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.
KION reached out to the City of Del Rey Oaks and to the Monterey Regional Airport for this story, but we did not receive a call back in time.
