DEPARTMENT OF 

TRANSPORTATION 

• JJ:KF ; ^•» T OPERATiONo 

m GCI !3 A iO: 31; 

Petaluma Chamber of Commerce 

6 Petaluma Blvd. North, Suite A2 

Petaluma, CA 94952 

July 29, 2009 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretar)' of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, SW, Suite 10200 

Washington, DC 20590 

Subject: Docket OST-2009-0149 

Dear Secretary LaHood: j 

i 

The Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce strongly supports Sonoma j 

County, California's application for a Small Communitj' Air Service Development j 

Program grant to help expand and improve airline service to the Charles M. Schulz j 

- Sonoma Cotmty Airport. ' 

j 

The entire county and the surrounding area supports the efforts of the j 

Sonoma Coimty Board of Super\'isors and its partners (local employers, California j 

State University, Chambers of Commerce, community groups from all the 

surrounding counties, various airlines, and others) to bring increase airline service 

to our airport. 

Local airline service has traditionally been the most convenient and practical 

way to travel to other parts of the state and country to visit family, for business 

purposes, and for leisure. It is also the best way for family members, tourists and 

people with business in the area to get here. The highways are now very congested, 

and with the federal budget situation there seems little hope of improving them. 

Increased airline service and additional destinations like Salt Lake City and San 

Diego would help solve the problem and would help ease congestion oh the areas 

highways and the San Francisco Bay Area airports. 

Flight now it is necessary to ride the bus or drive to congested bay area 

airports to get a flight. The trip used to take about two hours from Santa Rosa. 

Small Communiiy Air Semce Developmeni Program Page 37 

Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airpon Proposal 
Mendocino County Lodging Association 

PO Box 550, Little River, CA 95456 • 866-637-MCLA 

July 25, 2009 

The Ilonorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, SW, Suite 10200 

Washington, DC 20590 

Subject: Docket OST-2009-0149 

Dear Secretan' LaHood: 

I am writing to you in suppon of the County of Sonoma, California's application for a Small 

Community Air Service Development Program grant. 

The Mendocino County Lodging Association is composed of all the lodging operators in the 

County and is supported by a Business Improvement District. The mission of the organization is to 

encourage responsible tourism. 

Mendocino County is the northern neighbor of Sonoma County. Until the arrival of Horizon 

Airlines flights at Sonoma County's airport t^vo years ago, for many years our Coimty had been without 

any scheduled service within a three hour drive. That lack effectively limited us to a drive market and 

hindered the development of our tourism industry, one of the few potential growth areas in our 

economically struggling mostly rural County. 

Expansion of service to new hubs in Salt Lake City and San Diego will fiulher strengthen our 

tourism and business economies by creating easier access and more choices for both business travelers 

and tourists alike.. 

Sonoma Coimty has formed an active private-public partnership to push for and promote good 

airline sen'ice at the Sonoma County Airport. Businesses, California State University, community groups 

from all the surrounding counties, and various airlines are working together to bring additional airline 

service to this large and growing community. The expansion of the terminal, currently underway, will also 

be more conducive to increased scheduled service. 

Please support these efforts with a Small Community Air Service Development Program grant to 

Sonoma County- it will make the difference. 

Sincerely, 

Jan Rodriques, President 

Mendocino County Lodging Association 

Small Community Air Service Development Program Page 36 

Charles M. Schulz- Sonoma County Airport Proposal 
Hilton Sonoma Wine Country 

3555 Round Bam Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 

(707) 523-7555 • wv/w.winecountryhilton.com 

July 21, 2009 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transpwrtation 

400 Seventh Street, SW, Suite 10200 

Washington, DC 20590 

Subject: Docket OST-2009-0149 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

I strongly support Sonoma County, California's application for a Small Community Air Service 

Development Program grant to help expand and improve airline service to the Charles M. Schulz -

Sonoma County Airport. 

My observation is that the entire county and the surrounding area supports the efforts of the 

Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Its partners (local employers, California State University, 

community groups from all the surrounding counties, various airlines, and others) to bring increase 

airline service to our airport. 

