With the close of the comment period for the Santa Maria Public Airport Business Park draft environmental impact report, a final document and public hearings on the project could begin as early as February, a consultant working on the project told the airport board of directors Thursday night.

Laurie Tamura, of Urban Planning Concepts, gave a status report to the board noting that the project is on track for final approval by June.

The environmental consultant on the project is expected to respond to the public feedback on the draft EIR, and then update the document, Tamura said.

She noted that the comments, from various government agencies and the public, were not surprising and tended to focus on traffic, noise and biological resources.

Once the environmental document is finalized, then the project's specific plan - the blueprint for future development - can be updated. The two documents would have a hearing before the board and then go to public hearings at the Santa Maria Planning Commission and City Council.

The first infrastructure work to the project site on the south side of the airfield could begin by spring 2009, Tamura told the board - that is if the process goes smoothly.

Plans to develop a business park on Santa Maria Public Airport property have been in the works for more than a decade but have been held up because some of the proposed land is home to the federally protected California tiger salamander.

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The current draft environmental impact report for the project is the result of work with federal officials to ensure that the necessary measures are taken to protect the amphibian.

Taking into account the salamander habitat, the business park and golf course have been scaled back from its original 1,095-acre proposal to 740 acres.

The plan includes 16.3 acres of commercial professional office building, 132 acres of light manufacturing, 262.3 acres of recreational open space and 105 acres of conservation open space for the salamander's habitat.

Once the board was updated on the

timeline for the project, members peppered Tamura with questions about where the airport plan falls in conjunction with other industrial plans in the Santa Maria Valley.

Tamura described the airport business park as the “next generation” of development after the city's A Street corridor.

When the discussion turned to the city's intent to offer industrial development near Black Road on the newly annexed Area 9 land, Tamura told the board that plan is well into the future, since significant infrastructure work will have to be done.

She noted that though infrastructure will have to be built for the airport project, it's not as extensive as at Area 9.

Director Carl Engel also had Tamura explain the importance of creating a buzz about the business park to begin to entice potential tenants.

Engel noted the district should begin to expand its work with the city's Economic Development Commission.

Though finding tenants is important, “it's still one step removed from where we are today,” Tamura reminded the board, “but its still in front of you.”

Malia Spencer can be reached at 739-2219 or mspencer@santa

mariatimes.com.

Jan. 26, 2007