One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Santa Monica evicts private airport operators
The city of Santa Monica wants to shut down its municipal airport
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Listen
0:48
Santa Monica evicts private airport operators
Santa Monica is evicting two companies that handle most day-to-day enterprises at its municipal airport.
The 30-day notices to vacate airport premises went out Thursday, marking a significant step in the city's long-running campaign to shut down the airfield whose runway is within several hundred feet of homes.
Atlantic Aviation and American Flyers are the airport's fixed base operators, meaning that they had master leases to operate airplane hangars, sell jet fuel and rent space to flight schools and offices on airport land.
The city has declined to enter long term leases with the companies since the middle of last year, so they were operating under short term holdover agreements. Those agreements were terminated with Thursday's order to vacate the airport within 30 days.
Nelson Hernandez, a senior advisor on airport issues for the city manager, said federal law lets it replace the private companies with its own city-run operation.
It's likely the city would offer far fewer services than the private companies. That's in line with the City Council vote last month to close the airport as soon as possible and remove the private aviation enterprises.
"With the city taking over, at the very least, the community concerns are going to be looked at seriously," said Martin Rubin, who leads a group of residents who favor closing the airport.
The private companies are pushing back. Atlantic Aviation, the larger of the two firms, complained to the FAA that Santa Monica is putting unreasonable and unlawful restrictions on local aviation. You can read their full complaint below.
Atlantic Aviation FBO Inc v City of Santa Monica California
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