Local airline service has traditionally been the most convenient and practical way to travel to 

other parts of the state and country to visit family, for business purposes, and for leisure. It Is also 

the best way for family members, tourists and people with business in the area to get here. The 

highways are now very congested, and with the federal budget situation there seems little hope of 

improving them. Increased airline service and additional destinations like Salt Lake City and San 

Diego would help solve the problem and would help ease congestion on the areas highways and the 

San Francisco Bay Area airports. 

Right now it Is necessary to ride the bus or drive to congested bay area airports to get a 

flight. The trip used to take about two hours from Santa Rosa. Now the same trip now takes at least 

three hours at most times of the day because of highway congestion. It takes much longer for those 

living in the many rural and small communities that are one to two hours away from Santa Rosa. For 

these people, It is virtually impossible to schedule a flight before three o'clock In the afternoon 

because of the need to ride more than one bus, and often a taxi as well. 

Sonoma County and its private sector partners are working diligently to get airline service. 

They have committed money and services to the effort. Please support their efforts with a Small 

Community Air Service Development Program grant. 

Sincerely, 

HILTOIM SONOMA WINE COUNTRY 

Lowell E Johnson 

General Manager 

Small Community Air Service Development Program Page 35 

Charles iVl. Schub, - Sonoma County Airport Proposal 
Solimar Imports 

P.O. Box 292 

Forestville, CA 95436 USA 

707-292-2595 

haLbeck@5bcglobal.net 

August 20, 2009 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

US Department of Transportation 

Washington, DC 20590 re: Docket OST-2009-0149 

Dear Mr. LaHood: 

I am writing in support of the Sonoma County Airport (STS) application for a Small ' 

Community Air Service Development Program grant. ; 

My wife Jeana and 1 have devoted the past 35 years of our professional careers to ; 

promoting Sonoma Coimty tourism and agriculture, privileged to have made a small j 

contribution to Sonoma's ascendance to national recognition and international | 

prominence. During that timeframe tourism has become a 1.3 billion dollar industry, and j 

"Sonoma" on a bottle of wine now earns us Haifa billion dollars a year. 

In the words of Freddie Mercury, "You've given me fame and fortune .. .but it's been no I 

bedof roses, no pleasure cruise." Our jobs and our income depend on travel: ours, our j 

customers' and our guests'. In 1970 we could drive to Oakland's airport in just over an ! 

hour. Parking was free, and the Richmond-San Rafael bridge toll was 350. San 

Francisco International took a bit longer, and it cost 500 to cross the Golden Gate. Back 

then the run from curbside to gate was measured in minutes. The only thing that has not 

changed since is the capacity of those two bridges, permanently fixed in 1956 and 1937 

respectively. Two years ago I gave myself over three hours to catch a Southwest flight. I 

did not make it. i 

] 

We currently have Horizon Air service to LAX, Seattle, Portland and Las Vegas. It is j 

hard to express how much that has meant, again for us, our customers and our guests. j 

This grant opens the possibility of expanding our horizon to San Diego and perhaps Salt | 

Lake City. Since access to the urban airports is only going to get worse, I lu-ge you to , 

look favorably on Sonoma County's application. I 

Sincerely, i 

McdSiecA 

Hal Beck 

Small Communiiy Air Semce Development Program Page 34 

Charles M. Schulz- Sonoma County Airport Proposal 
Mendocino County Promotional Alliance 

Mendocino Chambers of Commerce, Mendocino County Lodging Association, 

Mendocino County Wine Grape & Wine Commission, 

Local Atliactions, and the Arts Council of Mendocino County 

\wm.gomendocom 

July 25, 2009 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, SW, Suite 10200 

Washington, DC 20590 

Subject: Docket OST-2009-0149 

Dear Secretarj' LaHood: 

I am writing to you in support of the County of Sonoma, California's application for a Small 

Community Air Service Development Program grant. 

The Mendocino County Promotional Alliance is composed of representatives of all Chambers of 

Commerce in the County, the Arts Council, the Wine Grape and Wine Commission, local atuactions and 

the lodging association. The mission of the organization is to encourage promotion of the County. 

Mendocino County is the northern neighbor of Sonoma County. Until the arrival of Horizon 

Airlines flights at Sonoma County's airjrort two years ago, for many years our County had been without 

any scheduled service within a three hour drive. That lack effectively limited us to a drive market and 

hindered the development of our tourism industry, one of the few potential growth areas in oiir 

economically struggling mostly nu-al County. 

