Comments for Ground rules at http://tracypress.com , comment 1 to 31 out of 20 comments http://tracypress.com Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:49:16 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57483 Thank you so much for putting the information out! My brother who lives in Tracy with his wife and three kids went to the last air show and loved it!!! Will call him to make sure he reads this one! I know he will support it! Thanks again! -amy - amy Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:30:19 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57452 Please everyone! This was brought to my attention in an email today, it's as if it were a god send for our little airport. But our airport is not the only one being threatened! We can save ours, and others state wide by devoting a little time just to support S.B. 1118. For me, passion is my flying. When I read about airport closures I die a little inside, it pains me to read/hear about them. So for anyone who does devote a little bit of time out of their day to urge our State Assembly member to support S.B. 1118, [b]I thank you from the bottom of my heart.[/b] Please consider! And thanks again! ~Jensen - Jensen Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:42:12 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57451 [b]Please call immediately your State Assembly member Cathleen Galgiani, and urge them to Vote Yes on Senate Bill 1118. This legislation provides needed protections for California’s general aviation airports and is scheduled to be on the floor of the Full Assembly this week. Please call and politely urge your Assembly member to vote YES on S.B. 1118 to protect California airports. As a pilot, tell your Assembly member that: * It is crucial to have compatible land use around airports for the safety of pilots and the surrounding communities. * California’s community airports are vital to the state’s economy and transportation system, and must be protected. * Proper land use planning will protect the quality of life of airport neighbors. Background: California’s Airport Land Use Commissions were originally created “to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring the orderly expansion of airports and the adoption of land use measures that minimize the public’s exposure to excessive noise and safety hazards within areas around public airports to the extent that these areas are not already devoted to incompatible uses.” S.B. 1118 would strengthen this law to provide for consistent zoning processes for general aviation airports across California. AOPA has been working with legislators for over three years toward the introduction and passage of this bill. For more information on this bill, click here. Please contact Assembly member Cathleen Galgiani at (916) 319-2017 and encourage them to vote YES on S.B. 1118 to protect California airports. Thank you for your support, Phil Boyer AOPA President P.S. If you are able to contact your legislator, please let us know by e-mailing us at SB1118@aopa.org.[/b] - Jensen Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:37:52 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57408 In all fairness to Mr Coty; I believe a similar occurence did happen at Macy's ([i] The Sun Valley Mall[/i]), in Pleasant Hill CA, next to where I grew-up in Walnut Creek CA; in route to Buchanan Airport in Concord. It was, and still is, centered around a densely residential area, plus I680, and mass transits infrastructures like Concord Blvd. and Willow Pass Rd. exits. Even (then) in the 70's the [i]blow back[/i] had a tendency of "freaking people out." No; Not known, and YES, almost always disagree. ;) - k.l.vosburg Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:02:54 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57290 I believe we can all see that it wouldn’t solve any of these problems either. So then perhaps we need to decide what is acceptable risk and not acceptable risk in order to get things done and get on with it. In otherwords, to quote a comedian, "Let's get er done." Dave Hardesty - Dave Hardesty Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:12:47 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57289 I much would have preferred enlarging the airport years ago to service International and Commercial flights and have bay area freight traffic consigned to the bay area and relieving air traffic congestion already a problem for those airports. That would be a terrific economic boon for Tracy and really stimulate public transportation to the Bay Area, which is what historically got Tracy on the map in the first place with the railroads. It would also have been a very busy freight terminal as goods would have been distributed with Tracy as a central terminus. How many jobs would that have generated for our community? Unfortunately, what is done is done and I fear any real improvement like extending the runway to accommodate more and heavier aircraft is just a dream that won’t ever happen. Not unless you gobble up all the new residential homes there, reroute the canals and fill in the gravel pits. I just don’t see that happening as much as it may sound appealing. Now back to the aquatics park and then I’ll stop for now. Yes, it could possibly go over to the Holly facility. The problems with a pool installation could be mitigated and there are some benefits for placing it there as well. But there are negatives. On big one is the $20,000,000.00 the developer is wishing to pony up