I am writing to express my opposition to the efforts by the Oceano Beach Community Association advocating for the closure of Oceano Airport. As a person whose life has been profoundly influenced by the aviation community based at this airport, I believe it is crucial to recognize the immense value that the airport brings.
My personal journey with aviation began at a very young age when I was taken on a transformative airplane ride in an wood-winged vintage airplane based at Oceano Airport. From that moment on, my dreams were filled with visions of airplanes and flying. The supportive aviation community in Oceano and San Luis Obispo played a pivotal role in shaping my future. By the age of 19, I had earned my commercial license and flight instructor certificates, thanks to the guidance and support of my mentors in the aviation field.
Today, the spirit of inspiration that Oceano Airport instilled in me is not only alive but more intentional than ever. The Estrella Air Museum in Paso Robles houses the Youth Aviation Club, founded by a friend and my son’s flight instructor. Additionally, ACI Jet, our local fixed base operator, recently provided a student pilot scholarship in partnership with the Estrella Air Museum and also spearheaded the establishment of the aviation maintenance technician course at Cuesta College in Paso Robles. Cal Poly, renowned for its aerospace program, now holds classes at the San Luis Obispo airport.
So, it is disheartening to learn that the Oceano Beach Community Association is advocating against the much-needed improvements to Oceano Airport. The association’s idea to convert the airport into walking trails is especially counterproductive, as it fails to recognize the significant potential that Oceano Airport represents for our economically disadvantaged community.
Instead of advocating for closure, I urge the community association to consider joining the broader efforts in San Luis Obispo County to promote aviation and aerospace. Let us work together to ensure that Oceano is included in the countywide efforts in aviation and aerospace. The unique asset that Oceano Airport represents can contribute significantly to the economic well-being of our community, aligning with goals of social justice by providing a gateway for personal and professional opportunities for our youth.
Adam Verdin
Arroyo Grande
This article appears in Jan 4-14, 2024.
Signed, a non-Oceano resident who is the recipient of generational wealth largesse, and a member of the SLO County Airport Land Use Commission appointed by former District 4 Supervisor Lynn Compton. It’s good to have friends who let the fox run the henhouse! – Adam Verdin
The ACTUAL residents of Oceano receive no benefit from the airport. The wealthy private plane owners want their personal playground, to the detriment of the locals. – the rest of Oceano
Attempting to be dispassionate and objectively assess the essential point of Mr. Verdin’s argument in support of preserving and further developing Oceano Airport there is only one conclusion. He wants to continue utilizing 60 acres of prime coastal habitat, plus another 20 acres of land in the flight path of the airport, all for a very few kids to experience the opportunity to become private pilots like he did as a kid. And he seeks to justify this clearly elitist proposal as somehow supporting values of social justice. While he alludes to presumed positive economic impacts for Oceano from the airport he provides no data. In fact, never has any significant, empirical, concrete data on the economic impacts of the airport been presented by the County, Airline Pilots Association, or other advocacy groups. That’s because they are minimal and the whole enterprise is subsidized by the FAA and SLO County in the service of a small class of private pilots who own or rent airplanes. This is why the California Coastal Commission recently denied the County’s request to spend $1.8 million on a new lounge and bar for visiting pilots, a new campground for pilots only, new bathrooms and showers for pilots only, and a newly paved parking lot for pilots only. The CCC wants to see the County’s ten year strategic plan for the airport and how it addresses the basic issue of environmental justice: how would it directly benefit the residents of Oceano compared to possible other uses? In the most scientifically valid study of Oceano residents land use preferences, completed in 2022, 44% opposed it, 32% were neutral, and 22% supported it. This is objective reality, not idealized childhood dreams or romanticized economic projections. The airport is just one large example of many where Oceano is used for the benefit of outsiders to the detriment of locals.
Our local kids can stand next to the chain link fence and watch the kids of private pilots play in the campground while their parents grill steaks and sip margaritas. But that is not social justice Mr Verdin.
Good grief, Charles! Clearly you don’t understand what “social Justice” means. It is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities.
