SANTA MONICA AIRPORT BIKE RIDE: Envision some possibilities

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You are invited to a Bike Ride around Santa Monica Airport SMO-bike-draftbeta

Sunday September 15th, 
10am, Clover Park. 
Meet at the southwest corner, next to the Santa Monica Airport fence.

Come for a short 4.5 mile ride around the perimeter of Santa Monica Airport (SMO) in order to see and learn about some of the current issues relating to this facility and hear about potential creative new uses for this property.  There are two short hills. Bring a lock, helmet and picnic if you like.
Ride hosts will make presentations, offer views & options for this space at different stops along the ride.
Michael Brodsky, Professor at Loyola Marymount University
Frank C. Gruber, Attorney and blogger at http://thehealthycitylocal.com

no_bikes_no_peopleBackstory:
Santa Monica Airport is a part of the City of Santa Monica that residents rarely see and use – and even fewer see it by bike – or envision potential cycling connectivity relating to this space.
There is growing interest to learn more about Santa Monica Airport issues in regards to Land Use, air pollution, noise, safety, sustainability, transportation and quality of life.

Some of the concerns and questions put forward include:

  • Nearby residents who feel severely impacted by the airport facility have voiced concerns about air pollution, lead pollution, constant noise and regular plane crashes.
  • Residents who do not live near the airport have questioned the cost of subsidizing the airport as well as the significant environmental costs and lack of sustainability that private jet travel represents.
  • Questions regarding the expense and pollution of running this large 227 acre facility that is used by very few residents. Should so few benefit from this large property that the City owns and maintains?

planes__and_kids soccer_and_planes planes_and_seniors

Back in February of 2012 the City of Santa Monica invited residents to participate in small group discussions to collect input on the future of the Airport with Santa Monica Airport Community Process.
The FAA contract with the City of Santa Monica ends in 2015, there are residents who feel that the contract should not be renewed. They are beginning to explore exciting new possibilities for the land use that could turn this facility into a healthy benefit for the entire city and region.
This idea is not new or radical, as many communities around the country have chosen to do just that and close down polluting airports and convert the large spaces into parks.
Some of those questions could be:

  • Why not here is Santa Monica?
  • What if we expanded Clover Park to a great civic park? This could be a jewel that every one could enjoy!  A park like this could be a huge public benefit to help us create a more livable and healthier vibrant community.
  • What if this park could contain miles of walking paths and protected bike ways? It could be a destination for walking and biking and encourage a whole new generation of riders to learn and enjoy cycling in a safe and healthy environment.  How wonderful if we could connect children to healthy active living and nature!
  •  What if the park included public and community gardens where local produce could be sold on location.
  • Existing hangers and buildings could be repurposed from current aviation only use and instead be leased out to more sustainable uses such as Green Incubators and E Startups as well as artist studios which could be specifically designed to link to future active transportation like biking and walking infrastructure with connectivity to Bergamont Station, the Expo line and neighborhoods currently bifurcated by the property.

Come on this ride to hear and help envision some of the possibilities for the Santa Monica Airport!

Santa Monica Airport Ride / Brodsky

Another related event: October 3rd

This ride precedes another public event scheduled October 3, 2013 where all interested community members are invited to come and design a POTENTIAL FUTURE PARK on the site of the Santa Monica Airport. Everyone is invited to come and contribute their ideas to what this new park could be.

Thursday Oct. 3, 2013
Mt. Olive Church 1343 Ocean Park
6:30pm

21 thoughts on “SANTA MONICA AIRPORT BIKE RIDE: Envision some possibilities”

  1. CB

    See the documentary One Six Right (available at Amazon, iTunes, and some libraries) for more information about problems with local airports.

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  5. John Jerabek

    Santa Monica Airport provides public access to our nations airways, just like a dedicated bike path or a bike lane provides public access. Instead of lobbying to close SMO, cyclists perhaps more than any group, should be demanding Santa Monica lead the way to improve access to our airways for everyday folks, with cleaner, quieter and safer general aviation technologies. We cleaned up the Big Blue Bus, why doesn’t General Aviation at Santa Monica Airport deserve the same time, attention and leadership? Well it does and no one seems to be speaking up for it, I think because people simply don’t know the facts, what your rights to access are, and the leaps aviation technology is taking. Just like we have the right to ride, we have the right to fly. This is our airport and the only one we’re ever likely to get. Do you really want the only access to the air to be a giant commercial airliner at LAX, when we have this incredible resource in our own town? Think about it. Think about what access to a transportation system means, planes, trains, bikes or automobiles, and how valuable and irreplaceable this public resource actually is. We need forward looking leadership for the advancement of personal, green general aviation technologies at Santa Monica Airport, not another dog park or shopping center. Please consider what could and should be the state of aviation for the future, not the sorry state that almost 30 years of neglectful City public policy has left us with.

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  6. Tyler

    This is truly one of the saddest trends in America over the last 20-30 years. Local airports are an incredible asset to local communities adding valuable jobs, transportation, flight training opportunities, and invigorating communities. This is a crown jewel of aviation would be a huge loss if transformed. Please consider the negative aspects of such a move.

    Santa Monica airport has been around for generations. Those residents who complain of noise should recognize that in all likelihood the airport predates them.

    Take a moment to read about the incredible history of Santa Monica Airport: http://www.smgov.net/Departments/Airport/Airport_History.aspx

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