Our county wants to improve the Oceano County Airport by adding a lounge bar, more parking, and a bigger campground for its users. The Oceano Beach Community Association (OBCA) opposes this project.
Our county, and Oceano in particular, does not need this airport. We already have an airport 20 miles to the north, San Luis Obispo County Airport, and one 25 miles to the south, the Santa Maria Airport. Oceano needs parking for beach users, a vehicles-free beach to support safe and sound businesses, and affordable housing. The Oceano airport, 58 acres of primal coastal land, only serves two dozen privileged pilots and their expensive toys. It brings no economic benefits to Oceano. Its facilities, parking, lounge bar, and campground are barred to Oceano residents.
The Oceano airport is on the floodplain of our designated coastal zone and just like the adjacent sewer plant will have to go eventually. That land should be restored as wetland with bike and pedestrian trails at the most. Why waste money and energy on a broken object that will eventually end up in the trash? We oppose any improvement to the Oceano airport and our county’s environmentally unjust and unsound use of Oceano’s land.
Oceano Beach Community Association
Oceano
This article appears in Jul 21-31, 2022.