MONTEREY – The proposed Monterey airport access road through a portion of Del Rey Oaks has been determined by the Federal Aviation Administration to be better served by the existing Airport Road through Monterey, putting an end to a contentious period between Del Rey Oaks and airport leaders. But that decision may not be sitting well with Monterey city officials.

“The decision to look at alternatives to the North Side Access Road is being recommended by the (Federal Aviation Administration) in their Environmental Assessment report,” said Mike La Pier, Monterey Regional Airport executive director. “That report has been available to the public for over two weeks.”

Monterey Peninsula Airport District Board Chair Mary Ann Leffel spoke at the Del Rey Oaks City Council meeting on Tuesday, updating the council, staff and public on the Airport District’s plan to enhance safety at the Monterey Regional Airport.

“We were very pleased to hear that the Airport Board has decided not to pursue a north side access road through Del Rey Oaks,” said Dino Pick, Del Rey Oaks city manager. “Hearing the concerns of Del Rey Oaks and Monterey, the Airport District has revised their plans to not have an access road through Del Rey Oaks, while reducing overall traffic through Airport Road in Monterey.”

But the city of Monterey may have its own objections to the FAA recommendation.

“We are very concerned about this proposed change,” said Hans Uslar, Monterey city manager. “We did ask the Airport District to extend the deadline for response to their environmental amendment to May 15 in order to allow us to review, discuss with the public and with Council. We think it behooves the Airport and the FAA to respond positively to our request.”

The Draft Environmental Assessment is currently extended an additional 14 days until 5 p.m. on April 20.

Leffel emphasized at the Del Rey Oaks meeting that the hangars being moved from the south side would be built on the north side with access through Airport Road in Monterey, but that several other businesses would be moving away, reducing overall traffic and particularly larger truck traffic through Airport Road, said Pick.

“The FAA determined the access road (through DRO) was the environmentally preferred alternative but was not feasible as the result of the conflict with the current General Plan for Del Rey Oaks,” said La Pier.

The Airport District has been working with the city of Del Rey Oaks for about seven years to affect a change to the city’s General Plan which does not support an access road. The citizenry of Del Rey Oaks voiced a very loud and concerted response to the prospect of the access route proposed for Del Rey Gardens Drive which had an impact on the recommendation.

“The city welcomes the news and looks forward to continuing to work with the airport to address remaining concerns such as noise, drainage, any future expansion plans, and fuel reduction to prevent wildfire,” said Pick. “The city appreciates the Airport District’s willingness to reach a solution that balances our concerns with the need to improve airport safety.”

La Pier said that the FAA is being asked to invest $190 million over 10 years for different Monterey Regional Airport programs associated with the proposed Airport Safety Enhancement Project for Taxiway ‘A’ Relocation and Associated Building Relocations, with $13 million in construction funds possible this year.

“They have determined the limited traffic generated by the proposed hangars and the potential fire station can best be accommodated on the existing Airport Road. They reached this determination understanding that the proposed additional traffic on Airport Road is consistent with the current City of Monterey General Plan as well as the Neighborhood Plan for the Casanova Oak Knolls community.”

According to the FAA’s assessment, average daily traffic trips will go from about 750 to between about 673 to 693.

La Pier said that since airport officials were notified of the recommendation by the FAA, they have met three times with the city of Monterey and twice with the Casanova Oak Knoll Association neighborhood representatives to make sure they had advance knowledge of the FAA’s determination and to work with them to develop strategies to help address their concerns.

“It is important to note that the traffic projected on Airport Road is aviation related only which is in keeping with the general and neighborhood plans,” said La Pier.

The city of Monterey can comment to the FAA about the environmental assessment report to make its case concerning its recommendation. The agency will review, adjust as needed, issue a final report, with a decision to follow shortly thereafter. La Pier said he expects the FAA’s final decision sometime in the summer.

“Of course, as you know, we were in favor of the previous preferred alternative, which would include access through a light industrial zone in (Del Rey Oaks),” said Uslar. “As staff, we cannot see that the current proposal to route traffic through Monterey’s Casanova/Oak Knoll neighborhood is politically feasible.”