SANTA CALRITA / ANTELOPE VALLEY : Pilots, Residents Continue Their Fight Over Air Park at Hearing

Pilots and community residents are continuing their dogfight over the Santa Clarita Valley’s Agua Dulce Air Park.

Pilots and community residents clashed for more than 90 minutes in a hearing Wednesday night on whether Los Angeles County should buy the 208-acre private tract. Residents of the area fear the county acquisition will expand the air park and with that expansion will come more planes, traffic and noise.

“It’s been a long, hard fight. Unfortunately, it never gets resolved,” said Jo Anne Swanson, Agua Dulce Town Council member. “If we end up being the only airport in the Santa Clarita Valley, it’s going to be a tremendous burden on us.”

“What is it about ‘no’ that is not understood?” asked one Agua Dulce man, citing two previous written and telephone surveys indicating that most residents of this 2,100-member community oppose expansion of the airport.

Pilots, who favor the county purchase, say the 35-year-old facility will shut down completely if it is sold for residential development. Other supporters of a county acquisition believe the site could become a general aviation airport, relieving congestion at other airports.

Proponent Art Babcock said a development on the property could have a bigger traffic impact on the small community than would an expanded airport. He also rejected the suggestion that pilots should buy the air park, saying they would be even more likely to increase the use of the strip to generate money.