Lindbergh project put on hold

By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer | Monday, November 13, 2006 10:08 PM PST ∞

SAN DIEGO -- A pair of airport board members who opposed the Miramar ballot measure have managed, if only temporarily, to block a $550 million public works project they say could render Lindbergh Field unable to meet the county's longterm aviation needs.

Waiting in the wings while the measure was being debated was an airport master plan, which aims to beef up Lindbergh so it can continue serving San Diego County comfortably through 2015. The plan calls for constructing 10 new gates at Terminal 2 West, remodeling Terminal 1 and adding overnight parking for jets.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2008 and be finished by 2010, but that is predicated on the timely completion of an environmental impact report. The target date for finishing the report is June 2007, and the board was asked Monday to give its blessing for a preliminary report.

While most board members present called for advancing the report, two members -- Mary Sessom of Lemon Grove and Xema Jacobson of Spring Valley -- wanted to slam the brakes. The dissenters halted the process because three of nine members were absent and a total of four -- less than the required majority -- wanted to approve it.

Given last Tuesday's election, in which 62 percent of county voters rejected a commercial airport at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, it may not be in the region's interests to go forward with the Lindbergh improvements, Sessom said.

Sessom suggested the voters' message was: "It ain't going to happen at Miramar. We don't want it to happen at Miramar." As a result, she said, the board is left with no choice but to make the best of the airport it has.

With 661 acres and one runway, Lindbergh is one of the nation's smallest metropolitan airports.

"Lindbergh now is the site, whether we like it or not and whether we think it will work," Sessom said.

She said it wasn't that she was against improving Lindbergh. Rather, Sessom said, she was worried that the board might later have to rip out the $550 million in upgrades to make way for a bigger expansion designed to extend Lindbergh's life. Airport officials say its one runway will max out within two decades, and some scenarios for adding a runway call for moving the terminals to the airport's north side.

"This master plan builds us into crisis," Sessom said.

Jacobson agreed.

"There are some serious flaws to this master plan," Jacobson said. "Under this master plan, we can't be all that we can be."

Board member Bob Maxwell of Oceanside, one of those who wanted to go ahead with the plan, said he couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.

"It seems to me that we're getting confused," Maxwell said. "This for 2015. Anything we do beyond that is another situation. Beyond that, who knows what is going to happen?"

The board planned to take up the matter again Dec. 4, when more members are expected to be on hand. Those absent Monday were Vista Mayor Morris Vance, South Bay real estate developer Paul Nieto and San Diego Councilman Anthony Young.

During public comment, San Diego Association of Governments senior planner Miriam Kirshner told members the regional planning agency thought it was unwise to use 2015 traffic projections for the master plan. She said the association also wanted to see a public transit component in the plan.

Airport planner Ted Anasis said the authority will investigate traffic volumes on airport roads in 2020, 2025 and 2030. The board agreed Monday to increase its contract with master plan consultant HNTB Inc. by $600,000 -- to $4.6 million -- to conduct those additional studies.

As for the transit component, Anasis said it cannot be included because, by definition, the master plan can only cover facilities on the 661-acre airport grounds. But he said airport and transit officials are exploring ideas for a speedy bus connection with the Old Town transit station and possible exclusive bus lanes on Pacific Highway, Laurel Street and Harbor Drive.

In other business, the board gave preliminary approval for land use plans around six county airports, including those in Ramona and Fallbrook. Such plans are designed to prevent development from encroaching too closely, creating noise and safety concerns. The board is expected to certify the land use plans on Dec. 4.

-- Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (760) 740-5442 or ddowney@nctimes.com.

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