Salinas Airport Commission hears updates on four-airport economic study, terminal rehab, fencing and hangar roof work

SALINAS, Calif. — At its June 26, 2025 meeting, the Salinas Airport Commission received administrative updates on a four-airport Airport Economic Impact Study, a terminal rehabilitation project affecting on-site dining, a cost-shared fence replacement on Skyway Boulevard and roof work on a World War II–era hangar.

The commission was given an overview of an Airport Economic Impact Study (AEIS) being done jointly by Salinas, Watsonville, Hollister and Marina airports. Matt, the airport manager, said the last report was done about five years ago and that the new joint study will “save on some redundancies” while helping the airports learn how to “further collaborate.” He told the commission the study team will circulate FAQs to tenants and other stakeholders and that publication is likely to take “about at least 6 months.”

The study, Matt said, aims to quantify jobs, direct and indirect revenues and sales tied to each airport and to produce data useful to each airport’s managers. Matt noted differences among the four facilities (Salinas has a control tower and is the largest by acreage in the group; Marina and Watsonville have different operational profiles; Hollister has Amazon-related activity) and said the joint approach both reduces cost and allows comparison across the airports.

Commissioners also heard an update on a terminal rehabilitation project that primarily targets the restaurant patio area and other front-of-terminal improvements. Matt said the plan includes shade awnings, lighting and drought‑appropriate plants recommended by Bokeh Nursery, and that the project team is postponing installation of a quoted astroturf surface “about $5,500” while watching the budget. The airport manager said the work is expected to be finished on or about July 15 and that the restaurant and airport staff hope to hold a soft opening or chamber event after completion.

The airport reported it had relocated a Calstar helicopter parking area roughly “about a 125 feet I don't know, about a 100 feet” to the east to reduce rotor wash that had been affecting umbrellas on the patio.

On perimeter improvements, the commission reviewed a Skyway Boulevard fencing project the airport is undertaking with Sierra Management Golf, the golf course operator. Matt said the new fencing will cost about $9,000 and that the airport and the golf course agreed to split that cost, with roughly $4,500 paid by each party. He described some uncertainty about whether the airport or the city is formally responsible for that particular fence line but said the two parties agreed to share expenses.

The airport also described receiving free trees from a city grant that the golf course will accept and plant in areas the city identified as suitable; Matt noted runway protection zones such as the RPZ for Runway 26 are incompatible with tree planting, so the trees will be placed offsite at the golf course.

Maintenance work on a large hangar that dates to World War II was also reported. Matt said the airport spent about $85,000-plus to apply a new epoxy roof coating that carries a 20-year warranty and that the coating project took roughly two weeks. He said the work should protect the hangar for years and that future “reskinning” of the hangar exterior is possible as funding allows.

The commission heard about an ongoing contract with Social Vocational Services, a community organization that provides supportive employment. Matt said a crew of three people from the organization worked three days per week for about three hours per day doing tasks such as washing cars and picking up trash; they are paid about $16 per hour through their employer. The airport paused that crew for the next few months but said it intends to reengage the program after the break.

Other administrative notes included that a planned car show was canceled by the organizers and the next commission meeting is scheduled for July 24, 2025. The meeting opened with a consent agenda covering the May 22 minutes, the operations report and the fuel‑flowage report; a motion to approve those consent items was made by Commissioner Siegel and seconded by Commissioner Shoemaker; the transcript does not record a roll-call tally for that motion.

The updates were provided as administrative reports; commissioners asked clarifying questions about Amazon’s nearby buildout and potential airport interest in partnering, about the fence and who pays for it, and about project timelines. Matt replied that the airport has reached out to Amazon “on multiple occasions” but had not received responses and that the AEIS and terminal work are intended to better position the airport for future opportunities.

The meeting adjourned with the next meeting set for July 24, 2025.