As a Mexican American, Latino, Hispanic, or whatever most easily rolls off your tongue, I have lived this. My family was working the fields, pursuing the American dream, about the time you were writing your master’s thesis on a rather interesting subject. Our family has a history of supporting our community, donating and volunteering for children’s causes and providing the first permanent warming center in South County for the unhoused. You on the other hand have a long history of dysfunction and conflict.
How about you focus on building relationships and not causing any more managers or law firms to quit because of your bad conduct, and spare me the lecture on social justice, of which you have little practical experience from your place of privilege.
Adam Verdin is right… and Charles Varni? With a long history of moronic positions and post shows that you intellect limits you from seeing what is right and most beneficial to the community at large.
Oceano Airport supports more than the middle class person that chooses to spend their discretionary income on general aviation pursuits. It supports veterans, car clubs, youth and other charities via picnics and fund raisers. You paint a picture of jet setting rich people enjoying exclusive benefits… no jets fly into Oceano airport, and most events I have attended there offer broad public appeal to non pilots.
Supporting aviation does not make someone a rich elitist snob. Opposing general aviation does not make you a champion of the little guy or a populist. It simply means you don’t understand something and therefor it must be bad.
Charles has an opinion. Good for him. And he obviously is trying his best to participate in society. Good for him. Now let’s actually pay attention to the smart people in the community and leaders of the community and businesses, like Mr. Verdin.
Lloyd Massey
Nipomo
Son of an immigrant, aviation and airport enthusiast.
Did this guy just call the airport racist?
Good grief Mr Verdin, is it possible for you to engage in civil debate without doing the personal attack thing? If you can’t defend your point of view with facts or logic then simply attacking your opponent with Trumped up allegations, falsehoods, and innuendos doesn’t really influence or convert clear thinking, objective, and community minded persons.
I was born and raised in the working class Italian immigrant neighborhood of Santa Barbara surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins. We would go to the the Chrysler dealership every Friday afternoon where my dad was a mechanic. He would give us his paycheck and we would go shopping for the week’s groceries. I worked my way through college. Per your style, you throw out a cheap innuendo about my master’s thesis at San Diego State University. I am proud of that highly regarded piece of sociological research which was published in a peer reviewed professional journal. It helped get me a scholarship to Washington State University where I got a PhD and my first teaching job.
I understand social injustice and the definition you offer is a good one: “It is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities.” The lack of social and environmental justice has afflicted Oceano for decades and you don’t even recognize it.
Oceano has functioned as a sort of “sacrifice zone,” both by neglect as well as being a place that is literally dumped on by surrounding cities. The County’s sewage treatment plant in our community processes all of AG and GB sewage (and we smell it all around the airport). Being an access point for vehicles on the beach and the SVRA was another sacrifice of the community and we lost our beach to automobiles We also lost our greatest economic and recreational asset in service to the SVRA. The airport is a hugely important piece of land in Oceano and many residents believe there are better and higher uses for that land—from a general community health perspective–than it remaining a functionally private airport for a group of people who can afford to fly airplanes. Only 22% of Oceano residents want a 80 acre airport in the community. The other 78% oppose it or don’t care either way. The California Coastal Commission recently recognized the environmental and social injustice issues at play in your big development plans for the airport. That is why they opposed it.
From my perspective here is what environmental and social justice look like in Oceano:
–A three mile long beachfront with no vehicles stretching from the State Park’s staff entrance 1/2 mile North of Pier Ave
to the boundary of the SVRA 2 1/2 miles South of Pier Ave.
–Pier Avenue becomes a vibrant destination spot for tourists and locals with cafes, restaurants, live music, and a beautiful public gathering area like Avila Beach has along its community’s beachfront.
–The airport becomes part of restored and integrated wetlands and stormwater management area for wildlife, kayakers, bird watchers. It also includes new recreational facilities including soccer fields which serve as water recharge basins when needed. A new RV, camping, day use and beach access development serves locals as well as tourists and brings major dollars and jobs into our community.
–A new and extensive system of boardwalks (as proposed by State Parks) connect the Oceano State Park and the Oceano Dune Preserve and Arroyo Creek lagoon to the public plaza on Pier Avenue and the tourist facilities at the redeveloped airport property.
