"Airport Land Use: Ouster likely for Solano County's ALUC chair"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Ouster likely for airport panel chair
By Danny Bernardini
The Vacaville (CA) Reporter


When Solano County's mayors gather for their monthly meeting tonight, they
likely will replace the chairman of the Solano Airport Land Use Commission.
 
John Foster, who has served on the commission since 2000 and has chaired it
since 2003, apparently ruffled feathers after leading the commission's
opposition to proposed projects near Travis Air Force Base. 

Fairfield Mayor Harry Price confirmed that the mayors' committee discussed
replacing Foster at its December meeting, but that the idea was put on hold
until more information could be gathered. 

Price said until he sees tonight's agenda and hears from the other mayors,
he isn't completely sure Foster's removal will take place. 

He said that judging from public sentiment and past discussions, it is very
likely. 

"I would imagine so," Price said. "I'm never one to prejudge or take action
without having all the information. There is great concern how the
appointments are made. I'll be anxious to hear what the others have to say.
It's not unusual for a sitting member to be removed. " 

Suisun City Mayor Pete Sanchez also believes the change will happen. 

"That is a possibility. This was discussed in December when I was not part
of the deliberation," Sanchez said. "When the mayors don't like a member who
represents the group, the selection committee has the option to reconsider
the appointment. Whether the timing is right, I don't know. But things
happen." 

Sanchez said he cannot attend tonight's meeting, but his replacement,
Councilwoman Jane Day, likely will vote in favor of Foster's removal. 

Vacaville Mayor Len Augustine also said Foster's removal may happen tonight.


"I don't have any idea or preconceived notions. There have been some
concerns of the conduct of the (commission's) meetings," Augustine said. "We
need some definitive information before we take any action. I have no idea
what will happen, but that is a possibility." 

The ALUC is a nine-person advisory board created by the county to provide
orderly development of public airports in Solano County, as well as areas
surrounding airports to prevent new noise and safety problems. The
Commission prepares Airport Land Use Plans, reviewing city and county
general plans and zoning for consistency with Airport Land Use Plans.
Commissioners must have some aeronautic experience and traditionally are
retired pilots. 

Five of the nine members are appointed individually by county supervisors.
The other four are appointed by the four mayors of Solano County cities that
are near airports. 

Because it is an advisory board, city councils must achieve a four-fifths
vote to override a decision by the commission. 

Price, Sanchez and Augustine hinted that Foster's behavior at the Nov. 8
meeting of the ALUC - in which the commission voted against a proposed
Wal-Mart Supercenter in Suisun City - may be behind the mayors'
dissatisfaction with him. 

Sanchez said he was at that meeting and was surprised at what he witnessed.
He said the Suisun City staff were not allowed to speak. 

"We were flabbergasted when we heard that from someone running the show,"
Sanchez said. "If he were an elected official, he would have gotten a lot of
feedback." 

Foster, who believes he will be removed tonight, said he has no hard
feelings toward the mayors, but does have a problem with their explanation
for his pending removal. He said the real reason may be that some of the
mayors support the Wal-Mart project. 

"They can dismiss me, but not the facts, and not the truth. They can't
ignore it. It's a sad day for Travis and a wake-up call to the citizens,"
said Foster, who served 23 years in the Air Force. "I don't think it's the
behavior in the meeting, it was the result of the meeting." 

The ALUC's decision to recommend not approving the Wal-Mart will be
revisited Jan. 22 by the Suisun City Council. City staff likely will
recommend overruling the ALUC's decision. Foster said this, too, is a bad
precedent and he fears for the safety of Travis if this trend continues. 

"I'm not upset about (possibly being removed)," he said. "But it's a very
troubling precedent to allow a city to break the Travis Air Force Base Land
Use Plan. If Suisun is allowed to deviate, what happens next?" 

Foster's removal wouldn't be the first change to come following the ALUC's
November meeting. Solano County Principal Planner Ron Glas, who had served
as liaison to the commission for 12 years, lost that duty following the
meeting. Although he wouldn't give details on why, he did say the Wal-Mart
meeting was his last dealing with the ALUC and insisted the move was
amicable. 

"That responsibility is somebody's else's now," he said. "That's a personnel
matter. I just can't comment on any of this. I wouldn't say I was removed,
it's hard to explain. I was certainly not opposed to it. There was no
conflict." 

What Glas could comment on was the Nov. 8 meeting. He said contrary to
popular belief, all parties were able to speak at that meeting. 

"It was a pretty raucous meeting," he said, adding that a lot of people may
not have heard Foster offer Suisun City Manager Suzanne Bragdon the chance
to speak. "I think there was a perception that the city manager was not
allowed to speak, but it's clear from the tape she was allowed to speak," he
said. 

Glas said other changes may be on the way for the ALUC. 

The Solano County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal Tuesday that
will allow the mayor of Suisun City to make an appointment to the commission
instead of the mayor of Vallejo, for example. 

The Board also will consider lifting the requirement for appointed ALUC
members to live in the same city as the mayor who appointments them. 

Both of these changes were asked for in a letter from the Mayor's Committee
dated Nov. 27, signed by Augustine. He said the changes originally were
discussed in 2004, but had yet to be put into policy. 

Sanchez said Vallejo doesn't have an airport, therefore doesn't need two
appointments to the commission. The supervisor representing Vallejo also has
an appointment. 

"That has been something that has been in the works for quite a while.
Suisun is within the area close to the airport," he said. 

As for removing the residency requirement, Sanchez said that doesn't make
sense. 

Foster said he just hopes that whoever replaces him has the same passion and
dedication he has put into his work. 

"They depend on people like me who have experience and time," he said. "I
don't think there is anyone who has more credibility. I wouldn't change a
thing."


   Post your opinion on this story in the CAA General Aviation Forum
http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php

*****************************************