CORRECTION: The Santa Ynez Valley Airport is about a mile west of Highway 154. A story on Saturday’s page B1 inadvertently said “east.�

Tempers flared at a public hearing on a controversial proposal for changes at the Santa Ynez Valley Airport, with airport neighbors and others demanding a more extensive environmental review and expressing concerns about 25-foot hangars blocking scenic mountain views.

More than 100 people attended the hearing, including members of the Airport Authority board, residents and pilots who use the airport.

John Karamitsos and Brian Tetley, staff members of the Santa Barbara County Planning and Development Department, briefly outlined the project for those who were unfamiliar with the plan, and opened the session for presentations and public comment on an environmental document known as a mitigated negative declaration, or MND.

A negative declaration is a less extensive document than a full environmental impact report, which says that the full EIR isn’t necessary — but that was a main point of contention at the hearing. Airport neighbors and other community members called for a more extensive environmental review.

The staff report of Tuesday night’s meeting will be made part of the record that goes to the county Planning Commission for review.

The proposed improvements at the airport, just south of Highway 246 and about a mile east of Highway 154, include adding 32 hangars to the 85 already there.

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Eight of the new ones

would be additions to existing, 17-foot-high hangars at the west end of the airport;

15 would be privately financed hangar buildings 25 feet tall on leased land along the northern edge of the airport; and the rest would be in two buildings adjacent to proposed new helicopter pads.

Alicia Roessler, attorney for the Santa Ynez Valley Alliance (SYVA), brought pictures of the proposed site with markings showing where the hangars would be placed and how they blocked the view of the Santa Ynez Mountains from Highway 246.

“The MND fails to disclose critical impacts and fails to meet the lowest requirements for CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act). The MND also fails to discuss the helicopter use and why the county needs six more helipads,� Roessler said.

She said the MND didn’t adequately evaluate the impact of noise pollution or visual aesthetics and called the project out of character with its rural surroundings.

“This hearing should trigger the fact that an EIR is needed,� Roessler concluded.

Bill Rogers, attorney for the Gainey Winery that is adjacent to the airport, said alternatives should be explored.

“Gainey has been a great citizen to this Valley, and it’s absurd not to have an EIR when he is the most impacted by the project,� Rogers said.

Dan Gainey’s land surrounds much of the airport, and the winery, tasting room and public events center are about 300 feet from the proposed concrete pads for helicopter landings and takeoffs.

“No one wants to come to Gainey to hear helicopters flying. They want to hear the concerts and listen to wedding sermons. Business will be affected,� Rogers said.

Those helipads, which would be used by Sheriff’s Department and county Fire Department firefighting and rescue helicopters, would be closer to the Gainey facilities under the new plan.

Robert Perry, president of Sport Aviators Inc., said Roessler’s visual aid of the project is a misrepresentation, and the project would not blacken out the ridgeline.

“As far as increased use is concerned, the helipads are for county use only. It doesn’t mean that private helicopters can come in and land there. There is no reason that just because we have six more helicopter pads, that more people will come here. Traffic is actually down because of the price of fuel,� Perry argued.

Several sheriff’s and fire helicopters are stored in hangars at the opposite end of the airport, Perry said, which is a considerable distance from the existing helipads. The helicopters have to be towed on trailers between the helipads and the hangars, which slows response time in an emergency.

Perry called the MND accurate and complete and said it should be submitted to the county Planning Commission.

Tetley, one of the two county planners, said that everything that was discussed during the comment period is addressed in the MND document.

“There are drawings and descriptions of the buildings and what will happen to the existing tie-down hangars that will be removed,� Tetley told the crowd.

Willy Chamberlin, chairman of the Santa Ynez Valley Airport Authority’s nine-member board, told the crowd that a recent study done by a noise consultant showed there would be less sound impact on Gainey’s property from the proposed helipads.

“We have gone through the necessary initial steps, but it’s up to the planning commission to determine if an EIR is necessary,� Chamberlin said. ... “We are not making anything more available than we already do today.�

Karamitsos noted that anyone who wants a comment to become part of the official record must submit it in writing by Sept. 26. Comments can be e-mailed to Tetley at btetley@co.santa-barbara.ca.us.

Copies of the draft environmental document can be viewed at county planning offices, at

local libraries and online at www.sbcountyplanning.org/

projects/index.cfm.

Raiza Canelon can be reached at 688-5522, Ext. 6008, or rcanelon@santamariatimes.com.

September 13, 2008