Pass: 15,434 / 60.45% Yes votes ...... 10,096 / 39.55% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Impartial Analysis from City Attorney

BALLOT MEASURE AMENDING THE CITY CHARTER TO PROHIBIT NEW DEVELOPMENT ON AIRPORT LAND, FOLLOWING AIRPORT CLOSURE, UNTIL AFTER THE VOTERS HAVE APPROVED LIMITS ON USES AND DEVELOPMENT AND TO PRESERVE COUNCIL'S EXISTING AUTHORITY TO MANAGE, REGULATE, AND CLOSE THE AIRPORT

This measure, placed on the ballot by the City Council, would amend the City Charter to restrict new development of Santa Monica Airport land if the Airport is closed or partially closed. Specifically, new development would be prohibited until after the voters have approved limits on the uses and the development that may occur on the land. The measure includes an exception to the prohibition that allows parks, public open spaces and public recreational facilities to be developed on the land without voter approval. And, the cultural, arts and educational uses that now exist on the Airport could be maintained and replaced without voter approval.

Additionally, while the Airport remains open, this measure expressly preserves the authority of the City Council, acting as Airport operator and proprietor, to regulate and manage the Airport and Airport leases and uses, and to close all or part of the Airport. This authority is and would remain subject to constraints imposed by law. The extent of those constraints is disputed.

This measure is expressly intended to compete with, prevail over, and nullify all provisions of a competing measure on the same ballot sponsored by aviation interests. Unlike that measure, this one does not require a vote of the people to close the Airport or to restrict aviation fuel sales or the use of aviation facilities. However, this measure does require that parameters for Airport development following closure must receive voter approval before new, non-recreational development can occur on the land. Since the City's General Plan for land use requires preparation of a Specific Plan for future use of the Airport land, the parameters established by the voters would govern the content of the Specific Plan.