Santa Monica council advances planning work on airport conversion after extensive public debate; adopts transit prohibition ordinance

Santa Monica City Council members spent the bulk of their Jan. 28 meeting on further planning for the conversion of Santa Monica Airport, hearing a staff-led summary of nearly a year of community engagement and debating competing visions for the 192-acre site. Council members also approved a transit-related ordinance giving the city new authority to issue temporary prohibition orders to problem transit riders and adopted several routine calendar items and appointments.

City planners and consultants told the council that phase 2 outreach for the airport conversion project drew thousands of online engagements and hundreds of in-person contacts, producing five draft “guiding principles” — "start with nature," "inspire wonder," "balance economics," "amplify versatility" and "celebrate place." Sasaki, the city’s design consultant, and city staff said those principles will frame phase 3 work: three contrasting scenario studies that will show different mixes of park, cultural, recreational and revenue-generating uses, plus preliminary financial strategies and time frames for implementation.

The presentation and the public comment that followed made clear the depth of disagreement in the community. Hundreds of speakers filled the council chambers and dozens addressed the airport item; dozens of written comments were submitted. Supporters of an "LC-compliant Great Park" urged the council to use the airport land as public open space and recreation fields, and said a large park would provide long-term environmental and quality-of-life benefits. Advocacy groups, youth speakers and longtime neighborhood…