University Hills Housing Development
The Andy Jackson Airpark is home to 30 years of hang gliding history in San Bernardino. We are now threatened by a 980 home development called University Hills. The current plan includes 12 homes at the extreme north west corner of the project that would block the landing approach to the airpark. The project also includes 234 acres of open space. We need your help to ask the City and the developer to keep the approach clear. Move the open space (a little) and keep hang gliding alive and healthy in San Bernardino. We are not opposed to the housing development at all. We simply want to eliminate the need to swoop low over homes on our landing approach and minimize the potential problems for pilots and homeowners. The Draft Environmental Impact Report is available now on the City website: http://www.ci.san-bernardino.ca.us/depts/devserv/planning
25 Aug: Article in the San Bernardino Sun newspaper.
Please contact City Planning before September 15 at:
City of San Bernardino Development Services Department
Attn: John Oquendo, Assistant Planner
300 North D Street
San Bernardino, CA 92418
Ask them to modify the University Hills Specific Plan to:
a)Keep the 400 X 400 foot area under the airpark approach clear;
b)Dedicate the airspace to the Department of Water Resources
We have prepared sample letters in versions for local pilots, visiting pilots, interested parties and local businesses.
Discussion, including a pilot's detailed letter, in President's blog at Andy Jackson Airpark Needs Your Help
We also have a draft of the official CSS response to the findings in the Environmental Impact Report.
Thank you from the Crestline Soaring Society
http://www.crestlinesoaring.org
UHSP@crestlinesoaring.org
Left-Hand Approach over University Hills Homes
Airpark Left-Hand Approach Altitudes: Typical left-hand approach pattern into Andy Jackson Airpark with nominal altitudes for hang gliders.
Andy Jackson Airpark Needs Your Help
After years of working with the developer, and some helpful modifications along the way, the Draft Environmental Impact Review is out for the proposed development next door. There are still houses planned right in the approach. According to the review that would have "no significant impact". I suppose that's correct if you don't count hitting a house on your downwind.
Public comment runs through Sept 15 and we would like to ask each of you to write a letter of comment and help preserve our site. We've drafted some sample letters, but they're just a start point. Write of how the site affects you; your first flight, the times you've spent here, the international reputation of Andy Jackson. Please ask the city to keep homes out of the approach and have the airspace dedicated to the Department of Water Resources. They own the land we lease for the LZ and are tied to us through the licensing of the Devil's Canyon project.
The good news is that we are impacted by a small number of homes on one of the extreme corners of the development. There is 58% open space on the 404 acre site. We just need the city and the developer to shift a few of those acres into the approach.
Much more information is available at: http://www.crestlinesoaring.org/UniversityHills
Please put your thoughts in the mail to the City. NOW is the best time to comment.
Thank you,
Alan Crouse
President, Crestline Soaring Society
Airpark Left-Hand Approach Altitudes
Typical left-hand approach pattern into Andy Jackson Airpark with nominal altitudes for hang gliders.
Left-Hand Approach over University Hills Homes
The left-hand aircraft approach into Andy Jackson Airpark over planned homes in the University Hills development.
Planning Commission Meeting - Nov 5, 2008 (Short Report Added)
The City of San Bernardino Planning Commission will consider the University Hills development project at their Nov 5 meeting http://www.ci.san-bernardino.ca.us/depts/devserv/agendas/planning_commission_agendas.asp.
At this point the proposal is unchanged, despite almost 300 letters from the Hang Gliding Community.
This will be an open, public meeting at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall.
This is the next step in a long road to have the proposal changed to support Hang Gliding.
- Alan