Ellis and the airport

The future of Tracy Municipal Airport could be decided at a 6:30 pm meeting Monday at City Hall.

I wrote previously that in a time of economic gloom, the flypad south of the city is the Little Airport that Could, establishing a bustling trade in repairing, building, shipping, hosting and housing airplanes.

But the economic renaissance could be squelched by the Ellis subdivision, which would build homes directly under the airport's most-used takeoff and landing approach. Ellis will have its hearing at City Hall at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. (The timing, I take it, is not coincidental.)

Bruce Ludeman, the airport's director for the city, told me that the airport's right of way would come before any complaints of future homeowners, but I have more respect (or possibly less faith) for the power of the local development community.

Tuesday's meeting will be a test of mettle for city leaders, to see if they stand tall in favor of a truly home-grown economic engine with potential for the future.

The airport is clearly the priority here, but I don't know if it's as clear from the City Council dias.