Holds That City Does Not Have Complete Control Over The Land Despite Ownership

In a letter to the editor to the Santa Monica Lookout News newspaper, writer Bill Worden says that the city cannot close the airport due to agreements made with the U.S. Government in 1948 and beyond.

Those who have followed this story know that the city agreed to maintain the property as an airport "forever" when it was handed back over following WWII.

He further holds that a second agreement between the city and the FAA in 1984 does not say the city can close the airport in 2015. It   was an agreement as to how the airport was to be run until that time. It does not address the obligation of the city to continue to operate the airport beyond that date, Worden writes. The intent was to renegotiate an agreement between airport users and the city in 2015, which has not occurred.

Wordon also believes that the City cannot close the airport in 2023 when its obligations under an AIP grant expire, because it is not specifically mentioned in the grant award.

Worden says that the airport land can be likened to property on which a federal highway or Metro line is located. The city cannot repurpose such land simply because it wants to, he says. Their ownership rights are not being denied.

(Image from file)

FMI: Full Letter