More on attempts to close our local airport

joycem137

joycem137

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
199
Location
Novi, MI
Display Name
Display name:
Robin
This local article came out yesterday:

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2...re-options-for-closing-reid-hillview-airport/

Stories like these make me really want to get more involved in local politics to fight against stuff like this. The value that KRHV provides to the area is substantial. And you *KNOW* they're not going to be ready for the infrastructure needed to support all those services in nearby airports if and when they actually manage to close the place.
 
“It was an error to build an airport and neighborhoods side-by-side — that’s crazy, just looking for trouble,” Alvarado said. “And not to address over 50 years of cumulative lead exposure to people around the airport is an error.”


When the airport was built in 1939 I’m sure it was built in the middle of nowhere. Best close the neighborhoods around it instead to correct the error of crowding.
 
flyer770 said:
“It was an error to build an airport and neighborhoods side-by-side — that’s crazy, just looking for trouble,” Alvarado said. “And not to address over 50 years of cumulative lead exposure to people around the airport is an error.”


When the airport was built in 1939 I’m sure it was built in the middle of nowhere. Best close the neighborhoods around it instead to correct the error of crowding.
Click to expand...

One thing’s for sure - if they close the surrounding neighborhoods, San Jose’s crime rate will drop like a stone.
 
Nowadays, it’s all about revenue per square millimeter. If there’s an empty acre of land, you can bet someone is wanting to build on it, whether it be commercial or residential. My guess is, there’s a lot of bureaucracy about wanting to put something more cost effective in its place. As such, ‘small’ airfields just aren’t viewed as necessary by the general public.

It’s a cryin’ shame I tell ya!
 
I wish I had Elon Musk money. I would pay off the corrupt A-h0les running the city and buy the airport out from under them.

Then I would grant 50 year leases to everyone who has an aircraft parked or hangared and charge $1.00 per year.

I learned to fly, soloed, took all my checkrides up to CFII and flew over a thousand hours as an instructor at RHV.

I take this $41t personally. :mad::mad::mad::incazzato::incazzato::incazzato:
:no: :sigh:
 
flyer770 said:
“It was an error to build an airport and neighborhoods side-by-side — that’s crazy, just looking for trouble,” Alvarado said. “And not to address over 50 years of cumulative lead exposure to people around the airport is an error.”


When the airport was built in 1939 I’m sure it was built in the middle of nowhere. Best close the neighborhoods around it instead to correct the error of crowding.
Click to expand...

Someone should do what was done here for a while in the late 90s. Anyone who complained about noise at APA, a friendly lawyer pilot helpfully filed defective property notices against their houses.

Wouldn’t want the next buyer paying top dollar for a house with such awful aircraft noise, you know.

Eventually the county Judge got ****ed it was taking up too much time in his courtroom and ordered the airport to take down the public complaint answering machine that the lawyer was getting all names and addresses of complaints from via FOIA requests. LOL.

Still managed to get the major complainers. Hahahaha. Enjoy that new lower real estate equity... we are a mandatory disclosure State. :)
 
denverpilot said:
Someone should do what was done here for a while in the late 90s. Anyone who complained about noise at APA, a friendly lawyer pilot helpfully filed defective property notices against their houses.

Wouldn’t want the next buyer paying top dollar for a house with such awful aircraft noise, you know.

Eventually the county Judge got ****ed it was taking up too much time in his courtroom and ordered the airport to take down the public complaint answering machine that the lawyer was getting all names and addresses of complaints from via FOIA requests. LOL.

Still managed to get the major complainers. Hahahaha. Enjoy that new lower real estate equity... we are a mandatory disclosure State. :)
Click to expand...
I recall that something like that was going on in the Bay Area back then as well.
 
Always interested me that people will buy at the end of the runway, at an artificial low price, then work to close the airport, so that the value of their property will increase. Lately the theory of the airport was there first, doesn’t hold much value,in legal matters.
 
This is why it is important for airports to be proactive in the zoning process areas surrounding the airport. Once the neighborhoods are built, its too late and just a matter of time until the NIMBYs, developers, and politicians conspire to close it.
 
It wouldn't surprise me if this is just political posturing. I don't have all the details readily available but, as you all can imagine there is a lot of red tape in closing this airport. Things include that the land or significant portion was gifted to the county for the sole purpose of being used as an airport and requires some repayment to the living family members at current market rate upon closing, having previously accepted govt money (even though they have stopped) creates some red tape, etc, etc. If i remember correctly (potentially big "if") all current council members will be termed out well before any action could be decided upon let alone actually put into motion.

What could be done is create more of reason to visit the airport by the local community and flying community. A restaurant is one thought but, a shopping center, or even community center. To go a step further, when I think of community centers I think of recreational activity, theatre/performing arts types of activities, meeting room based events. A community center being located at a GA airport would seem like a great place for STEM based activities. Anyway, I guess my point is I believe that more will be achieved by a "middle ground approach" rather than "pick a side" if the real reason there is interest in this property is to improve the community.
 
denverpilot said:
Someone should do what was done here for a while in the late 90s. Anyone who complained about noise at APA, a friendly lawyer pilot helpfully filed defective property notices against their houses.

Wouldn’t want the next buyer paying top dollar for a house with such awful aircraft noise, you know.
Click to expand...
Bloody brilliant.
 
frfly172 said:
Always interested me that people will buy at the end of the runway, at an artificial low price, then work to close the airport, so that the value of their property will increase. Lately the theory of the airport was there first, doesn’t hold much value,in legal matters.
Click to expand...

