Voters Deal a Blow Against Santa Monica Airport

Pia Bergqvist

Friday, November 07, 2014 at 10:15 PM ET

Verified

** Santa Monica Airport**

Key Takeaways:

Santa Monica voters defeated Measure D, which would have transferred control over the airport to them, and passed Measure LC, granting the City Council full authority to regulate, manage leases, and permanently close all or part of the airport.
Measure LC restricts any future development of the airport land primarily to parks or public land use, and the maintenance of existing cultural, arts, and education uses, unless a public vote supports other uses.
Airport supporters, surprised by the outcome and alleging false data influenced voters, have vowed to continue their fight to keep Santa Monica Airport operational.
Despite the City Council's newfound authority and desire to close parts of the airport soon, the FAA maintains that the city is obligated to continue operating the airport in perpetuity.

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Santa Monica Airport (SMO) supporters were dealt a heavy blow by voters this week as Measure D was defeated with 58 percent voting no. The measure was designed to transfer power over major decisions affecting the Santa Monica Airport from the city council to local voters. The Santa Monica City Council has made no secret of its desire to close the airport and redevelop the 227-acre property.

The results came as a surprise to AOPA’s vice president of airports, Bill Dunn, who has been fighting to keep SMO open for more than two decades. “The benchmark survey in the end of September showed Measure D polling at 68 percent positive and the city’s competing LC polling at 33 percent positive,” Dunn said in an interview with Flying.