The Future of Lindbergh

Published: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:58 AM PDT

E-MAIL STORY

Ahh, Dear Readers, thank you so much for not leaving me in the lurch here with nothing to respond to.

A couple of points I think will be helpful. First, being a dedicated but frugal San Diego taxpayer, I, too, wonder "who will pay for these improvements?" So let’s talk Airport Financing 101. Do you recall the Airport Authority's campaign to build a whole new airport at Miramar? If so, then you probably recall that the Authority began stashing away millions of dollars ($40 million by the time of the 2006 vote) as a revenue base for issuing several billion dollars in bonds to fund the construction of a whole new airport. The Authority, after all, has its own revenue bonding powers. That revenue base for bonding is probably now up to about $60 million.

In addition, the Authority would be well positioned to receive funding from the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program, which is set up to fund precisely these kinds of improvements. The Authority has already received millions of dollars from the AIP for its never-ending master planning process. Imagine that at least 10 times that would be available from federal sources for actual improvements to the airport. As for the off-airport improvements that would be required, such as reconfiguring the I-5 on-ramps and off-ramps for better access to the north-side terminals, let's look to CalTrans and Transnet for funding. After all, that is what they are there for. Most importantly, if taxpayer dollars are spent on even a portion of the off-airport improvements, responsible projects like this one that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote green building are precisely how I want my taxpayer funds spent.

Briefly, I would also like to thank the writer who is concerned for my firm's clients. Higgs is dedicated to providing the best quality legal services at the lowest possible cost to our clients, but more gates at Lindbergh Field won't help us there. In fact, the point was best made by the Authority's President and CEO when she said that there are already more than enough gates at Lindbergh! Only 65 percent of the exiting gates are being occupied by the airlines right now. But even if more gates were necessary, the north side project would allow a larger expansion of gates than is currently planned for on the south side of the airport.

Finally, let me clear out some of the current campaign huffery and puffery: Mike Aguirre did NOT save Montgomery Field from closure. The FAA never threatened to close Montgomery Field because of the height of the Sunroad building. The Sunroad Centrum building at its highest affected less than five percent of operations at that airport. The FAA would never close or threaten to close the airport for such a de minimis impact. Instead the FAA issued a NOTAM advisory to pilots, which it does every time there is a change in operating conditions at any airport and which pilots are required to consult before flying into any airport. That was the state of affairs that everyone, including the FAA, was living with before Aguirre decided to sue Sunroad without Council or Mayoral approval, thus exposing you fine taxpayers to a possible $40 million in unnecessary liability.

--LEE BURDICK

7 Comments so far on this story...

Nope....argued past the point. The north terminal project ads NOTHING to either regional or national capacity. Essentially you are askiing the Feds/airlines/passne to pay for something that benefits non-flying San Diegans (reduced congestion on Harbor, more public space on our bayfront, etc.). Lee - when pigs fly will the FAA go for that over spending money on competing projects that offer benefits to the AVIATION system. The price tag for the move to the North is probably WELL in excess of 2 billion based upon the latest new terminal projects around the country. Please provide your citiation to the 35% unoccupied claim. Also note, it is completely misleading to point to overall occupancy - the key is whether the airpor has enough capacity during the peak periods when passengers demand to fly. And yes, more gates will ensure you can fly at AM.

Posted by Erik | reply to this comment
July 16, 2008 11:44 am

Make no mistake about it, Mike Aguirre with the help of the FAA and Caltrans saved Montgomery Field airport from closure by Developers and the City Employee Unions interests. Jim Waring stated he would be shocked if Montgomery Field was still an airport 20 years from now. link Plans for developing residential units on the city-owned Montgomery Field starting in the 1990s. The Affordable Housing Taskforce recommended the evaluation of surplus public lands which are vacant or undeveloped such as... Montgomery Field (528 acres) for_the creation of Affordable Housing. See_Page_3 link Sunroad only had a permit for a 12-story building. However, based on the Municipal Code the building was 14 stories and 10 percent over the allowable square footage. Only Sunroad is responsible for violations of Federal, State, and local laws. Sunroad specifically challenged the FAA's authority in local land use to set_a national precident that FAA Guidelines are not_the_law.

Posted by La Playa Heritage | reply to this comment
July 16, 2008 12:07 pm

Thank you, Ms Burdick, for disingenuously noting that City Attorney Mike Aguirre did not save Montgomery Airport from being closed by the FAA because of encroachment from the over-sized and out-of-FAA-complianc Sunroad office tower that the Mayor permitted to be built out there. Aguirre made mayoral campaign donor and Sunroad owner Aaron Feldman lop off two two-high stories to ensure that safe routine flight operations continued at that municipal field. I would say Ms. Burdick is offering a "de minimus" explanation to those of us who are not entirely stupid or missed what really went on in the Sunroad debacle. The closure of Montgomery would have followed Sunroad's incursion (and the probable building of other structures in the flight zone.)

Posted by Fed Up | reply to this comment
July 16, 2008 12:34 pm

Let me get this straight. A new airport at Miramar, $7 Billion and twice the capacity of Lindbergh. Now the Steve Peace plan... Move the terminals, build rail, offramps etc... $10 billion, now additional capacity. BRILLIANT! Sounds like Energy Deregulation for transportation! Oh and the developers get Harbor Drive... Even more brilliant!!!!

Posted by Huh???? | reply to this comment
July 16, 2008 2:29 pm

La Playa wrote: "Mike Aguirre...saved Montgomery Field airport from closure by Developers and the City Employee Unions interests." Care to explain exactly how my union, MEA, conspired with the Evil Developers to attempt to close Montgomery Field? Because I'd really like to know. Your attempts to work the Evil Unions into every post are making you sound like one of the brainwashed soliders in The Manchurian Candidate when asked their opinion of Raymond Shaw and all spewed out the same line of hogwash.

Posted by Jared Bascomb | reply to this comment
July 16, 2008 4:10 pm

You think the FAA will fund this whole thing? Laughable. You really need a lesson in AIP funding. They will fund no such project. Maybe the airport can get some JMI funding for it instead (John Moores Inc.)! LOL

Posted by Just the facts | reply to this comment
July 16, 2008 7:38 pm

I liked Huh????'s post and the very amusing idea of Steve Peace recycling his notorious "Energy Deregulation for transportation." And you can bet your sweet life that the Labor Council will be 4+ in favor of it too -- I think the usual refrain is "good jobs for working men and women." The more things change, the more they remain the same. Sigh.

Posted by Fed Up | reply to this comment
July 16, 2008 7:59 pm

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