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Carlsbad's Citizens' Vote
McClellan-Palomar Airport is unique in that San Diego County owns and operates the airport. Like all US airports, it is under the control of the FAA, but the Citizens of Carlsbad have authority by way of a vote on whether or not the airport can expand. It is a decision that must be made by the voters in Carlsbad.
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It is the ONLY airport in the US to operate this way because of the 1980 Citizens' Initiative.
A Conditional Use Permit (CUP-172) defines what can and can't be done at McClellan-Palomar Airport without a citywide vote. It defines how the Citizens' Initiative will be implemented.
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