Aviation Community Stunned… Unexpected Announcement Made Without Av-Stakeholder Consult The news has caught the aviation community without warning… and apparently without significant consult as the FAA sent out a press release announcing they had given into the demands and rhetoric of the anti-Santa Monica Airport movement — who often campaigned without fact or reason. But here it is… the FAA statement intones that, “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the City of Santa Monica, California have reached a settlement agreement to resolve longstanding litigation over the future of Santa Monica Airport. The agreement requires the city to maintain continuous and stable operation of the airport for 12 years, until December 31, 2028, and after that the City has the right to close the airport. In recognition of the city’s authority to make decisions about land use, the agreement allows Santa Monica to shorten the airport’s single runway to 3,500 feet from its current length of 4,973 feet. The city is obligated to enter into leases with private aeronautical service providers to ensure continuity of those services until the runway is shortened and it decides to provide such services on its own.”
Source: aero newsA Stunning Betrayal: FAA Caves In To Santa Monica NIMBY Demands (Updated)