With something like this, all of Oceano prospers as opposed to your plan of a tricked out small airport that benefits millionaires like yourself but does essentially nothing for the community. Put as much lipstick on the airport pig as you want, it is still a pig with its private 80 acre playground that the rest of us can only gaze at through the chain link fence. Do you seriously think this is what social justice looks like in Oceano? You don’t have a clue.
Charles Varni
Charles
I suggest you google yourself and read the extensive reporting done on you. Even here in the New Times, in both their reporting and opinion pieces, your attacks and dysfunction have been extensively documented and reported on. You have openly and publicly attacked your manager, your law firm, your citizens, your fellow directors, and even me personally. You actually went on a radio show and did this. Your manager and law firm quit because of you! You recorded yourself in your Oceano Advisory Council meetings and POSTED your personal attacks on social media. It is stunning that you now claim to be a victim.
You may not be aware that the airport is regarded as essential by the FAA, and in addition, every supervisor, including 4th District Supervisor Paulding, supports the airport. Like it or not, the airport is staying.
The proposal for improvements to the airport, which you worked against, called for a community plan to further engage the community. Thanks to your opposition, that is now delayed.
A difference of opinion is not an attack.
Challenging incorrect action or information from an attorney is not an attack.
Challenging misbehavior and by-laws violations on the part of a General manager is not an attack.
Supporting a vehicle free beach or a vacation rental ordinance is not dysfunction.
Being a community advocate for safe routes to schools is not dysfunctional.
Funding field trips for every student at Oceano Elementary School is not dysfunctional.
Believing there is a better community use for airport land is not dysfunctional.
Protecting our community from dangerous oil trains is not dysfunctional.
Organizing community support for a community plaza to be built this Spring is not dysfunctional.
Writing a grant to get curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and flood control in Oceano is not dysfunctional.
Lobbying for and mobilizing community support for a $3 million grant from Congressman Carbajal to upgrade our water supply system is not dysfunctional.
Wanting Oceano to have a fair share of the wealth it produces in taxes is not dysfunctional.
Being a community centered and focused politician is not dysfunctional.
I am not a victim. I am a often successful changemaker with progressive environmental, economic, and social justice values. Some people hate that. Not my problem.
If I had a nickel for every time Charles Varni lectured a Person of Color on social justice, I’d be rich enough to buy a hologram of Martin Luther King Jr. lecturing Varni on social justice.
Varni! With all your dislikes, I don’t think people think you are as cool as you say you are. Thats a bummer cuz any dude that can get his ole lady to do the swap thing so you can get enough money to go to school is freakin rad. Love your thesis rock on dude!
Good lord Charles don’t you ever get tired of continually defending your actions and words? Gee’s your history goes clear back to when you were 15 years old or so and you started bad mouthing your local police for telling you it was against the law to drive your go cart on the public street. No matter where you go you are the center of controversy. You call this act as being a progressive conservative. You double talk left and right so often that you contradict yourself to now end. You want to attract people to come and visit Oceano, yet you don’t want them to fly in or do the one thing Oceano has been known for since the early 1900’s and that was to drive on the beach. I’m not talking about ripping up the dunes, I’m talking about driving on the beach. One of the two places on the west coast where you can do that, and you want to stop it. You call that progressive? Why don’t you stop and listen to the people instead of working to force your views on the Oceano residence. You’re trying really hard to change the history of our town and change the name to Varni’s Ville. You not only want to have Grover take over the governance of Oceano you also want to make Pier Ave look like Pomeroy Ave in Pismo. Besides, this is not a duty of the Oceano Community Service District. It is not your duty to change the 150 year history of this small farming community. This is not Santa Barbara. If you don’t like it here, MOVE……..
I wholeheartedly agree with Adam Verdin on the importance of Oceano Airport. It’s a vital hub, gathering spot and a unique feature of Oceano. The airport enriches the community far beyond aviation.
On the other hand, Charles Varni’s consistent opposition to such beneficial projects raises concerns. His track record of decisions, including the push to shut down the airport and his stance on the dunes, often seems out of touch with the broader interest of the community.
We need perspectives that recognize and build on Oceano’s strengths, not those that undermine them. Maybe if Varni would attend events at the airport such as the recent Toys for Tots he would better understand the benefits.
woahhhh looks like the rich dude better watch it cuz shady lady is always talkin about his cash stash. And she has the stones to do it!
