Gilroy
– A 5,000-foot runway is in South County Airport’s future, and
some San Martin residents aren’t too thrilled.
Santa Clara County Airports Director Carl Honaker presented a
report to the San Martin Planning Advisory Committee on Wednesday
outlining the airport’s 20-year master plan, which designates
several additions to the existing airport.
Gilroy – A 5,000-foot runway is in South County Airport’s future, and some San Martin residents aren’t too thrilled.
Santa Clara County Airports Director Carl Honaker presented a report to the San Martin Planning Advisory Committee on Wednesday outlining the airport’s 20-year master plan, which designates several additions to the existing airport.
“We are ready to go, finally,” Honaker said. “It’s still progressing, and construction (on new hangars) has started.”
The most significant proposal of the plan extends the airport’s current 3,100-foot runway to accommodate small and medium corporate jets used by commercial businesses. Runway width also will expand from 75 feet to 100 feet. A two-story, 12,000-square-foot terminal building will be constructed, as well as a new maintenance building and two water storage tanks.
San Martin Neighborhood Alliance member Sylvia Hamilton said she worries the airport will significantly alter the quality of life and impose safety concerns not only for residents in San Martin but in Gilroy and Morgan Hill as well. While the proposal isn’t a shock to her, Hamilton said it’s not ideal.
“We knew it was coming, but it’s not what we wanted,” she said. “We’ve had quite a long spell of not knowing what’s going on, so I’m glad to have the report in our hands now so we can begin reviewing it.”
Although the expanded airport will create more noise for residents, District 1 Supervisor Don Gage said the tradeoff is worth it.
“If people in Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San Martin want to attract new business, especially high-tech, an airport is a valuable thing,” Gage said. “A lot of businesses that have planes don’t always want to fly into commercial airports because it’s just not as convenient. They don’t want to be hassled. They want to be able to fly in and enjoy close proximity to their business. So from an economic standpoint, having the airport is a very positive thing.”
Gage said part of the Environmental Impact Review process is to secure land surrounding the airport to house county buildings, so residential areas are preserved and not subject to safety threats. The master plan designates about 330 acres west of the airport that are deemed necessary for expansion and may be acquired through the eminent domain process.
In the report, runway expansion is justified by the substantial projected growth in Gilroy, Morgan Hill and Coyote Valley, which will require increased accommodation of aircraft that San Jose International Airport can’t handle. But Hamilton said that rationalization satisfies the wants of north county and does not truly reflect the needs of south county.
“This is not a local demand that’s creating this,” she said. “Sure, there are areas that are going to grow. But other areas in San Jose will also grow. This is a north county demand.”
Honaker acknowledged that several concerns will need to be addressed before the plan goes through the environmental review process. And that process, too, will be lengthy and thorough, he said.
“I’ll be real honest with you. This is a big change to this airport that will trigger a higher environmental review,” Honaker said. “This is not one of those cases that will get a real short review and come back with no significant impacts … This will actually have some impacts we have to study.”
Airport commissioners will hold a joint meeting with the alliance Sept. 21, the first of a series of workshop-style forums to address public comment. The small setting of the meetings should help facilitate candid conversation among the public, commissioners and consultants, Honaker said.
Hamilton said she supports holding interactive workshops, but she wants to make sure those meetings are meaningful and not simply for their own sake.
“One of the concerns I’ve had from day one about this is that the workshop approach is great for educating someone who comes in off the streets and has questions about specific things. Everybody is able to hear everybody’s questions and get responses to those questions,” she said. “But I want to see more dialogue. In the past, the airport people take their position, and the community is yelling about their position, but there’s no dialogue. So in the end, you walk away and you still have the same problems. Nothing’s resolved.”
Airport commissioners will notify San Martin residents of scheduled public meetings via mailed flyers. Tentatively scheduled public meetings are as follows:
• Sept. 21, 7pm at the Lions Club
• Oct. 2, 10am to 3pm at the Lions Club
• Oct. 5, 6pm at the Family Worship Center
Call 683-2667 for details.
