April 4, 2003

Honorable Judy Mikels
Chair, Aviation Task Force
SCAG
818 W. Seventh Street
Los Angeles, CA  90017

Dear Chair Mikels:

Thank you for allowing me the time to offer my thoughts during the last SCAG Aviation Task Force meeting.  

As you’ll recall, I have tremendous concerns regarding the expanded role of the Airport Ground Access Planning  (AGAP) Teams described in Item 5.1 of the February 4, 2003 Agenda.  It appears to me that the recommendation in that proposal is a precursor to establishing a major regional policy, which has broad implications both locally and regionally.  Further, to my knowledge, there has been no meaningful discussion or consensus within our region on the creation of a Regional Aviation Authority.  In fact, as stated in the staff report, a similar agency, the Southern California Regional Airport Authority (SCRAA) is now practically defunct due to the fact that our region did not see a role for such a regional agency.  Directing the AGAP Teams “to develop an implementation strategy for the Regional Aviation Plan which shall include the formation of a Regional Aviation Authority” seems to be a step backward from where we are now.  

Establishment of any regional agency with implementation authority that supercedes local land use control causes me great concern.  I don’t see how this can be established with regional acceptance in view of the fact that local land use decisions must remain within the purview of local jurisdictions.  The reason is that local jurisdictions are in the position and have the authority to regulate and ensure land use compatibility and implementation of local land use policies. A superceding agency would introduce a great deal of uncertainty in local planning decisions and process. For instance, in Orange County the voters passed Measure W eliminating the aviation reuse of El Toro, and the County and City of Newport Beach have developed a limited expansion agreement for John Wayne Airport to address any future increase in our aviation demand.  The continued implementation of these policies should rest only with Orange County local agencies without the threat of interference by outside regional bodies.  I am certain that many other decision-makers have similar grave concerns relative to the creation of an un-needed regional body, and therefore, would recommend that the creation of such an agency be taken off the table.

Thank you again for accepting my comments, and I look forward to seeing you at the next Aviation Task Force meeting in a couple of weeks.

Sincerely,

Tom Wilson