Cecil Field/Navy opposition website launched

[bobliocatt]

A group of Westside and Clay County residents has launched a website to help stop the Navy from returning to Cecil Field.

www.betterwestside.com

[vicupstate]

A group, lead by Ed Burr (owner of LandMar/Shipyards), has launched a website to help stop the Navy from returning to Cecil Field.

www.betterwestside.com

I believe Ed Burr is on Peyton's committee to explore how (not if) Cecil should be re-opened if VA loses the base. This website is from an opposing group of Westsiders.

[Captain Obvious]

edit - I removed a rant about homebuilders, until/unless it is confirmed that landmar is in fact behind the website.

[bobliocatt]

(sorry about that, I misread the article. Ed Burr has been elected to head a working group on land use by Peyton. The Opposition group was formed Westside and Clay County residents)

Group kicks off anti-Cecil campaign

The Better Westside Project opposes a $50 million package promised to reopen Cecil Field.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._19846710.shtml

[vicupstate]

Peyton's group had their first meeting yesterday as well.

Base Reopening Group has first meeting

[Captain Obvious]

"The group ... commissioned a poll showing mixed reaction on the Westside, though it declined to fully disclose the results."

If the group won't release it's own poll, that already gives you a hint about the results ... .

[jjoshjl]

i dunno,

I have mixed feelings about the base coming here as well...

I mean in general, they are lower paying jobs as a whole. And it also eats up a very large part of land that we can no longer develope. The second is realy my biggest issue. If there was nothing going on out there i would be like sure, bring it on, but the fact is, cecil field was/is starting to blossum. my understanding is the Navy wouldnt take all the land, but the fact is, you loose a very large area for development that was already it seems in the midst of a little developement boom out there...

Anyway,, jsut my opinion and thats as far as it goes, jsut wanted to say there are a number of us that do have some concerns about the base...

Cheers Guys

[bobliocatt]

I'm still on the fence. Imo, 12,000 Navy jobs and 20,000 to 30,000 new citizens (with diverse backgrounds) is great for this city or any city, no matter which way you spin it. I also like the idea of having the base as a growth boundary, discouraging low density spawl and incouraging infill and redevelopment on the Westside.

On the other hand, jet noise over the Westside, where will Jeb & Peyton find $200 million, how will the Cecil decision effect the future of NAS Jax & Mayport, and will Cecil close during the next BRAC round are my main concerns.

[JaxNole]

I'm not sure. I lived about five miles away from Cecil Field and the noise did not bother me. Planes departing from NAS fly across the river and into Mandarin/Beauclerc and the noise is less frequent than the hum from traffic on our highways and six-laned roads. Cecil Field is far enough away from large housing developments, which made it a prime location for the Navy to conduct its operations.

In my opinion, the noise associated with Navy operations is overstated. I notice sirens and car horns more than planes flying overhead. When my father was stationed at Cecil Field, he was making a little more than $50,000 a year and he wasn't a highly-ranked officer. The military is not the private sector, but still provides a considerable financial impact and lends to diversity, as someone else mentioned.