Peninsula Community Planning Board voices San Diego Airport concerns to Congresswoman Susan Davis

Congresswoman Susan Davis met Saturday, October 10, with members of the Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB) Airport Committee at 9:30 A.M. in her San Diego district office.

The meeting was requested by Airport Committee chairman Suhail Khalil. Also attending were PCPB board members Jay Shumaker and Paul Grimes. The San Diego Airport Examiner covered the proceedings, along with Congresswoman Davis's Community Representative Ricardo Flores.

A wide range of issues were discussed during the half-hour session. These included projections that the airport would reach operational capacity by 2020, community concerns over noise mitigation and air quality, increased flight traffic along departure vector 250-degrees in addition to the other FAA departure vectors at 275, 290, and 310-degrees, the placement of an intermodal transit center in the airport's present Terminal Development Program which is scheduled for completion in 2012, future military base realignment and closures (BRAC), and other possible locations for San Diego International Airport in the aftermath of voters rejecting relocation of the airport to the current Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar.

A slide show follows this article with photos of Congresswoman Susan Davis.

CAPTION: (ABOVE LEFT) Congresswoman Susan Davis (Original photo by Joel Siegfried)

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Representative Davis responded to each query. The Congresswoman appeared to have a ready grasp of all of the issues. She listened patiently as questions and concerns were addressed to her, primarily by Chairman Khalil, and then replied with deliberate thoughtfulness.

CAPTION: (ABOVE RIGHT) Left to Right: Congresswoman Susan Davis, Paul Grimes, Jay Shumaker, Suhail Khalil (Original photo by Joel Siegfried)

On the hot button departure vector issue, which the San Diego Airport Examiner has previously reported in depth, most recently in a special editorial commentary, Rep. Davis stated, "Send us a detailed report (on the future prospect of more flights using these vectors), and we will ask for clarification and follow up."

Concerning an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed intermodal transit center, the Congresswoman replied, "We're not at that stage yet. We can double check and see if we are getting notices of meetings."

Noise concerns prompted this response from Rep. Davis: "We have been active on noise mitigation. The issue of the airport being relocated is not going back on the ballot any time soon. What we try and do is work with stakeholders involved in the community, the FAA, and the people at the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. The work on the taxiway (resurfacing) needs to be finished. We may be able to speed that up a little bit. I'm not immersed daily in those issues. That's not our role."

On additional funding for the Quieter Home Program for those impacted by increased flights under the 250-degree departure vector, Ms. Davis stated, "This may be temporary. We must see if additional money is available. We were able to work with people in the community in the past over issues of freeway noise and lights."

CAPTION: (ABOVE LEFT) Left to Right: Suhail Khalil, Congresswoman Susan Davis, Paul Grimes, Jay Shumaker (Original photo by Joel Siegfried)

The Congresswoman did not project a lot of additional military base closures around the country in future years. As to San Diego, she said, "Our proximity now is very useful to the Navy. They don't project giving up much."

The session ended at about 10:00 A.M. Mr. Khalil gave Rep. Davis a copy of a letter that the PCPB had sent to her office last August 28, 2009 outlining major concerns from a community town hall meeting held in early July regarding the airport's future. Ms. Davis had earlier commented that "It's great that people come forward with their ideas."

The next public meeting of the Peninsula Community Planning Board will take place on Thursday, October 15 at 6:30 P.M. at the Point Loma Branch Library conference room. The Library is located at 3701 Voltaire Street.

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