EDITOR:
As a past president of the Carson Valley Vanguard Coalition, the local airport watchdog group, I will be voting against the new airport ordinance. I believe my ex-colleagues who are now leading the coalition and friends at SGI are well-meaning and on the right track, but they have naively missed the mark. They have not achieved their desired result to ensure and protect a community friendly airport.
I suspect most of their members will agree with me that there are simply too many loopholes in the proposed ordinance. Couple this with an airport master plan that creates a second airport on the east side, and you have a recipe for exactly the type of growth that CVVC has fought since its inception; to avoid being overrun by an airport, as has happened so many times in California.
Don't be fooled by the fear-mongering that says it will cost the county money and the airport will fall apart if the ordinance does not pass. The county could choose to accept Mr. Ferree's analysis of the County's weight studies: http://tinyurl.com/FerreeAnalysis. Mr.Ferree, a well respected professional engineer with years of airport pavement experience and working with the FAA, uses the weakest link (taxiways and ramps) to support the existing weight limit. The FAA would accept that - if the county would propose it. Why won't they do this to serve the will of the voters as expressed in the existing voter-approved ordinance? County staff and politicians are in place to serve their constituents, not just a small but powerful airport lobby group.
Yes the economy is weak, and many believe the likes of Pinon Aero's jetport will never happen, but there is nothing in the proposed ordinance that would stop such grandiose plans that would invite a huge increase in jet operations, day and night. This nasty recession won't last forever and an ordinance is a long-term law.
I also do not support an approach to approve a flawed solution and "fix it later." The energy behind this ballot question comes from the county and airport users/developers. There will be no incentive to fix anything if the question passes.
Those who want to ensure a community friendly airport should vote no on Question1. Tell them to understand the loopholes and fix them first. The claimed urgency for 2010 approval is not real. Let's take the time to get it right.
Jennifer Ware
Gardnerville
