CAMARILLO AIRPORT
UPDATE
April 10, 2024
Jurisdiction
2 Ventura County Department
of Airports owns and operates
Camarillo Airport.
Ventura County Board of
Supervisors is decision-making
body.
Camarillo Airport Authority
3 www.cityofcamarillo.org
Timeline…
1976
Joint Powers
Agreement
2021
Master Plan Update
Began
2011
Airport Master
Plan
1985
Update to JPA
2021-2022
City defended 1976
Agreement
July 2022
County transitioned
to ALP Update
Now – May 10
Airport Layout Plan Public
Comment Period
5 What We’ve Done:
• Retained Legal Counsel
• Ongoing Discussions with Ventura County
• Formed Airport Ad Hoc Committee
• Statistically Representative Survey
• Opened Lines of Communication with community members
• Created email distribution to share information
• Created Trending Topics webpage
• Participate in ALP and Part 150 Meetings
• Communicate updates on ALP and Part150 to community via email notification County’s Position on 1976 Agreement
6 Ventura County concurs that the 1976 Agreement is
valid and enforceable, thereby reaffirming that the
County is no longer asking the City to explore any
changes. explore changes to the restrictions included in the 1976 Agreement County Airport Projects
7 Airport Layout Plan Update
• Maintenance/rehab of
existing pavements and
facilities
• Short-term (5-7 years)
capital improvement plan
Part 150 Noise Study
• Update noise
exposure maps and
noise compatibility
program
8 Airport Layout Plan Update
Public Comment Period
open through May 10, 2024
https://cma-alp-
update.airportstudy.net/
Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study
Next Community
Meeting:
June 3
https://cma-noise-
study.airportstudy.net/
10 Commitment to Transparency & Engagement
cityofcamarillo.org/trending | “Camarillo Airport”
11 What We’re Hearing From
Community:
Concern
• Relationship between ALP and Part 150
• Concerns about Airport Expansion
• Experiencing Noise Impacts
• Advocating for Alternate Flight Path
• Concern about the County’s Process
• Confusion about jurisdiction
• Questions on Environmental Review
Question
COMMON QUESTIONS
We’re Hearing From
Our Community
12 13
What is the legal significance of the
documents we are discussing?
• 1976 Joint Powers Agreement
• Traffic forecast
• Airport Master Plan
• Airport Layout Plan
• Part 150 Study (NEM and NCP)
14 What is the relationship between the ALP
Update and Noise Study?
• Both studies are voluntary. Both studies rely on the same forecast. • Neither study commits the County (or FAA) to take specific action.
Both studies require further action to implement.
• There is no formal relationship between the ALP Update and Part 150 Study.
• FAA consideration of the ALP Update will not affect its consideration of Part 150 Study.
15 Can the County extend the curfew currently in
effect at the Airport?
• Ventura County Code prohibits departures between Midnight and 5 A.M.
• This mandatory curfew is “grandfathered” under federal law, but any further restriction would require FAA approval. Based on the facts here, FAA will not grant approval.
• There are some lingering questions about how the curfew was changed from the original 1976 JPA (10PM to 7AM).
16 Who controls flight paths and procedures?
• The FAA has exclusive jurisdiction over airspace, aircraft and pilots.
In practice, the flight of aircraft is a shared responsibility between FAA Air Traffic and the Pilot-in-Command.
• State and local governments have no authority to dictate or control the flight of aircraft.
• Existing CMA noise abatement procedures are voluntary. • Changes in procedures also would be voluntary, unless adopted by FAA Air Traffic.
17 What is the legal effect of the noise limits in
the 1976 JPA?
• “Airport development shall be guided to ensure that residential areas are not exposed to noise levels greater than 60 CNEL average and 90 dBA single event noise.”
• This provision is best understood as a planning tool. • This provision should not be understood as a restriction on aircraft operations, which would have been preempted in 1976 and are preempted today.
18 Can the County close the Airport?
• No, for several reasons:
• Obligated by contracts with FAA requiring County to keep airport open
• Obligated by restrictive covenants in deed from US Government to keep airport open
• Santa Monica is not a model.
• 40+ year effort to close, led by airport owner
• Only contested closure in recent years
19 Questions