Expansion of service to new hubs in Salt Lake City and San Diego will fiirther strengthen our 

tourism and business economies by creating easier access and more choices for both business travelers 

and tourists alike.. 

Sonoma County has formed an active private-public partnership to push for and promote good 

airline service at the Sonoma County Airport. Businesses, California State University, community groups 

from all the surrounding counties, and various airlines are working together to bring additional airline 

ser\'ice to this large and growing community. The expansion of the terminal, currently underway, will also 

be more conducive to increased scheduled service. 

Please support these efforts with a Small Community Air Service Development Program grant to 

Sonoma County- it will make the difference. 

Sincerely, 

Glenna Blake, Chair 

Mendocino County Promotional Alliance 

Small Community Air Ser\'ice Development Program Page 33 

Charles M. Schulz- Sonoma County Airpon Proposal 
Visit Mendocino County 

August 20, 2010 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue BE 

Washington DC 20590-0001 : 

Subject: Docket OST-2010-0124 i 

Dear Secretary LaHood; 

I strongly support the application of Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport CSTS") for a grant ! 

under the Small Community Air Service Development Program. This grant along with local funds will ' 

provide for much needed marketing and advertising to attract more inbound passengers to Sonoma i 

County and the entire Northem California region on Horizon Air. . '< 

\ 

Mendocino County does not have any commercial air service. Without STS, our citizens have to fly out \ 

of Oakland, San Francisco or Sacramento, all equally inconvenient and between 3-4 hours driving | 

distance away- and that doesn't include the time for parking and security. i 

Horizon Air provides nonstop air service to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, and Seattle, and I 

understand that response from the local Sonoma County mari<ef has been excellent. Mendocino 

County residents make up the second largest group of passengers using STS. Transfers from Los 

Angeles in particular connect us with the rest of the wortd. 

The inbound passenger numbers could be improved however Both Sonoma and Mendocino Counties 

are well known as Wine Country and local businesses depend heavily on tourism spending. Visit 

Mendocino County, our local tourism promotion entity, has joined with the Sonoma County Airport as 

one of its mari^eting partners to develop a program to attract more inbound visitors to Sonoma County. 

We have looked at the cost of mari<eting and advertising in Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle and it is 

too high for Sonoma County Airport and its marketing partners to do effectively by themselves. An 

award of a Small Community grant will give the AirfX)r1 and its partners the funding it needs to do an 

effective job of promoting the Northem California region and increasing the number of visitors to our 

area. The additional passengers arriving from this program will act as an economic development 

impetus in an area greatly impacted by the recession. 

Your support of our request is most appreciated. 

Sincerely, 

Richard Strom 

Director of Tourism Development 

Visit Mendocino County 

120 S.Franklin St. 

Fort Bragg CA 95437 

richard(S)visitmendocino.com 

Small Community Air Ser\'ice Development Program Page 32 

Charles M Schulz - Sonoma County Airpon Proposal 
Alan P. Stess 

'; 1860 Mallard Lane 

i Petaluma, CA 94954 

; 707-789-9436 

I apstesstajaol.com 

i 

; August 23, 2010 

I The Honorable Ray LaHood '< 

Seaetary of Transportation i 

I U.S. Department of Transportation 

! 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

! Washington DC 20590-0001 i 

I Subject: Docket OST-2010-0124 ! 

: i 

! i 

Dear Secretary LaHood; j 

I strongly support the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport application for a grant under the Small ; 

', Community Air Service Development Program. This grant, along with local funds, will enable the Airport j 

I to significantly increase its mari<eting and advertising programs to attract additional inbound ' 

passengers to Sonoma County on Horizon Air. 

! Horizon Air has been an excellent partner for Sonoma County by providing nonstop air service to Los 

j Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, and.Seattle. The outbound traffic response from the local Sonoma 

i County martlet has been excellent. Unfortunately, the inbound passenger numbers have not been as 

; large as expected. Sonoma County is well known nationally and internationally as a world class Wine 

: Country destination, and the local businesses in our area depend heavily on tourism spending to help 

! support our economy. Sonoma County Airport and its marketing partners need to develop a wider 

! range of programs to attract inbound visitors to Sonoma County and increase the revenue for Horizon. 

