Tag: Santa Monica Airport

SANTA MONICA—As the city of Santa Monica nears the final phases of the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project, three draft scenarios are now available for review from the community.

The project team is soliciting feedback through a program called “CoMap” that allows respondents to pinpoint specific elements they like or dislike from the three scenarios by dropping a pin and giving a thumbs up or a thumbs down with room for a comment as well.

The scenarios are available for review and contributions at www.smacproject.com through June 22 in both English and Spanish. The three scenarios are available for download from the Learn & Engage tab and are available for comments on the project CoMap via the links on this page.

Scenarios are meant as conversation starters and are not fully developed design proposals. The comments from CoMap and Community Event 3 will be brought before the Santa Monica City Council for consideration and direction on how to proceed towards a new, hybrid, Preferred Scenario in Phase 3B.

The CoMap will remain open for contributions through Sunday, June 22.

The Airport, which lies on 192 acres, represents nearly 3.5 percent of Santa Monica’s land area. It was purchased in 1926 using a Parks bond and was later developed into the SMO Municipal Airport.

The project will establish a preferred scenario for the conversion of the Santa Monica Airport, centered on a great park, as consistent with Measure LC, after its closure (anticipated at the end of 2028).

The Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project is a planning effort for Santa Monica to create a preferred scenario centered on a great park, consistent with Measure LC. The future scenario will enhance connections to the rest of the city, create a quality public realm and increase the quality of life for residents, workers, and visitors of Santa Monica.

The public process for this project is consistent with past City Council direction to establish a plan for future use of the land, and to address the community’s interest in the creation of parks, recreation, cultural, and educational amenities and to address community goals and priorities as they relate to current and future generations. To understand the legal frameworks and history, visit Santa Monica’s Project Website.

There are five distinct planning phases within a 21-month process (with Phase 3 containing two sub-phases—3A and 3B). Products resulting from each phase, including key takeaways from analysis and assessments, project material, and takeaways from community input will be added to this site as the project advances.

Each phase of work includes distinct tasks in the process of generating a preferred scenario for the future of the Santa Monica Airport site. Throughout each phase of work, the project team will engage with the community through a variety of in-person and online events and activities.

Ahead of moving on to each next phase of work, the planning team will meet with the Santa Monica City Council to report progress, findings, and community input collected and receive direction.

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—On Tuesday, September 24, the city of Santa Monica posted on its Facebook page that Phase 2 of the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project is officially live and is asking for the public’s feedback.

The city heard from thousands of community members in Phase 1 about what they want to see for the future of the Santa Monica Airport site. The goal is to narrow it down and help the city of Santa Monica understand the community’s most preferred uses.

The Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project is a once-in-a-lifetime planning effort for Santa Monica to create a preferred scenario centered on a great park, consistent with Measure LC. The future scenario will enhance connections to the rest of the city, create a quality public realm and increase the quality of life for residents, workers, and visitors of Santa Monica.

The public process for this project is consistent with past City Council direction to establish a plan for future use of the land, and to address the community’s interest in the creation of parks, recreation, cultural, and educational amenities and to address community goals and priorities as they relate to current and future generations. To understand the legal frameworks and history, visit the city of Santa Monica’s Project Website.

There are five distinct planning phases within a 21-month process (with Phase 3 containing two sub-phases—3A and 3B). Individuals can click on the phases below to learn more about the intent and components of each phase. Products resulting from each phase, including key takeaways from analysis and assessments, project material, and takeaways from community input will be added to this site as the project advances.

Each phase of work includes distinct tasks in the process of generating a preferred scenario for the future of the Santa Monica Airport site. Throughout each phase of work, the project team will engage with the community through a variety of in-person and online events and activities. Ahead of moving on to each next phase of work, the planning team will meet with the Santa Monica City Council to report progress, findings, and community input collected and receive direction.

Visit the project website at smacproject.com to take the Phase 2 survey and watch the latest Virtual Education Session. To learn more: https://www.smacproject.com/#landing-page.

By Trevor

SANTA MONICA—The city of Santa Monica posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday, June 5 that it will have two upcoming pop-up events regarding the future of the Santa Monica Airport.

The Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project aims to transform the area into a great park, consistent with Measure LC, improving connectivity, public spaces, and overall quality of life for the community.

The project is currently in phase one of five. The first phase consists of several pop-up events, the launch of the website, community survey, and virtual education sessions.

Upcoming pop-up events:

Sunday Farmers Market

Sunday, June 9; 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 2640 Main St.

Juneteenth Celebration

Saturday, June 15; 2 p.m. -7 p.m. at Virginia Avenue Park, 2200 Virginia Ave.
To share your thoughts and opinions, take the following survey: https://www.smacproject.com/.

