CARLSBAD — The Carlsbad City Council unanimously approved a series of measures on Tuesday evening to strengthen the city’s authority over land use and potential expansions at McClellan-Palomar Airport.
After years of legal disputes and community advocacy, the move marks a critical step in addressing tensions between the city and San Diego County, which operates the airport, over its future development.
The council’s action involves a sweeping update to the city’s General Plan, zoning codes and Local Coastal Program, clarifying the city’s regulatory authority.
The changes aim to prevent unauthorized airport expansions, limit development to existing boundaries as a general aviation facility, codify state definitions of “airport” and “airport expansion,” and require conditional use permits for any new or expanded airport-related activities.
“This is all about local control,” said Mayor Keith Blackburn. “This is a time where the state is slowly chipping away at our local control, and this was an opportunity to hold on to some of it.”
Decades-long struggle over local oversight
Carlsbad’s authority over McClellan-Palomar Airport has been a contentious issue since its annexation in 1978. Under the annexation agreement, San Diego County agreed to obtain a conditional use permit from the city for airport operations and any potential expansions.
The original permit, issued in 1980, requires city approval for any changes or developments outside its scope. In 2018, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved an update of the airport master plan, which included a shift in the airport’s classification from a B-II medium-sized facility to one capable of handling larger jets (D-III) and a proposal to extend the runway by up to 800 feet.
These changes triggered lawsuits from both the city and a local advocacy group, Citizens for a Friendly Airport (C4FA), over concerns about environmental impacts and loss of local oversight.
In 2021, a partial legal victory by C4FA determined that the county must obtain an amendment to its conditional use permit for the airport before changing its design standard.
Despite the ruling, disputes continued. The county reapproved its master plan in late 2021 after additional environmental analysis but did not seek city approval to amend its permit for the proposed runway extension.
Earlier this year, C4FA renewed its push for stronger city regulations to ensure local control over the airport, prompting the Carlsbad City Council to revisit and update its codes.
“This has been a well-thought-out, well-vetted, Herculean effort,” said Vickey Syage, president of C4FA. “Tonight is a culmination of seven years of work and over $1 million in legal fees spent by both the City of Carlsbad and C4FA over the past seven years.”
Syage criticized the county’s attempts to bypass the original annexation agreement, which granted Carlsbad local control over airport development.
“The county did as it pleased, and the city believed itself powerless to stop it,” she said. “Tonight, we are asking the City Council to take the next step so the city, the county, and the residents never have to go through such an ordeal again.”
Community concerns and county pushback
Residents and environmental advocates have long opposed airport expansion, citing increased noise, pollution and potential safety risks.
Hope Nelson, a Carlsbad resident, called on the council to remain vigilant.
“My hope is that our City Council will implement the necessary actions in the most aggressive way and to the fullest extent of the law,” Nelson said.
In letters to the city, Jamie Abbott, director of airports for San Diego County, pledged the county’s commitment to working collaboratively with Carlsbad but argued that federal aviation guidelines preempt local authority.
The city’s newly adopted measures rely on state law to assert oversight and ensure that any airport development aligns with local planning standards.
As a result of Tuesday’s decision, some measures tied to local control will be implemented right away, while others, such as changes to the Local Coastal Program, require approval from the California Coastal Commission.
Additionally, the city must remain prepared for potential legal challenges or disputes with the county.
The council’s vote also addresses concerns about ongoing efforts to expand airport operations. Plans for American Airlines to operate flights out of Palomar have drawn scrutiny, and the county is expected to review a contract in December.
“When it’s in the news, we’re going to get credit for it,” Blackburn said. “And I like that.”
