Livermore council reviews airport land‑use study, moves to pursue hangar feasibility and innovation center workstreams

City staff presented an airport land‑use and development study to the Livermore City Council on April 14, laying out a four‑part strategy that includes feasibility and fiscal assessments for new hangars, study of a co‑located public‑safety complex, development of an aviation innovation center and exploration of advanced aviation technologies.

"The colored polygons represent 14 undeveloped sites. They occupy a total of about 165 acres," said Andy Ross, the city's principal planner, describing the study’s mapping and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) constraints that limit non‑aeronautical uses unless FAA approval is obtained. Ross emphasized the study is a strategy document, not a development proposal.

Staff told the council the technical analysis grouped sites into three categories — no development, allowable aeronautical uses, and conditional uses that would require FAA justification — and recommended phased work over the next year into 2026. "So by the end of 2025, we anticipate identifying the best approach for hangar development," Ross said.

Airport manager Benny Stute provided demand data: "There's 147 people on various hangar waiting lists," he said, and estimated average wait times of about eight years for small and medium hangars and 17–20 years for large executive hangars. He said small and medium hangars generally run about 900–1,100 square feet; larger executive hangars range from about 1,700 to 3,000 square feet.

Staff proposed next steps: feasibility and fiscal assessments for hangars, a public‑safety complex feasibility study in coordination with regional partners, establishing an aviation innovation center as an incubator, and exploratory work on advanced air mobility technologies. Staff also committed to quarterly updates to the airport commission and further community engagement.

Public commenters expressed split views. Donna Caban urged pausing major planning until a pending PFAS study is released, asking whether parcels requiring expensive remediation should be removed from consideration. "If any of the 10 parcels need expensive PFAS remediation, the number of parcels for development could be further reduced," she said. Others, including Mark Mullen and Ryan Hagerty, urged adoption of the study’s recommendations, saying hangars and a safety complex would support local jobs and emergency response.

Council members asked staff to provide more detail at future stages — acreage to be absorbed, likely hangar types, and noise and traffic projections. Councilmembers reiterated that no development proposals were before the council and that specific projects would return to the airport commission for review and recommendation before any entitlements or environmental review under CEQA.

The study and staff recommendations do not authorize construction. Instead, the council directed staff to continue planning and analyses, comply with state and federal regulatory requirements (including any water‑board PFAS determinations), and return with more detailed feasibility results and fiscal implications.

Staff said they expect to reach recommended approaches for hangar development by the end of 2025 and will stage further environmental and entitlement work if concepts proceed to project proposals.