Oceano airport is a wonderful place, and I hope it remains for future generations to enjoy, rather than being turned into a real estate developer’s wet dream. There is such a sense of friendliness and community and I’ve always felt so welcome by the airport staff and the community.
Flying into Oceano, borrowing some bikes and riding into town has always been a wonderful way to enjoy this lovely location while supporting local businesses. Sometimes we come for the day and sometimes we come for a weekend. Everyone that finds out we flew in thinks it’s so cool and I’ve never met anyone who disparaged the airport.
It’s indisputable that there is an economic benefit for the community and having an airport is an important and valuable resource. It’s also extremely valuable for disaster relief or emergency purposes. I can’t understand anyone in that community wanting to close it.
Railing against an airport used by average folks and wanting instead to give the land over for the benefit of super rich land developers to build MCBeach Mansions also makes zero sense from any social justice perspective.
Keep Oceano Airport open and growing!
Question for Varni and his side kick AD. You keep referring to someone who owns an airplane as rich. You sound like you don’t want anyone who has an airplane to visit Oceano. How about a person who has spent a ton of money on building a classic automobile? Are they also in your classification as a rich person who is to be snubbed? How about a person who has worked long hours to build and successfully business? Are they also to be on the list of those you don’t want to visit Oceano? How about the person who spent years in college getting an advanced degree in astrophysics and went on to live a fulfilling and financially successful life? How about the auto mechanic who build a successful repair business?
Guess you don’t want them around either. Right? I gather you two have a criteria for those who are welcome to visit Oceano. Please tell us about it. Who are the lucky ones you welcome? BTW, most people who own small general aviation aircraft are far from rich. Who gave you the right and authority to judge and degrade others?
Charles
Before you type another word, PLEASE go back and watch your youtube videos, or social media posts, where you are personally attacking and deriding other community members. You are not simply sharing a difference of opinion. You are attacking. In fact it was similar conduct which got your OAC disbanded with only one member of the BOS against it. Go to SLOSPAN and watch your meetings, in particular the October 25th meeting where you violate the Brown Act against legal counsels advice, where you inexplicably and repeatedly start yelling Lynn Compton’s name (who is no longer a Supervisor), where you are yelling at attendees of your meeting. Go to the meeting where the town came out en masse to oppose your annexation efforts. Compare that crowed, to the near total lack of attendance to your recent Day of the Dead party, where you used limited district funds to hold an event, on the wrong date. Or the October 11th meeting. Or the more recent meeting where you, as a self interested party, voted on a matter which is a clear conflict of interest. When I say you are a dysfunctional leader it is not a personal attack, but rather a conclusion based on observation. With that said, you can turn it around, but it requires work on your part.
About the airport and social justice, Ill just add this. As my letter says, the airport can present an opportunity for our young folks as well as an economic driver, but it requires attention first in improvements, and second in the manner in which the airport is engaging with the community. Both of these issues were addressed in the proposal before the Coastal Commission, which you opposed. Fundamentally, my approach, and the approach of the entire Board of Supervisors on this matter, and county airport staff, is constructive – to make it better. Your approach and those of your retired friends at the OBCA is destructive – destroy infrastructure. Your vision of more trails (which by the way is a far cry for your prior vision of a commercial development), is one vision. Mine involves opportunities for our young people, economic benefit for our community, which means jobs and the ability to live here. Not all of us have the privilege of being a retired college professor.
True, pilots do represent a minority of the community, but when did it become the ideal for the tyranny of the majority to oppress and refuse to serve a minority group? Should all the county’s decisions be ruled solely by what is good for the greatest majority and never serving any minority needs? The Oceano area already has plenty of hiking paths, RV parks, and camp sites. How does it serve the mission of diversity to shutdown the small neighborhood airport for many local communities only to replace it with more of what the area already has an abundance of?
Also, the idea that all pilots are millionaires is a joke. Most millionaires are flying planes that can’t even land at Oceano. The average income of someone with a pilots license is less than $150K. It is an activity that is accessible to many people: you can purchase a decent used aircraft for less than the price of your average new car. Local working pilots are able to live and spend money in the community and for the visiting pilots, wouldn’t you rather have them spending their money and bringing economic prosperity to the communities around Oceano rather than forcing them to San Luis, Paso, or Santa Maria airports to spend their money there instead?
