Letter: Livermore Resident Has Concerns About KaiserAir Hearings

A letter to the editor from Livermore Patch reader Felicia Ziomek:

It would be dishonorable to consider the proposed KaiserAir development project during this Pandemic. I don’t want to believe city leaders are purposely considering this project now, while everyone is coping with the worst Pandemic the world has experienced in 100 years, so few people would learn the details of the proposed project. Affected citizens in the Tri-Valley are unaware of the full project details to realize how it would negatively impact them. Currently, people are experiencing personal financial uncertainty, having been furloughed or terminated from their jobs, are unable to pay their rent or mortgage, and struggle to feed their families. During this Pandemic shelter-in-place, no meetings in person can be held, which would allow affected citizens to hear the full project details and provide feedback on the proposed construction of T-hangers, maintenance and fuel facility for aircraft. Once the facility is built, the city/airport can’t regulate the number of flights KaiserAir can bring in. Jet traffic will grow!

Conveying KaiserAir proposed development online is not sufficient and restricts access to seniors. Many people don’t have computers or know how Zoom works. And requiring people to copy/paste their comments into the Q&A box, in segments of 150 words during Planning Commission meetings (because citizens aren’t permitted to speak), isn’t a good process, even for people somewhat tech-savvy.

Don’t use this Pandemic shelter-in-place and the diverted focus of citizens trying to meet their basic food/shelter/clothing needs, as an opportunity to slip through this KaiserAir development project. Citizens deserve full details, and vote for what they believe is best for them and their community. The city should send a complete explanation of this proposed airport expansion to every house within a 5-mile radius of the airport and also include a ballot measure during the next election so all Tri-Valley citizens can cast their vote.

Read: Does Livermore Have The Power To Stop Airport Expansion?

I have serious concerns regarding the proposed airport development and its effect on noise levels, quality of life, and property values around the airport, and in the Tri-Valley as a whole. Having the Livermore city officials making major decisions affecting the quality of life of the Tri-Valley citizens, without their full engaged participation and feedback, would be wrong.

Zoom meetings aren’t sufficient, because there’s so many affected citizens that don’t use computers, or don’t know how to use Zoom. Don’t consider this project during this Pandemic shelter-in-place.

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