Planning Board approves delegation to meet California Senator Kehoe on San Diego Airport concerns

October 22, 10:30 AMSan Diego Airport ExaminerJoel Siegfried

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The Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB), whose October meeting was last week in Point Loma, a community near San Diego International Airport, approved a delegation of fifteen members to meet today with State Senator Christine Kehoe.

The San Diego Airport Examiner will be attending. Others in the delegation include 12 invited PCPB and community members, plus two other media representatives. Guests include Suhail Khalil, who chairs the Airport Committee, James Lester, Darrold Davis, Chris Veum, Jay Shumaker, and Paul Grimes, all five elected members serving on the Planning Board. Also on the guest list are City Councilman Kevin L. Faulconer, William Kenton who chairs the North Bay / Midway Community Planning Group, Chairperson Brittany Taylor of the Ocean Beach Planning Board, Tony D. Calabrese, President of the Point Loma Association, Raymond Volker, Headmaster of Warren Walker School, which lies under the flight path of aircraft departing from San Diego International Airport, and Matt Kalla, the President of the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

CAPTION: (ABOVE LEFT) California State Senator Christine Kehoe and Captain Chesley Sullenberger (Photo courtesy of Christine Kehoe)

Steve Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune reporter,  Anthony Gentile, a reporter for the Peninsula Beacon News, and Joel Siegfried, the San Diego Airport Examiner round out the press coverage.

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CAPTION: (ABOVE RIGHT) Board members of the Peninsula Community Planning Board (Original photo by Joel Siegfried)

Issues to be discussed are similar to those raised with Congresswoman Susan Davis, at a meeting in Ms. Davis' District Office on October 10, upon which we reported earlier. They cover a 13-point list of concerns that were developed last July at a town hall gathering. These include proposals to develop a new airport facility on a 2,600 acre location known as East Elliott, which is southeast of the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar, approximately 30 miles from San Diego International Airport (SDIA). SDIA is situated on a much smaller 650 acre site, and is projected to reach operational saturation by 2030.

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

Other issues involve community complaints over noise 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, and land use comparability, which includes noise and safety issues. The Point Loma community has an estimated population of over 48,000 and contains the second largest military fuel depot in the United States, as well as numerous schools and commercial properties, but lacks a hospital with certified trauma facilities. Many feel this puts the area at risk in the event of an accident or natural disaster.

As Chairman Khalil stated during the Board's regular October meeting, "We voted on the 13 points in the letter sent to Senator Kehoe. We want to address those specific points. It's all about mitigating our various concerns and issues."

Board member Doug Cohen spoke about the present airport becoming very efficient with the addition of ten new gates, and other improvements. He added, "We will have to focus on land use and environmental issues if we want a new or additional airport."

There was some heated discussion from persons in the audience, including Cynthia Conger and others, who were in favor of bringing additional community members to the meeting with Senator Kehoe. One person suggested a single coverage press pool, to open up two extra slots for others to attend. The Board voted 9-1 to approve the proposed delegation, with Gary Halbert being the lone dissenter. The San Diego Airport Examiner will report on the meeting with Senator Kehoe.

CAPTION: (ABOVE RIGHT) Cynthia Conger (Original photo by Joel Siegfried)

The next public meeting of the PCPB Airport Committee will take place on Friday, October 30 from Noon to 1:30 P.M. at 2835 Perry Road by Naval Training Center Landing.

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Presentation given to San Diego County Regional Airport Authority on April 31, 2006