Airports
City Council Votes To Close Santa Monica Airport
The resolution, passed unanimously at the city council meeting August 23, calls for closing the airport and eliminating its two FBOs.
The City of Santa Monica city council voted unanimously to approve a resolution calling for closure of the city’s airport (SMO) by July 1, 2018. (Photo: Matt Thurber)
The City of Santa Monica city council voted unanimously to approve a resolution calling for closure of the city’s airport (SMO) by July 1, 2018. (Photo: Matt Thurber)

As expected, the Santa Monica city council voted unanimously last night to approve a resolution calling for closure of the Santa Monica Airport (SMO) by July 1, 2018, and in the meantime replacing the airport’s two FBOs—Atlantic Aviation and American Flyers—with city-run services. The resolution also calls for the city to begin the process of planning a “great” park to replace the airport; investigating whether fractional-share operators are operating as scheduled airlines, which is prohibited at SMO; applying to the FAA to remove the so-called Western parcel, which would mean cutting 2,000 feet from the existing 4,973-foot runway; rigorously enforcing the noise ordinance; changing hangar leases to permits; eliminating the sale of leaded fuel; and enhancing airport security, on top of the airport’s current full-time police force. 


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