DATE:
December 10, 2025
05
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
MCCLELLAN-PALOMAR AIRPORT - APPROVE LEASE WITH UNITED AIRLINES AND RELATED CEQA FINDING (DISTRICTS: 3 AND 5)
Body
OVERVIEW
This item is a proposed lease with United Airlines for limited commercial aviation service at McClellan-Palomar Airport (Palomar Airport) beginning in late March 2026. Palomar Airport, owned by the County of San Diego and operated by the Department of Public Works (DPW)- Airports Division (Airports), serves as a critical link in the region's transportation network and economic infrastructure. The airport is one of seven airports operated by DPW, using funding from the Airport's self-sustaining maintenance and operations fund (Airport Enterprise Fund/AEF), at no cost to the General Fund. County Airports are home to flight schools, repair and maintenance shops, aircraft storage, aircraft sales and rental services, fuel providers, and instrument and avionics shops, and function as an essential base for regional emergency first responders such as law enforcement, fire, and medical. Palomar Airport supports corporate aviation, flight training, air charter, and limited scheduled commercial service. The airport provides convenient access for businesses and residents in North County and plays a key role in regional economic development, tourism, and emergency response.
Palomar Airport has been in operation in Carlsbad since 1959 and is designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a Commercial Service Airport. As a certified commercial service airport, Palomar undergoes annual inspections from the FAA and State, requiring the County to meet federal requirements in operational infrastructure, aircraft rescue and firefighting, staff training, security plans, and associated documentation. The County accepts federal grant funding from the FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and, as a condition of receiving funding from the FAA, the County must comply with a li...
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