This week, the Goleta City Council held a special workshop to for community members to receive updates from Santa Barbara Airport Staff, led by new Director Christ Hastert.
The presentation from airport staff focused on the information regarding their noise program but also included new information on other airport projects such as their terminal expansion, parking structure project, the Southfield redevelopment project, and an update to the 2017 Master Plan.
Mayor Perotte and Councilmembers pressed SBA staff to identify what are the real solutions that can be applied to the noise problem and respond to community concerns. Some of the requests made to the Airport include:
- Add a Goleta City Council-appointed voting member to the Airport Commission.
- Develop and implement a concrete plan addressing noise complaints.
- Inform the Goleta City Council and the public about progress.
- Incentivize airline flight path compliance.
- Get all 4 airlines serving SBA on a proprietary approach (now only 3).
- Address noise issues and compliance at the time SBA negotiates with new airlines.
- Discourage flying older, louder planes early in the morning.
- Gathering data on particulate emissions.
- SBA should prepare a document that outlines a plan and show actions being taken.
- Make sure all decision-makers are in the room. Consider a Joint City of Goleta and City of SB Council meeting.
New Airport Director, Chris Hastert, is a Goleta resident and recently moved his family here. Chris and his team from the Santa Barbara Airport are attentive to Goleta’s needs, evidenced by their detailed presentation and desire to be transparent. We look forward to future updates.
If you missed it, you can view the presentations here: https://goleta.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1803
