THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAS APPROVED THE PROPOSED MASTER PLAN FOR THE VENICE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AFTER MORE THAN FIVE YEARS OF WRANGLING AND HAND RINGING WITH THE CITY. THE PLAN CALLS FOR MOVING THE DRIVING RANGE BUT KEEPING THE GOLF COURSE WHERE IT IS, AND IT ALSO SHIFTS RUNWAY THIRTEEN THIRTY-ONE TO THE SOUTHEAST, WHICH WILL REMOVE THE RUNWAY PROTECTION ZONE FROM TWENTY-FOUR HOMES, LOCATED NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. IF THE PLAN IS APPROVED IN TWO WEEKS WHEN IT’S BROUGHT IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT ASSISTANCE OF MORE THAN $12 MILLION DOLLARS. SOUNDS GREAT, RIGHT? WELL, RESIDENTS WHO LIVE NEAR THE AIRPORT AREN’T ALL THAT PLEASED WITH THE PLAN, SAYING IT WILL TAKE UP TO SEVEN YEARS TO GET THE RUNWAY MOVED, AND EVEN WHEN IT HAPPENS, REAL ESTATE VALUES COULD BE CUT IN HALF. THEY SAY THEY WILL BE AT THE MEETING ON JUNE 28TH TO ASK CITY LEADERS ONE MORE TIME TO DOWNGRADE THE AIRPORT.