The cost of marketing and advertising to prospective visitors in Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle is 

j too high for the Sonoma County Airport and its marketing partners to fund by themselves. The award of 

the requested grant will help provide the Airport and its partners with the funding that it needs to do a 

• more effective job of promoting Sonoma County and increase the number of visitors to our area. It is 

estimated that the additional passengers arriving from this expanded program will generate over S11 

! million in visitor spending in the local community. 

j Importantly, we also know that higher load factors for Horizon Air could lead to more flights to existing 

j markets and air service to new markets. With the additional support of funding from the Small 

Community Program, Sonoma County will have the increased potential to achieve a wrtn-win situation 

for local businesses, the tourism community, the airiine, the airport, various vendors, and the traveling 

public. 

I 

Your support of our request will be greatly appreciated. 

\ Sincerely, 

Alan P. Stess 

Small Community Air Semce Development Program Page 31 

Charles M. Schulz- Sonoma County Airpon Proposal 
August 20, 2010 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street, SW, Suite 10200 

Washington, DC 20590 

RE: Docket OST-2010-0124 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

1 strongly suppon the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport application for a grant under 

the Small Community Air Sen'ice Development Program. This grant along with local funds will 

provide for marketing and advertising to attract inbound passengers to Sonoma County on Horizon Air. 

Horizon Air has been an excellent parmer for Sonoma County in providing nonstop air service to 

Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, and Seattle. Traffic response from the local Sonoma County market 

has been excellent. Unfortunately, the inbound passenger numbers have not been as large as expected. 

Sonoma County is well known as the Wine Country and local businesses in our area depend heavily on 

tourism spending to support our economy. The Sonoma County Airpon and its marketing partners have 

developed a program to attract inbound visitors to Sonoma County and increase the revenue for Horizon 

Air. 

The cost of marketing and advertising in Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle is too high for the 

Sonoma County Airport and its marketing partners to do it by themselves. The award of the requested 

grant will give the Airport and its partners the funding that it needs to do an effective job of promoting 

Sonoma County and increase the number of visitors to our area. It is estimated that the additional 

passengers arriving from this program will generate over $11,000,000 in visitor spending in the local 

community. 

We also know that higher load factors for Horizon Air can mean more flights to existing markets 

and to new markets. This program, with the support of funding from the Small Community Program, 

will definitely be a win-win situation for local business, the tourism community, the airline, the airport, 

various vendors and the traveling public. Your support of our request is most appreciated. 

Sincerely, 

Larry L. Wasem 

Managing General Partner 

cc: Mr. Jon Stout, Manager, Sonoma County Airport, VIA E-Mail: JStout.SonomaCountyAirport.org 

AIRPORT BUSINESS CENTER 414 Aviation Boulevord Santo Roso, CA 95403-1069 707^7a-5344 FAX 707-678-3140 

Small Community Air Service Developmeni Program Page 30 

Charles M. Schulz- Sonoma County Airpon Proposal 
HOTEL HEALDSBURG 

25 Matheson Street 

Healdsburg, CA 95448. 

800.889.7188 

August 24, 2010 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department oif Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington DC 20590-0001 

Subject: Docket OST-2010-0124 

Dear Secretary LaHood; 

I strongly support the application of Chartes M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport for a grant under the 

Small Community Air Service Development Program. This grant along wnth local funds will provide for 

much needed mari<eting and advertising to attract more inbound passengers to Sonoma County on 

Horizon Air 

Horizon Air provides nonstop air service to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, and Seattle, and I 

understand that response from the local Sonoma County market has been excellent. Unfortunately, the 

inbound passenger numbers have not been as large as expected. Sonoma County is well known as 

Wine Country and local businesses like ours depend heavily on tourism spending. Our company 

(organization) has joined writh the Sonoma County Airport as one of its marketing partners to develop a 

program to attract more inbound visitors to Sonoma County. 

