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WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and
the City of Santa Monica, California have reached a settlement agreement to
resolve longstanding litigation over the future of Santa Monica Airport.
The agreement requires the city to maintain continuous and stable operation of
the airport for 12 years, until December 31, 2028,�and after that the City has the right to close the airport.
In recognition of the
city's authority to make decisions about land use, the agreement allows Santa
Monica to shorten the airport's single runway to 3,500 feet from its current
length of 4,973 feet. The city is obligated to enter into leases with private
aeronautical service providers to ensure continuity of those services until the
runway is shortened and it decides to provide such services on its own.
"Mutual cooperation between the FAA and the city enabled us to reach this
innovative solution, which resolves longstanding legal and regulatory
disputes," said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. "This is a fair
resolution for all concerned because it strikes an appropriate balance between
the public's interest in making local decisions about land use practices and
its interests in safe and efficient aviation services."
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