to place the Aquatics Facility in his development. I doubt he would be willing to donate that money towards an Aquatics Facility over at the Holly site and I don’t see any other developers making a similar offer either. But supposing he did offer the $20,000,000.00 and still wanted to develop the Ellis property? Would that silence the opposition of folks that support airport expansion? Would that silence the negative comments surrounding the issuance of RGAs and issues of growth constrained by Measure A? Would it silence the complaints from the community about airport noise, safety and the aerobatic box? - Dave Hardesty Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:11:43 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57288 With respect to extending the runway 450 feet to accommodate heavier corporate jet traffic, it would be possible to extend the runway towards the north but you would still have to mitigate the businesses already there, with respect to low flying aircraft on approach or departure from that runway and I fail to see how that would make any of the residents to the north and east of that flight path any happier with respect to safety and the invariable noise that will increase as this type of traffic increases. Even assuming you could expand the runway by 450 feet. What do you intend to do with the businesses that will then be less than 400 feet away from that end of the runway? Are you going condemn their property and move them out? Are you going to force them to sell their property and what the city determines to be a fair market value? And assuming they are willing to sell for a legitimate price, where are you going to get the monies to actually purchase their land? Back in 1993, over ten years ago, the residential and commercial density on the south side of town was not nearly the same as it is today. The idea of runway extension should have been decided then and was not. Unfortunately, as much as I don’t like it, there isn’t much of anything anyone can do about that and now we are pretty much locked into what we have today. I too enjoyed the War Bird show that occurred at the airport property back then and wish something like that would happen there again. But I honestly don’t see any real chance of making the runway longer particularly if it means bringing in more aircraft and traffic towards town where people are already complaining about the airport in the first place. - Dave Hardesty Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:11:15 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57287 All First of all I am not against the airport. Quite the contrary, I mentioned this years ago when development first encroached on the property and my thoughts were apparently were not considered, which is, in my opinion what has led us to where we are today. Also, I am not in support of Ellis or Serpa or any other development one way or another. But I am in favor of an Aquatics park. It doesn't have to be there. But it would be nice for the city to develop something on that side of town as all such amenities have been developed over on the north side of town and the south side residents also deserve something in their neighborhoods. I never said there were no risks involved. What I am trying to get everyone to distinguish is the difference between unacceptable risk and acceptable risk. We make such decisions in our every day lives and act accordingly. Just because someone says this or that risk is acceptable or unacceptable doesn't mean that it. We decide communal and social risks at a communal and social level. We decide what is unacceptable and acceptable for our personal lives and act on that at a personal level. From what I have determined, it is my opinion there isn’t much risk to placing an Aquatics facility on the Ellis site. Physically, in line and at its closest point, the Ellis property is 3,000 feet off the end of the runway. - Dave Hardesty Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:10:49 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57246 I'm a fan of the airport too! I attended the Warbird Invasion Air Show in '93. Still have a poster (I talked a local business to give it to me from their front window) and a brochure of the events. I'm waiting for another re-run of that show to appear. - fortheunderdog Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:50:02 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57243 I am a HUGE Skyview fan! They have done a wonderful job with the airport! The city hall has let the airport sink and decay. This company is trying hard to make the airport fully functional and I commend them! It makes me angry that Brent Ives, city hall and the Amigos are choosing more houses over the airport. Because of the ignorance of our city leaders that Tracy will be void of new and progressive planning. The airport should be allowed to expand and create a place for aviators from all over California. - what? Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:45:59 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57138 It's incredible to see all the support the Tracy airport has! I'm glad our citizens value it. ;D - Jensen Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:54:49 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57122 I agree with you Ubbo, also it should be available to those businesses men who may want to fly to the airport to oversee the operation of their new businesses? Also, I have seen kite day, box kite day, being windy in Tracy it would be a field day for the family to attend? Thanks. -amy - amy Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:23:53 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57118 To me, an airport is a vital part of any community. If a city has an airport, then it usually says something about that city. And size does matter in this case. The lack of a tower and limited control also play a role, but in todays world with LSA's getting more popular and alternative methods of transportation get explored, it is wise to perserve any airport that has a use. Our airport could be the source for many types of city revenue. I just don't like the idea of building near it that is all. The Ellis project might be far enough away for some people, but close enough to endanger future airport activity. - UCoty Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:54:39 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57114 That is right, Ubbo!!! You did mention it to me and I was hoping that is still on! Great!!!! Was thinking of RV site around the airport since some might want to attend the air shows, and so on? Remembered reading an article about there is no RV in Tracy, thought it would be nice to see it there? -amy - amy Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:39:03 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57105 Tracy does have a R/C flying community. Its called TracySkyLiners. they fly at a special air field set aside for them at the New Jerusalem Airport. Tracy's airport will most likely never become as popular as San Jose's or Stockton's but that doesn't mean it cannot host small commuter traffic one day or host Fly-In's or airshows. Tracy's aerobatic box is reknown nation-wide. If a real nice restaurant/museum were built there, it might do very well and provide jobs too. A hotel would be nice too for weary travellers. Remember, if you build it they will come. - UCoty Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:17:52 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57057 Well said Ian Stewart!!! I could not visualize it ever as becoming a large airport or have large aircraft land at the airport. Always thought it would be small craft airport with many events taking place there. Was looking forward to the previous plans of seeing the restaurant, (old timey?) and the air museum! I could see radio controlled airplane flying day like I have seen over at Livermore happen. That would be family fun day. It is time for the city to think for the families of Tracyites. -amy - amy Sun, 03 Aug 2008 07:47:06 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57025 Ubbo makes a very important point. Housing is overbuilt in the US thanks to the credit bubble, especially in far-out exurban places like Tracy. As an example, right now, Tampa, Florida is looking at something like a 42-year supply of houses due to a large number of foreclosures and a relative dearth of qualified buyers to pick them up. Obviously, numbers like that will fluctuate as the availability of credit changes... but will large-scale investors like the central bank of China really be willing to support the regrowth of the dollar after they get burned on their depreciating holdings of dollars and US mortgage-backed securities? If development does start to come back in the early part of the next decade, it won't occur at nearly so rapid a pace as it did earlier in this decade. Developers like Serpa and his competitors are essentially trying to write themselves a nice juicy futures contract, locking in the Tracy market with very little downside. So what if he pays for a water park? His carrying costs on bare land are very low, and he stands to make huge gains if qualified homebuyers start to look towards Tracy for new houses again (or so he thinks). Bottom-line, the airport will have a higher return as a community asset than more houses that won't even be built in the short term. And it's rather grotesque that the city council still spends most of its time operating as a rather inefficient clearing house for building rights, to the point of trading established community interests against the possibility of slightly expanding the tax base. - Ian Stewart Sat, 02 Aug 2008 22:06:53 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-57015 Good idea Malcolm. - maybenotdumBcommenT Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:01:13 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-56999 Yeah me too I agree, put it by the sports park :) - Malcolm Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:24:19 +0100 http://tracypress.com/content/view/15398/2255/#comment-56995 Malcolm, I don't know who are you are, but Dave and I have discussed this before and we both have our opinions, but you should know that I don't "waffle". Dave knows my position on this topic and it just so happens that we disagree, however; just because we have different views doesn't mean he or I is right. (bad English huh?) Dave does have valuable input, and his views could be better than mine. All I am suggesting is that the aquatics park go next to the sports complex. To me, that makes more sense. I am not fond of placing any facility near an airport and I understand it happens all of the time and there is never an issue. LSA's (Light Sport Aircraft) are getting real popular, and I think we're going to see increased traffic at our airport. The plane incident I was referring to occured in the '70's. - UCoty Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:59:24 +0100