We have looked at the cost of marketing and advertising in Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle and it is 

too high for the Sonoma County Airport and its mart^eting partners to do it by themselves. An award of 

the Small Community grant will give the Airport and its marketing partners the funding that it needs to 

do an effective job of promoting Sonoma County and increase the number of visitors to our area. The 

additional passengers arriving from this program greatly help our company (organization) and others in 

our community. 

More passengers for Horizon Air may mean more flights to existing markets. This program, with the 

support of funding from the Small Community Program, will definitely be a positive situation. Your 

support of our request is most appreciated. 

Sincerely 

Memtt Sher 

Hotel Healdsburg 

Small CoiTimunity Air Ser\'icc Development Program Page 29 

Charles M. Schulz- Sonoma County Airpon Proposal 
santa rosa 

AuEUSt 2 4 201 0 con\'cnnon &Lvisitors ImrL-au 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington DC 20590-0001 

Subject: Docket OST-2010-0124 

Dear Secretary LaHood; 

I strongly support the application of Charies M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport for a 

grant under the Small Community Air Service Development Program. This grant along 

with local funds will provide for much needed mari^eting and advertising to attract more 

inbound passengers to Sonoma County on Horizon Air. 

Horizon Air provides nonstop air service to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, and 

Seattle, and I understand that response from the local Sonoma County market has been 

excellent. Unfortunately, the inbound passenger numbers have not been as large as 

expected. Sonoma County is well known as Wine Country and local businesses like ours 

depend heavily on tourism spending. Our company (organization) has joined with the 

Sonoma County Airport as one of its marketing partners to develop a program to attract 

more inbound visitors to Sonoma County. 

We have looked at the cost of marketing and advertising in Los Angeles, Portland, and 

Seattle and it is too high for the Sonoma County Airport and its mart<eting partners to do 

it by themselves. An ay/ard of the Small Community grant will give the Airport and its 

marketing partners the funding that it needs to do an effective job of promoting Sonoma 

County and increase the number of visitors to our area. The additional passengers 

arriving from this program greatly help our company (organization) and others in our 

community. 

More passengers for Horizon Air may mean more flights to existing martlets and to new 

martlets. This program, with the support of funding from the Small Community Program, 

will definitely be a positive situation. Your support of our request is most appreciated. 

Sincerely 

Mo McElroy 

Executive Director 

9 Fourth Street , Santa Rosa, CA 95401 

Telephone 707-577-8674 Fax 707-571-5949 www.visitScintarosa.com 

Small Communiiy Air Sen'ice Developmeni Program Page 25 

Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airpon Proposal 
SOMOMA 

C O U « T Y 

August 23, 2010 ; 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington DC 

Subject: Docket OST-2010-0124 

Dear Secretary LaHood; 

I strongly support the Charies M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport application for a grant under the Small 

Community Air Service Development Program. This grant along wnth local funds will provide for 

martceting and advertising to attract inbound passengers to Sonoma County on Horizon Air. 

Horizon Air has been an excellent partner for Sonoma County in providing nonstop air service to Los 

Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, and Seattle. Traffic response from the local Sonoma County market has 

been excellent. Unfortunately, the inbound passenger numbers have not been as large as expected. 

Sonoma County is well known as the Wine Country and local businesses in our area depend heavily on 

tourism spending to support our economy. The Sonoma County Airport and its marketing partners have 

developed a program to attract inbound visitors to Sonoma County and increase the revenue for 

Horizon Air. 

The cost of marketing and advertising in Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle is too high for the Sonoma 

County Airport and its marketing partners to do it by themselves. The award of the requested grant w/ill 

give the Airport and its partners the funding that it needs to do an effective job of promoting Sonoma 

County and increase the number of visitors to our area. It is estimated that the additional passengers 

arriving from this program will generate over $11 million in visitor spending in the local community. 

We also know that higher load factors for Horizon Air can mean more flights to existing markets and to 

new markets. This program, with the support of funding from the Small Community Program, will 

definitely be a win-wrin situation for local business, the tourism community, the airiine, the airport, 

various vendors, and the traveling public. Your support of our request is most appredated. 

Sincerely 

Mari< J. Crabb, Director of Sales 

Sonoma County Tourism Bureau 

Small Communiiy Air Sen'ice Development Program Page 24 

Charles M. Schulz- Sonoma County Airpon Proposal