Quote:
Originally Posted by Leo the Dog
Does the FAA actually have any power over local projects or is it just a guideline?
I've heard they have zero power before, but cities follow their guidelines to avoid pricey lawsuits from NIMBYS.
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I know we've been over this issue a thousand times on this forum, but the 500-foot height limit seems pretty arbitrary, and I seriously doubt that anyone has really tried to challenge the FAA's authority on that.
Yes, the developers of One America Plaza might have originally submitted a design for 650 feet, but it sounds like they immediately gave up without any attempt to challenge it.
SDCAL is right, it doesn't make any sense why there's a blanket 500-foot limit instead of a gradual increase/step down the closer you get to the flight path. The other small runway at Lindbergh Field is defunct, so that shouldn't affect the height limits. And none of the Navy aircraft ever pass over Downtown so that shouldn't be an issue either.
This sounds like a classic case of the federal government over-regulating, and I'm surprised that our local republican leaders haven't taken issue with this over the past few decades.