In fact, it is the millionaire fat cat developers that will benefit most from closing Oceano airport, as they will gladly rush in to develop the land to whatever use best lines their pockets. Despite what you might hope for, this is almost always what happens when a small community airport closes. Its pretty much guaranteed that behind every “close the airport” campaign, there are wealthy developers spending money to promote and spread the anti-airport propaganda and who can’t wait to get their hands on that airport real estate to enrichen themselves once they succeed.
Right now, the airlines are in the midst of a giant pilot hiring push, with the priority being diversity hires. Airline pilot jobs are solid head-of-household job that will easily earn you six figures. The existence of the Oceano airport serves to inspire Oceano residents that they too can pursue an aviation career path, rather than promulgating the myth that pilot jobs are only something for the big city elites. All pilots start flying the sort of small aircraft that Oceano airport serves best.
If you truly want to diversify your outlook, do some research about all the benefits that aviation and airports offer to small communities instead of pursuing narrow minded one-size-fits all uses for our county land. Your local airport can be a huge economic engine for the local community if you let it.
It’s sad to see a positive post attacked with class warfare categorizing all pilots as rich elites. Most pilots of the small General Aviation aircraft that can use Oceano Airport are solid middle class people. We come from all walks of life and backgrounds and many of us find affordable access to aviation through partnerships or rentals.
Regardless of financial means, people need places for recreation and activities. Whether that is accessing the dunes in offroad vehicles, hiking trails, mountain bike trails, horse trails, or even airports, we need and want publicly accessible recreation and the ability to enjoy unique places. Oceano Airport is one of those unique locations where you can fly in, camp , enjoy the beach and local businesses without needing to rent a car.
Many pilots have a similar story to Adam with our first exposure to aviation being at a small airport. No TSA, friendly pilots willing to share time and knowledge about their passion and an opportunity to experience the joy of flight.
I would hate to see such a treasure closed when the most likely beneficiaries of a closure will be land developers clammering for precious coastal real estate.
Ochs, Verdin, and others frequently point to the Oct 25, 2023 OCSD meeting in which I assertively challenged our novice attorney who was seeking to stop me from talking about criminal behavior at OCSD. He was acting in violation of my rights under the Brown Act:
Cal. Gov. Code § 54963 e) A local agency may not take any action authorized by subdivision (c) against a person, nor shall it be deemed a violation of this section, for doing any of the following:
(1) Making a confidential inquiry or complaint to a district attorney or grand jury concerning a perceived violation of law, including disclosing facts to a district attorney or grand jury that are necessary to establish the illegality of an action taken by a legislative body of a local agency or the potential illegality of an action that has been the subject of deliberation at a closed session if that action were to be taken by a legislative body of a local agency.
(2) Expressing an opinion concerning the propriety or legality of actions taken by a legislative body of a local agency in closed session, including disclosure of the nature and extent of the illegal or potentially illegal action.
I had a damn good reason for objecting and expressing frustration. Ochs is 100% wrong that I violated the Brown Act. Period.
Complaints about Brown Act violations made by private citizens were made against the District, not me, and thus I had every right and obligation to vote my opinion on their merit and what the District would do in response to them. End of story.
Re: “The Oceano Airport doesn’t serve Oceano”
I would think twice about “Repurposing some of the airport acreage for such use would address this demand and foster a stronger sense of community by catering to the needs of our elderly residents.” NO,NO, NO…
That airport is contaminated. Folks who live in the house directly across from the park and airport, especially the first building facing the airport. These parents had children born with rare disorders. People have to wake up and go look at the water board papers for the last 30 years. Deep dive into this information. Demand water quality testing from an independent source. I have mentioned this before, yet the community didn’t want to believe it.
Gag orders were signed by parents. They were told not to tell the public about what happened to their family when living across from the airport. I’m talking about Ocean Airport, not SLO. However, Both airports have contamination in the groundwater and wells. Just from the mere fact of years of gas spilling on the runways.
The difference between Ocean, and SLO is the homes are too close to the airport. Look up the EWG zip code lookup in that area if you don’t believe me. Ask that the city bring in an independent tester from the EPA or make the complaint yourself.