A proposed housing development across from the Central Coast airport that recently flew wealthy guests in and out for Super Bowl 60 was defeated in court last month due to the threat of noise. 

The project was small in scope, 21 units facing the Watsonville Municipal Airport, but in an unexpected turn, it was a big concern for some in the aviation community. 

The Watsonville Pilots Association, or WPA, filed a lawsuit against the city of Watsonville in 2021 after the city council approved the 21-unit Townhome Project. The WPA’s suit hinged on a technicality. The city owns the airport and per the State Aeronautics Act, it’s required to adopt land use guidelines for its general plan using a handbook published by Caltrans.

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However, due to a previous lawsuit from the pilots association two decades ago, the city’s general plan with the criteria needed for planning developments near the airport was ultimately tossed out. When time came for a new housing development, in a state contending with a shortage, the pilots association spotted a loophole and flew their suit right through it.

Downtown Watsonville, Calif., in 2023.

Judge Timothy Schmal agreed with the WPA in a Feb. 3 ruling, determining that the city violated state aviation safety law by rubber stamping the project using an inadequate general plan. The ruling also said that the city’s environmental review relied on a study that insufficiently analyzed noise impacts. 

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