion, leaving the vote at 4-1.


   Post your opinion on this story in the CAA General Aviation Forum
http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID2

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