What you can do
- Write to Councilmember Raul Campillo (District 7) ↗
The Councilmember represents Serra Mesa on the City Council, which will decide whether to certify the environmental report and approve the master plan. No date has been published. Use the office's contact form, or call 619-236-6677.
Where it stands
The master plan sets out 20 years of development at the 550-acre airport north of Aero Dr. It proposes 92 new hangars, 48 tie-down spaces (outdoor spots where planes are parked and tied down), a 6,400-square-foot terminal expansion, a public viewing area and an unleaded fuel tank.
On the airfield, the plan would remove the displaced landing threshold on Runway 28R. A displaced threshold is a landing point set back from the end of the runway. The plan would also add approach lighting and reconfigure several taxiways.
The draft environmental report found effects on biological resources and land use that cannot be fully mitigated (reduced or offset). It found aircraft noise less than significant.
In October 2026 inewsource reported that the airport emits more lead than any other general aviation airport in the country. It found that the master plan's own figures, based on a 2017 study, put the airport above the level at which the EPA usually requires local air monitoring. It also found that no lead sampling has been done there.
Next: The City Council will decide whether to certify the final environmental report, and will approve the master plan at the same time. No date has been published. The final report will respond to the comments.
In July 2026 the City's draft responses to comments were with the City Attorney's Office. In September Airports staff were meeting weekly with the consultant and City Planning on updates to the report. In October they reported meeting internally on the report's status and discussing a possible schedule.
Planning group: The planning group asked for 14 more days to comment and got them. The City's Chief of Airports presented to the planning group on November 20, 2025. After that, the group had its chair send a comment letter.
The community council and the Montgomery-Gibbs Community Committee sent letters of their own. The committee opposed removing the displaced threshold and expanding the terminal.
The objection is an old one. The 1977 community plan noted fears that a longer Runway 28R would bring "larger (and noisier) aircraft". It put on record that "any increase in aircraft noise levels will not be tolerated."
- 1977 community plan (Montgomery Field, pp. 78–81)
- Notice of Availability
- Planning group request for more time
- Planning group minutes (airport presentation)
- Planning group letter
- Community council letter
- Montgomery-Gibbs Community Committee letter
- Airports Advisory Committee status report
- Airports Advisory Committee agenda, with the master plan status
- Airports Advisory Committee agenda, October status report
- Worst lead polluter among general aviation airports (inewsource)
Updated
Near Montgomery Field