Santa Monica Airport Community Process

The City of Santa Monica has embarked on a rigorous three-phase public process regarding the 227-acre Santa Monica Airport Campus, which includes 187 acres of “Aviation Land” that must be used for aeronautical activities and 40 acres of “Non-aviation Land” that is open to other uses.  All land and building leases throughout the Airport Campus as well as the current operating agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expire in 2015.  The 2015 timeframe provides a unique opportunity for the City and the community to discuss the range of possibilities for the future of the Airport Campus.

Phase I

For the Phase I process, the City contracted The RAND Corporation, Point C Partners, and HR&A Advisors Inc. to gather findings regarding best practices at general aviation facilities in relation to local communities, results of interviews and surveys of the public, and the Airport’s economic impact on the local and regional economies.  Phase I also included the development of the format for the Phase II public process of community dialogue groups.  In Phase III the studies from Phase I and the results of the public dialogue from Phase II will be analyzed in depth within their thematic outcomes and presented to the City Council for consideration of potential policies and actions in early 2013.

Phase II

The Phase II public process includes a comprehensive, transparent, and open public dialogue through facilitated discussion groups.  The purpose is to gather and record community comments and ideas with the ultimate goal of formulating, discussing, and prioritizing potential policies and actions in advance of Phase III.

Phase III

Phase III will involve strategic analysis of the themes articulated in Phases I and II in regards to the Airport Campus and its facilities.