WATSONVILLE PILOTS ASSN. v. City of Watsonville

Appellant City of Watsonville (the City) certified a final environmental impact report (FEIR) and approved “the Watsonville Vista 2030 General Plan” (the 2030 General Plan) to replace its previous general plan. The 2030 General Plan contemplated residential development in an unincorporated area known as Buena Vista that is located adjacent to the Watsonville Municipal Airport (the Airport). Respondents Friends of Buena Vista (Friends), Watsonville Pilots Association (Pilots), and Sierra Club filed mandamus petitions challenging the certification of the FEIR and the approval of the 2030 General Plan on the grounds that the 2030 General Plan violated the State Aeronautics Act (SAA) (Pub. Util. Code, § 21001 et seq.) and the City’s certification of the FEIR violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Pub. Resources Code § 21000 et seq.) because the FEIR failed to adequately analyze the impact of the 2030 General Plan on aviation, traffic, and the water supply, and failed to consider a reasonable range of alternatives. The trial court found that the 2030 General Plan violated the SAA, and the City’s certification of the FEIR violated CEQA because the FEIR did…