More hangars, innovation center elevated in Livermore Airport development strategy (2025)

City officials plan to move forward with new hangar development at the Livermore Municipal Airport this year, following recent completion of the airport’s land use and development study.

Staff also intend to open an aviation innovation center at the airport during late 2025 or early 2026, determine this year whether a public safety complex is needed at the airport and continue exploring advanced air mobility technology – all part of strategy coming out of an airport study presented to the City Council on Monday night.

“We often have complaints from up here about losing control,” Vice Mayor Evan Branning said. “And this is us defining what we want to build, how we want to build it and how we’ll control that going forward.”

The tasks are part of a development strategy meant to improve operational efficiency, generate revenue and leverage the airport as a community asset, according to the staff report prepared by Livermore principal planner Andy Ross. The strategy emerged from the “menu” of possibilities offered in the Airport Land Use Analysis and Development Study created by city consultant C&S Companies.

After the objectives are completed, staff will reassess land-use at the airport. If undeveloped land remains on the approximately 590-acre site, the city can decide whether to study future airport demand to move forward with its non-aeronautical or mixed use.

Designated as a general aviation reliever airport by the Federal Aviation Administration, LVK provides non-airline flight operations for individuals, organizations and businesses. Annual takeoffs and landings at LVK total approximately 180,000 and most of the airport’s 460 tenants are Livermore and Pleasanton residents, according to the Livermore city website.

The Airport Land Use Analysis and Development Study was initiated to identify available and advisable uses of airport land, according to the report.

Through this study, 14 undeveloped sites on the land, totaling 165 acres, were studied for their development potential. C&S discouraged development on five sites located in the western portion of the airport generally due to their open space characteristics and use as flood protection.

Eight sites were found to allow aeronautical or “airport purpose” land-use categorization, which permits development that directly supports or is related to airport operations. Potential developments may include hangars, aircraft maintenance, aviation businesses and services consistent with current FAA regulations.

The majority of these eight sites were also found suitable for mixed-use or non-aeronautical land uses, which may include manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, fuel and energy production, hospitality as well as facilities for STEM, aviation training or research and development, according to the report. Under FAA obligation, mixed-use or non-aeronautical land uses could only be considered if the FAA approved such use based on demonstrated lack of demand for aeronautical purposes.

Through the study, the project team elicited feedback through focus groups, open houses and an online survey.

The team found community interest in addressing demand for new hangars, considering the feasibility of non-aeronautical uses that could support the airport, exploring new technologies, limiting airport development based on noise concerns and community engagement.

As for the city staff’s plan moving forward, it intends to identify the best approach for hangar development this year, including their cost and footprint, Ross said. More details about the hangars are expected during the development stage and entitlement process.

These hangars are expected to help address unmet demand at the airport, according to airport manager Benedict Stuth.

Currently, there are 147 people on hangar waiting lists for LVK, Stuth said. This equates to wait times averaging eight years for small to medium hangars and 17 to 20 years for larger, box-style hangars.

The goal would be satisfying part of the demand, but not all of it, according to Stuth.

“There’s nothing wrong with having a little bit of a hangar waitlist because you are reducing your risk profile,” he said.

The three other objectives — including the innovation center, emergency complex and exploration of advanced air mobility technology — are in the scoping phase, according to Brandon Cardwell, city innovation and economic development director.

The Livermore Planning Commission supported staff’s next steps at its March 19 special meeting with recommendations to broaden language regarding innovative technology beyond electric vertical take-off and landing aircrafts.

At the ensuing council meeting, public responses to the development approach were split nearly evenly between support and concern.

On the side of concern, speakers worried about the allocation of funds amid wider economic uncertainty. They also expressed worries about the potential presence of PFAS at LVK and urged the city to wait for a report on the matter expected to be released this fall. Another concern involved the city’s response to C&S suggestions like updating the Airport Master Plan to establish a long-term vision for LVK.

Livermore Mayor John Marchand later responded to some of the concerns.

The money raised at the airport cannot be used for other purposes, Marchand explained.

Also if PFAS originated from the airport, it would be on the north side of the airport, Marchand said. That would allow for potential extraction on the north side while development occurs on the south side.

As for public support, commenters suggested the benefits of having an innovation center, a public safety hub and innovation at LVK. One also noted that the developments would lead to job creation.

Pete Sandhu — owner of LVK’s fixed-base operator, Five Rivers Aviation — suggested that a public safety complex would improve service in the area.

“Helicopters and aircraft that we’re attracting to Livermore, by providing suitable facilities for them, will solve some of those substantial deficiencies that we have in our community and provide that kind of level of safety and security for our citizens,” Sandhu said.

Marchand agreed that the safety hub would be beneficial to the public.

“Having that emergency complex here, I think, is extraordinarily valuable because we’re talking about people’s lives,” Marchand said. “These are things we can all get behind, because when you need an ambulance, you need it and you need to get to the hospital quickly.”

There are trade-offs for having a public safety complex, like increased noise, Branning said. He requested more information about the potential noise impacts of the facility, but extended his initial support for the potential development.

As for advanced aviation mobility, Branning said he was very excited by the idea of Livermore being a leader in aeronautics.

“One of the coolest things in this is the opportunities for us to really have a future focused airport”, Branning said.

Staff plan to give quarterly updates regarding its airport strategy to the Livermore Airport Commission. The first stop for a development proposal regarding the airport would be the commission, so Branning advised interested community members to tune into those meetings.

“This will affect Livermore for the foreseeable future, and so I want to make sure we get it right,” Branning said.