The 227 acres of our historic Santa Monica Airport land, is once again under looming threat from local politicians and their developer friends. In direct response to this threat, ballot Measure “D” was created and over 15,000 Santa Monicans signed the petition to put Measure D on the ballot for the upcoming November 4th election. Measure D gives VOTERS, not the City Council, the right to decide ANY change in airport land use. Vote “YES” on Measure “D”.
Measure LC is the City Council’s carefully crafted response and not a single signature was gathered to place LC on the ballot. LC is the politicians attempt to deny voter participation in any decision to close Santa Monica Airport and to redevelop its low-density land “WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL“. Vote “NO” on Measure “LC”
“…City Council shall have full authority, without voter approval, to…close all or part of the Airport to aviation use.”
“However, this section shall not prohibit the City Council from approving the following on Airport land that has been permanently closed to aviation use: parks, public open spaces, and public recreation facilities; and the maintenance and replacement of existing cultural, arts and educational uses.”
If LC passes, the above language added to our City Charter would allow the Council to begin full scale re-development on Santa Monica Airport land “without voter approval“. Council could begin construction on, a park (which city staff has clearly stated we cannot afford), unspecified recreational facilities that could be anything from a sandbox to a stadium, and the replacement of all existing cultural, arts and educational uses. These last three categories could be applied immediately to nearly 40 acres of land on the south side of the airport, and would allow Santa Monica College to massively expand their Bundy Campus with zero voter input. Measure LC ensures the Council and their developer friends wil continue to carve away pieces of airport land “without voter approval“, until nothing is left but more traffic, more congestion and more pollution.
This is why we’re urging you to Vote “YES” on Measure “D” and Vote “NO” on Measure “LC!
Measure D gives VOTERS, and not the City Council, the right to decide whether or not we close the airport and begin the re-development process in the first place, and if so, exactly what form that development would take. Any re-development of airport land should require voter approval. Otherwise, the Council and their developer friends may continue to carve away pieces of airport land “without voter approval” until nothing is left.
Passage of Measure D will require a simple majority of voters to agree to close SMO in a general municipal election. (If 100 ballots are cast, 51 is the majority.) City Council would be forced to present voters with a clear and comprehensive plan for closing the airport and re-developing its 227 low-density acres.
The Santa Monica City Attorney and three Superior Court judges all agree that the plain meaning of the words “majority” and “voters” is just that: a simple majority of ballots cast.
“Measure D Headed to Santa Monica Ballot in November” Santa Monica Patch – By Penny Arévalo on August 30, 2014
Measure D language addresses the City Council’s “starvation” plan to effectively close the airport by eliminating fuel sales and aviation services.
“Airport Commission recommends starving SMO” SMDP – By David Mark Simpson on March 3, 2014
There is no “ministerial” element to Measure D. In fact, California law forbids ballot measures from being “ministerial” in nature. Day-to-day airport management remains with the airport staff and the City Council with the advice of the Airport Commission. Measure D does not restrict the City Council from making positive changes at the airport to improve safety, noise, and pollution, or manage leases, and other routine matters.
Mr. David Goddard, Chair of the Santa Monica Airport Commission, confirms on the last page of his “SM Airport Commissioners Report 9/22/14 v6″, that Measure D does not maintain the status quo or limit the City’s discretionary approval over changes at SMO.
“This (Measure D) does NOT say “maintain the status quo”. It only says “in a manner that supports its aviation purpose.”
“So, if this (Measure D) passed, the city manager would still have discretionary approval.”
Jet operations as well as overall operations at SMO have been declining for the last decade. Read the most recent “Santa Monica Airport Noise Management Program Annual Report for 2012“. Note that jet operations fluctuate up to 10 to 15% per year.
MYTH- “Measure LC guarantees no new development.”
FACT - This is absolutely untrue. LC gives the City Council full authority, not only to close the airport, but also to begin redeveloping non-aviation land immediately. Measure LC guarantees NEW development “without voter approval”.
Read LC’s language, The City Council may approve the following on non-aviation land, “…the development of parks, open spaces and public recreational facilities; and the maintenance and replacement of existing cultural, arts, and educational uses.” Happy voting and health to you! LC GUARANTEES NEW DEVELOPMENT at the airport “without voter approval”!
