Posted on Wed, Apr. 21, 2010

Waving signs reading, “I (heart) Oceano Airport,” and “Edwards a go-go back to Los Osos,” dozens of pilots and Oceano residents on Wednesday protested a Los Osos resident’s proposal to redevelop the Oceano County Airport.

“A lot of people are saying, ‘We don’t want all of this, we like our little beach community the way it is,’ ” said Kerry Langford, who has lived in Oceano for 24 years. “Stop trying to shove something down our throats.”

Jeff Edwards has said he’s interested in seeing the airport razed and redeveloped. He’s developed a conceptual plan for the airport that includes hotels, residential and commercial development, senior housing and a town center.

He said before Wednesday’s meeting that it’s premature to have other developers interested in his plans, but that his role is to facilitate a discussion about the property.

County officials, as well as the Board of Supervisors, have said publicly they are not interested in seeing the 58-acre county owned airport redeveloped.

On Wednesday, Dennis Shallenberger, president and chief geotechnical engineer of San Luis Obispo-based Earth Systems Pacific, talked about geological issues at the airport should an earthquake occur.

Shallenberger, who was not paid to present at the meeting, said development “is questionable in my mind,” but added that further analysis would need to be done.

Reach Cynthia Lambert at 781-7929. Stay updated by following @SouthCountyBeat on Twitter.