By Laura Silagi

The Santa Monica Airport impacts Venice, Mar Vista and Los Angeles, yet only the voters in Santa Monica are allowed to determine the fate of that airport. What does this mean to Venice, Mar Vista, and West Los Angeles?

Santa Monica will have two competing measures on their November ballot. If this measure D passes, Santa Monica Airport will never close or be closed or be downsized.

Here’s why:
Measure D, (the aviation industry measure) is deceptively worded. It masquerades as a no-development, voters’ rights initiative requiring “voter approval” to close the airport. The measure reads in part,

“Shall the Santa Monica City Charter be amended to require the City to continue to operate the Santa Monica Airport in a manner that supports its aviation uses unless the voters approve the Airport’s closure or change in use, and until that voter approval occurs, the City shall be prohibited from imposing additional restrictions on aviation support services to tenants and airport users that inhibit fuel sales or the full use of aviation facilities, prohibit the City from imposing upon aviation services providers new restrictions that would inhibit the sale of fuel or the “full use” of aviation facilities.”

This means, changes, such as downsizing the airport, changing noise regulations, limiting hours, selling aviation fuel, changing landing fees or any other changes such as creating a park, etc. would be impossible. And closing the airport would require “a majority of the voters” of the city voting ‘yes’ on a ballot measure approving such a change at a general municipal.” The aviation lobby has already spent $300,000 to get this on the Santa Monica ballot and will spend much more by the time of the elections.

Many worry what would happen if the airport closed. Would there be mega development in its place? Measure LC answers that better than D and leads to more options for the airport land use as an airport and beyond. This is clearly a better choice for those of us opposed to the airport.

Measure LC states:

“Shall the City Charter be amended to: (1) prohibit new development on Airport land, except for parks, public open spaces and public recreational facilities, until the voters approve limits on the uses and development that may occur on the land; and (2) affirm the City Council’s authority to manage the Airport and to close all or part of it?”

This would allow the Santa Monica City Council to control the airport while it exists. The Council could vote to downsize or close the airport and there would be no development allowed, except for parks, open spaces, recreational —until the voters voted for something else. It also means that if the FAA prevented the airport from closing, the city could still downsize it, change hours of operation, eliminate fuel sales, etc.

It is frustrating that Santa Monicans alone can determine something that affects so many. But here is what we non-Santa Monicans can do to stop this madness.

Support Measure LC by:

• Contribute money for the fight against the airport lobby.
• Walk precincts in Santa Monica and tell residents of first-hand experiences with the airport to those who have no idea of its impacts.
• Help with telephone banks
• We can reach out to all our Santa Monica friends and acquaintances to vote for measure LC and oppose measure D.
• We can organize fundraising events
• And more…

It is in our interest to have Measure LC pass and we are fighting a well-funded organization.

Go to ItsOurland.org for the latest campaign news and get involved.