The city of Santa Monica is propelling its citizens towards a future free from the roar of aircraft with the launch of its community engagement process for the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project. Scheduled to takeoff on May 19 at Clover Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., residents are invited to voice their visions for the "Great Park" destined to replace the current airport grounds, as detailed in a post on the city's official blog.
At the heart of the project is the endgame of creating a vast public space in accordance with Measure LC, a voter-approved directive ensuring that, after the airport ceases its operations on December 31, 2028, any land development must receive a public nod. Spearheading the gathering of community insight, the Public Works Department’s Acting Chief Operations Officer – Special Projects spoke of the project's importance, stating "I am eager to engage with the community on this landmark city project that will shape our community for generations to come." This enthusiasm was shared on the city's blog.
Those unable to attend the kickoff can still pitch in their two cents by visiting SMACproject.com, where sign-up for email updates is currently available, and by mid-May, the site will burgeon with surveys, virtual sessions designed to educate and engage, topped with a spill of project history, as reported by the city's blog post. Pop-up booths set to appear at future community events will make sure the city keeps its ear to the ground, gleaning a wealth of resident insights.
The community engagement process will pave a path through five phases, culminating in late 2025 when the City Council will face the task of selecting a preferred site plan, before rolling into an environmental review process mandated by state law. Despite the forward-looking plan the city insists that "Santa Monica Airport is still an airport," continuing operations under the terms of a Consent Decree with the Federal Aviation Administration, as per the concise explanation on the city press release.
Inquiries about the project can be shuttled to [email protected], while further information can be found via the city's blog and engagement sites, where historic documents and additional details reside, to ensure the public remains looped into every step of this transformative journey.
