Here’s the Demand From the San Diego Airport to Cut the 5 Palm Trees

CBSNews8 today published a letter from the San Diego International Airport that demanded the City of San Diego cut down five palm trees in Point Loma it had identified as “obstructions.” The letter from Dennis Probst, Vice President – Development for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority to Jay Goldstone, Chief Operating Officer for the city was dated March 25, 2022.

Here’s the letter – but no attachments were provided by the news station:

March 25, 2022

Jay Goldstone
Chief Operating Officer
City of San Diego
202 C Street
San Diego, CA 92101

Dear Mr. Goldstone:

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority (SDCRAA) appreciates the City of San Diego’s (City) continued cooperation regarding the planned removal of palm
trees that intrude into the protected airspace surrounding San Diego International Airport (Airport).

In October of last year, SDCRAA identified palm trees in the City’s public right of way that constitute “obstructions” as defined by federal law and, pursuant to federal and state law, must be removed. The FAA has confirmed that five of these trees currently constitute an obstruction and have an adverse effect upon the navigable
airspace at the Airport. For your reference, I have attached the following information: a table that includes survey information and identifies trees that require mitigation/removal; map of the five trees requiring mitigation/removal; photos of each tree noted in the table; FAA Notices for the five trees requiring
mitigation/removal.

You will note from the table that additional trees are approaching a height that constitutes an obstruction. In accordance with federal and state law, these will
eventually need to be removed. However, in consideration of recent community concern, SDCRAA is not asking for the removal of soon-to-be obstructions at this
time. Instead, SDCRAA will continue to periodically survey these trees to determine whether and when removal is required and provide further direction to the City as
necessary.

As you know, both federal and state law and regulations prohibit obstructions that are a hazard to air travel.1

For this reason, the Airport again directs the City to remove the five trees confirmed to be obstructions by the FAA and identified on the attached map. Please remove the trees prior to April 29, 2022, to avoid impacts to the Airport’s operations.

1 California Public Utilities Code §21659(a); 14 CFR Part 77; 14 CFR Part 139.331; FAA Order 5190.6B; FAA Grant Assurance #20.

Sincerely,

Dennis Probst
Vice President – Development
San Diego County Regional Airport Authority
619.400.2510
dprobst@san.org