Airport Road

KION News Interview

Del Rey Oaks residents fighting new airport road plans
"A group of citizens in Del Rey Oaks are fighting what they see as a negative change to their town if a new airport road project moves forward.

You may have seen signs up and around Del Rey Oaks in recent weeks that are not supportive of a new road, and it is all part of an effort to show a united front.

“Within a month’s time, we were able to collect $500 and create signs and canvass the neighborhood and get postcard signs showing that we were against this amendment to the general plan,” said Kim Shirley, a Del Rey Oaks resident who helped organize the effort.

The City of Del Rey Oaks is looking to change its general plan to allow for a new airport road to go through town. The project has been in the works for some time, but residents there are now mobilizing to try and stop it.

“We don’t want the intrusion of the airport. It’s way close enough, we hear those planes taking off many times a day everyday. That’s enough,” said Patrice Vecchione, a Del Rey Oaks resident.

The new road would cut through Del Rey Gardens Drive and would be built on top of a hill with condominiums nearby.

One of the biggest issues is the airport’s intent to build hangars on the north side, which would impact residents nearby.

“We don’t want anymore hangars and the noise from the air. We just want quiet neighborhood, and that’s what Del Rey Oaks is for,” said Roland Abanico, a Del Rey Oaks resident.

There are also major concerns about the increase in traffic a new airport road would bring.

“218 is already small and going 45 miles per hour, it’s so hard for the residents to merge towards the traffic,” said Abanico.

With a “no on road” campaign underway, organizers now have to wait until the airport submits a formal application to the city for the project.

“So we’re just waiting. Meanwhile we’re letting everyone know how we feel about it,” said Shirley.

​

Monterey Herald Letter to the Editor

"The airport would undoubtedly make short work of building the access road if allowed to proceed. However, the residents of Del Rey Oaks, and indeed anyone who uses Highway 218, would be living with the consequences indefinitely. As reported in the airport’s own Master Plan and environmental impact report, those consequences include significant commercial development on the north side and up to 7,000 additional trips daily on Highway 218.

While the airport downplays this scenario, it is truly difficult not to contemplate the enormous negative impact this would have, not only on Del Rey Oaks residents but throughout the Peninsula community. If you want to have a voice in what happens, the city is holding public workshops at the Del Rey Oaks City Hall on Thursday at 6 p.m. and on July 13 at 11 a.m. Come make your voice heard!"

— Kimberly Shirley, Del Rey Oaks