By Trevor

SANTA MONICA—On Friday, May 10, the city of Santa Monica announced that the city will kick off the official community engagement process for the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project at a community event on Sunday, May 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Clover Park. The event will be held at 2600 Ocean Park Blvd., in the BBQ Area No. 1, which is on the east side of the park.

The kickoff event will be a community open house, featuring multiple stations for community members to listen, to learn, and to share ideas with the team about plans for the future of Santa Monica and the airport land.

The community engagement process is expected to be a 21-month effort to determine a preferred scenario for the future of the airport site, focused on a “Great Park”, consistent with the 2014 voter-approved Measure LC.

The preferred scenario, once approved by the Santa Monica City Council, will inform the environmental review process required by the California Environmental Quality Act.

Implementation would start after the airport operations end, anticipated on December 31, 2028, as agreed upon with the Federal Aviation Administration in the 2017 Consent Decree.
Following the event at Clover Park, the city’s contracted consultant team, led by Sasaki, will continue to communicate with the public at community events and other venues.

Community members can email TheFutureofSMO@santamonica.gov with questions about the community engagement process. The community website smacproject.com provides an email sign-up option for project updates and will soon expand to include the first survey, engagement timelines, virtual learning sessions and more.

By Trevor

SANTA MONICA—On December 20 it was announced that the Santa Monica City Council took a large step forward in the process of closing the Santa Monica Airport, approving an agreement with Sasaki Inc. to assess the existing site conditions, gather public input and propose options for the future of the airport land centered around a “Great Park” consistent with Measure LC.

Santa Monica is planning to hire a new principal design and planning manager dedicated to the project, pending Personnel Board approval in January 2024. With Sasaki and additional staff resources, the Airport Conversion Planning Project is expected to kick off in early 2024.

“Having been a Recreation and Parks Commissioner for almost 14 years, I believe that our city needs more park space,” said Mayor Phil Brock. “I am impressed by Sasaki and look forward to kicking off the process in bringing a great asset to our community.”

According to a press release, Sasaki will lead research and outreach efforts with the public in five distinct phases, wrapping up with a preferred alternative going to the Santa Monica City Council at the end of 2025.

-Phase 1 Charting the Course: Sasaki and staff will conduct extensive review of background materials to produce a summary and analysis that lays out a clear framework for the process. This includes looking at policy documents, historical and cultural resources and gathering information on the environmental, cultural and planning opportunities and limitations for the site, as well as the community’s initial needs and desires.

-Phase 2 Discovering the Place and Setting the Stage: This phase involves a comprehensive assessment of the current environmental conditions, transportation and infrastructure, natural and cultural resources and regulatory frameworks related to the airport site. Sasaki will also explore options for funding strategies for a proposed project and create a draft of the guiding principles. These principles will be the basis for the planning scenarios of Phase 3 and will go before the City Council for comment before moving to the next phase.

-Phase 3 Defining the Future of Place: Sasaki will work with the community to explore and test various scenarios for the future of the airport land, generating alternatives that are environmentally sound, financially viable, and programmatically feasible and closely align with the established guiding principles for the “Great Park” but explore different emphasis and organization of those principles. This work culminates in the preferred scenario that considers the previous information, community input, and City Council approval to date.

-Phase 4 The Path Ahead: The team will develop a detailed strategy for a phased implementation of the preferred alternative from Phase 3, while also considering innovative ways to initiate on-site activations from day one of city possession of the airport land on Jan. 1, 2029. This proposal would be presented to the City Council for review and approval.

-Phase 5 Preferred Scenario Plan Vision Book: Following City Council approval of the preferred alternative, Sasaki -will compile a comprehensive document comprised of the research data, reports, community outreach sessions, and the scenario planning alternatives as well as the details of the preferred plan and next steps for implementation.

During each phase, Sasaki, in partnership with city staff are set to host more than 60 meetings and listening sessions with the community, city boards and commissions and the city council in various formats.

The 227-acre airport property, which was once a park, represents nearly five percent of the Santa Monica’s total land area. The city has obtained authorization to close the airport for aviation uses after December 31, 2028, and passed a resolution in 2017 codifying that plan.

The property is subject to voter-approved Measure LC, which restricts development on the airport property to only allow parks, public open spaces and public recreational facilities and the maintenance and replacement of existing cultural, arts and educational uses.
For more details, review the staff report or watch the Santa Monica City Council discussion.

By Trevor

SANTA MONICA—On Monday, June 5, at approximately 3:45 p.m. a privately owned airplane crashed at Santa Monica Airport located at 3223 Donald Douglas Loop South.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported that a Cessna plane flipped over and crashed while landing. Only the pilot was on board at the time of the crash. He was able to walk away from the crash unharmed.

According to Textron, who are makers of planes, a small Cessna airplane like that carries a price tag of approximately $432,000 new, for a 172 Skyhawk Model. A used version of the plane could sell for as low as $50,000.

By Sharon