One of the sticking points all along on the proposed Brown Field expansion has been the lack of a detailed airspace analysis by the Federal Aviation Administration.
It would be a shame if members of the San Diego City Council opt to shut down any further discussions about a plan that would be a huge shot in the arm for local business.
Council members are scheduled Oct. 1 to revisit whether to transform the aging Brown Field on Otay Mesa near the U.S.-Mexican border into a large, vibrant cargo shipment and manufacturing center. We hope they postpone any action until developers can finally attain an analysis from the FAA.
It’s the least they can do, considering such a request may not rank among the highest priorities at a federal agency besieged with massive simultaneous investigations in the wake of last month’s horrific terrorist attacks. In good time, we believe, the FAA will be able to focus on a comprehensive study of Brown Field’s airspace requirements.
We also think when the FAA conducts its analysis, they will come back with a positive response. It will further enhance the project’s revised flight plans, which propose flights would take off to the west and land from the east.
Such a plan should curry favor with the FAA, which previously had balked at proposals it stated could cause significant delays at other local airports, especially Lindbergh Field, Tijuana International Airport and the Navy’s Ream Field in Imperial Beach.
With that in mind, the $750 million expansion plan makes sound economic sense. San Diego has lagged for years in its ability to ship and accept freight since no viable airport exists locally. Many of the manufactured goods that must be shipped in bulk , remember, manufacturing remains the county’s largest industry , has been loaded onto trains and trucks pointed north to Los Angeles and Ontario airports.
An expansion of Brown Field not only recaptures much of that freight, it creates thousands of jobs in an area of San Diego poised to grow exponentially. The Brown Field expansion plan would be an immediate shot in the arm for the entire South Bay.
Should an agreement be struck, the funding already is in place. Even in the wake of the air disasters, financial heavyweights Farallon Capital Management and Lehman Bros. are resolute in providing the necessary capital for the project. On top of that, the developer and airport operations firm are ready to go.
All that’s needed now is a concession from the City Council to delay a final decision until FAA officials resolve the airspace issue. While that may take a little longer than originally thought, this decision ultimately is worth the wait.
