McClellan-Palomar Airport

CARLSBAD–The City of Carlsbad will hold a public meeting June 19 to discuss the future of McClellan-Palomar Airport, which is owned and operated by the County of San Diego and largely under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration.

After receiving input during the county’s recent public review process for its draft airport master plan, the City Council directed staff at its April 10 meeting to:

  • Enter into discussions with the County of San Diego over future airport operations and facilities.
  • Initiate a stakeholder dialogue to identify and understand community concerns and priorities about airport operations and facilities.
  • Develop and implement an action plan to guide the city’s approach related to the airport in the future.

The master plan is a blueprint for future development of the airport, which includes adding safety features at the west end of the runway, extending the runway to the east of the property and reconfiguring the tarmac and taxiway areas for better operational efficiency.

In preparing its formal comments on the airport master plan and draft environmental impact report, the city hired attorneys specializing in airport and land use issues. These attorneys will be available at the meeting to suggest different strategies related to the airport, answer questions and provide information, although they may not disclose certain privileged legal strategies provided to the City Council or provide legal advice to community members.

Topics to be discussed at the community meeting are not limited to the master plan.

“We would like to make sure we have a solid understanding of community concerns about the airport and gauge interest in some different approaches to addressing those concerns,” said Jason Haber. “We will hear examples from other cities that that have successfully protected quality of life for the community while hosting an airport that meets the needs of local travelers, businesses and aviation enthusiasts. That’s our goal too.”

The McLellan-Palomar Airport meeting will be held at the City of Carlsbad Faraday Administration Center at 1635 Faraday Avenue.

After the June 19 meeting, city staff will return to the City Council to present a potential strategy for consideration.