Arguably, no different than buying any fixer-upper, no? Buy cheap, improve property, enjoy equity? This is just a different tack than, say, repainting and planting bushes, or adding a jacuzzi. :D The close-the-airport path just inconveniences a bunch of perceived 1%-ers.. to some, an added bonus.
 
“Councilwoman Magdalena Carrasco was so concerned that she pulled her daughter out of Donald J. Meyer Elementary School, which is next to the airport’s runways.

“I intuitively knew she was being sprayed with lead…and I was very concerned for her health and development,” Carrasco said at Tuesday’s meeting. “I made that choice that many families are unable to make.”

It never ceases to amaze me how some people get elected and we let them represent us.
 
Local politicians are usually not too expensive - and you don't need to buy them all; check in with a local reporter who covers the local scene - he/she will know the players. If you can drum up a lump sum campaign contribution amoung your fellow pilots and other airport stakeholders, you can get the clout necessary.

Trick is knowing which pol(s) aren't already bought by the opposition, and/or vote-dependent on the opposing viewpoint. Ask the reporter. . . Local elections generally have lousy turnout, so single-issue groups have influence far in excess of their numbers - get your group in that category. Again, you don't have to convert 'em all, just enough to derail the action you oppose.

Also, lying helps - get interviewed, a lot, and wildly exaggerate the economic value of the airport - if you can get your numbers repeated often enough, they'll become accepted facts - for example, I bet you believe women make less money than men, right?
 
joycem137 said:
Stories like these make me really want to get more involved in local politics to fight against stuff like this.
Click to expand...

Local pilots getting involved will be the only way to save the airport if the city council really wants it closed. Oceanside (KOKB) was on it's death bed not long ago. The local pilots association worked hard to get an airport-friendly city council elected and keep the airport open. It was a lot of work but the airport was saved and is now far busier and vibrant than ever. But it took a lot of work by local pilots. If not for that, there would be a Costco that property now.

Though Santa Monica airport is on life support these days, it's still open through hard work by local pilots with help from AOPA. Get involved if you want to save it. If the local politicos think you don't care, they'll walk all over you.
 
Although I don't live there any more and will never live in California again, I am willing to help from afar to keep RHV alive.

Is there any organized group there now?
 
1RTK1 said:
It never ceases to amaze me how some people get elected and we let them represent us.
Click to expand...

Nobody with a real job and skills runs for office. We’re busy.

None of us really thinks the idiots represent us, either. If they keep the local parks and rec budget properly and hire someone to mow the grass, we ignore them.

When they decide to do something that actually affects people, we show up to their stupid meetings and tell them that they’re idiots.

My favorite is my county commissioner who thinks state grants are “free money”. Catching him in that one on social media was fun.

“Does anyone reading this crap NOT pay State taxes? Show of hands?”

LOL. Politicians are morons. They’re like those guys on late night TV who want to sell you their “system” for making millions...

“So if it makes millions why are you spending every week talking to roomfuls of suckers at the mediocre Ramada Inn in a conference room? Don’t you have more millions to go make somewhere?”
 
Htaylor said:
Local pilots getting involved will be the only way to save the airport if the city council really wants it closed....
Click to expand...
Reid-Hillview is currently under the jurisdiction of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, not the city council.
 
Palmpilot said:
Reid-Hillview is currently under the jurisdiction of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, not the city council.
Click to expand...


OK. Bad assumption on my part. Nonetheless, local pilots need to get some organization going and lobby for the airport with the County sooner rather than later.
 
flyer770 said:
“It was an error to build an airport and neighborhoods side-by-side — that’s crazy, just looking for trouble,” Alvarado said. “And not to address over 50 years of cumulative lead exposure to people around the airport is an error.”


When the airport was built in 1939 I’m sure it was built in the middle of nowhere. Best close the neighborhoods around it instead to correct the error of crowding.
Click to expand...
““It was an error to build an airport and neighborhoods side-by-side — that’s crazy,”
That is code for, “ just think of all the tens of millions of dollars we can make building condos on this property to sell to Apple and Google Employees!”
 
overdrive148 said:
My guess is that the "cumulative lead exposure" has more to do with the crime rate than the airport o_O
Click to expand...
Do a one year analysis of crime reports for the area. Multiply the number of gunshots by 3oz, then make the case that the locals put more lead in the air than the airplanes do, and shout it loud.

San Jose is a big, expensive part of Crazy Town, so chances are that you would confuse the SJW’s so much that thier brains would shut down from the logic error.
 
Anyone who has been around San Jose for a while knows that the area bordered by King and Story Roads and Tully and Capitol Expressway is known as Indian Country. You just don't go there.

I once got chewed out for taking my girlfriend on a bike ride and passing through there...
 
FlyingElvii said:
““It was an error to build an airport and neighborhoods side-by-side — that’s crazy,”
That is code for, “ just think of all the tens of millions of dollars we can make building condos on this property to sell to Apple and Google Employees!”
Click to expand...

Given that removing the airport will increase property values and contribute to gentrification, I find it extremely dishonest that folks are trying to sell this as a way to increasing low income housing in the area. I seriously doubt they're going to build enough housing to compensate for all the folks that will lose their homes when they can't afford rent in the area post-airport.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top