History E-16

1960 
"Airport Study - General Aviation Requirements" by Friedland report recommended acquisition of property for a South County Airport near San Martin.
1964 
County Bond Measure C rejected by County voters. Funding would have provided land acquisition and development for the South County Airport, and improvements at Reid-Hillview and Palo Alto Airports.
1966 
"General Aviation Plan" reviewed and updated county aviation needs. 
Resolution No. 1045 urged the Board of Supervisors to budget money for land acquisition for the South County Airport.​ 
Letter from the Gilron Chamber of Commerce urged the Board of Supervisors to give "strong consideration to the construction of a South County Airport in the Gilroy area". 
Morgan Hill resolution no. 548 "urging the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Clara to establish a South County Airport."
1967
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors appropriated funds for South County Airport development. Funding sources included the Capital Improvement Budget, the State Airport Assistance Fund, the Airport enterprise fund, and excess construction funds from the Palo Alto Airport. County and FAA preliminary site investigations for a South County Airports. Resolution from the City of Gilroy urging the County to continue with land acquisitions and development of the South County Airport, resolution #1085
1968 
Site formally adopted by County Board of Supervisors 
Airports Branch, FAA, grants airspace approval. Eastside traffic pattern required to avoid overflights of schools in the vicinity. 
Proposal for location county road maintenance operations facilities at the airport.
1969 
County requests for a time extension on airspace determination. Three-year extension approved subject to same traffic pattern conditions. Request stems from the fact no construction took place in the 2-year duration of the original airspace grant in 1968.

Application filed for a private airport (Hill County Airport) 2 miles north of San Martin, 9,000 feet north of South County Airport. FAA denied airspace approval for Hill County Airport.

Property acquisition for South County Airport began. Murphy Road was relocated around the site. The acquisition was with the assistance of the State Airport Assistance Funds Program.
Land Acquisition
 - Pete and Stella Alonzo (10 acres)
- Christina Hassur (10 acres)
- Izick and Mary Camarena (5.85 acres)
- Suzzane Coscarelli (11.75 acres)
- Gerald Fiore (5.85 acres)
- Victor Angel and Celia Rosa Marquez (2.60 acres)
- State of California (19.98 acres)
1970
FAA and County agree on denial of permits for Hill County Airport 
California Department of Aeronautics grants site approval for South County Airports
Land Acquisition
 - Peter B Dias (12.50 acres)
- Louis DiSalvo (6.39 acres)
- Geroge and Alice Garbini (5.00 acres)
- Hideo Kawamoto (10.00 acres)
- Frank and Helen Lepera (10.00 acres)
- Mary Lepera Mendonca (6.25 acres)
- Michael T O'Kane (9.60 acres)
1971 
Airport Land Use Commission formed
Land Acquisition
- Emilio Gagliardi, Edward & Dorothy Mosby, Irving & Janice Perlitch, Paula Reimer, Title Insurance and Trust Co. (12.50 acres)
- Joe Carbini (15,00 acres)
- Angelo and Adriana Robba (19.01 acres)
1972
Construction of County animal shelter on 1.4 acres of airport property was completed. 
Construction of wind cone, segmented circle, and perimeter fencing 
The original construction of runway and taxiway (2 layers chip seal on compacted native soil) by volunteer workers. 
California Aeronautics Board granted Airport Permit 
Dedication ceremonies, airport opened 9/8/1972 
Resolution by Board of Supervisors declaring South County Airport of Santa Clara County as legal name.
Land Acquisition
- Ernestine Cassese (easement grant for air space)
- State of California (19.50 acres)
1973 
ALUC adopted land use plan for Santa Clara County airports. 
County advertised for fixed base operation (FBO), and received two proposals 
Board of Supervisors advised to accept FBO proposal from South Valley Aviation 
Completion of Highway 101 in the vicinity of San Martin.
1974
Additional chip seal applied to paved surfaces 
Archaeological Impact Evaluation - negative results 
Environmental Impact Assessment Report Completed. Required for reimbursement for land acquisition. The report covered development to date.
Land Acquisition
- Ewin J Diessner (7.56 acres)
1975
Additional land acquisition to insure future land use compatibility.
1976
Runway and taxiway reflectors installed (later removed to discourage night operations) 
Chip sealed apron north end of airport for 30 tie-downs
1977
FAA advised county of approval of airport layout plan 
30 additional tie-downs added
Land Acquisition
- John Knudsen (24.84 acres)
- Henry Knudsen, Lays Marie Mellow, Kide and Verna M Rose (6.82 acres)
1978
Slurry sealing of runway and taxiway surfaces. 
Environmental impact assessment report addressed the parallel runway and other development shown on the airport layout plan.
Land Acquisition (16.50 ft strip)
- Arnold and Henriette Palhaupsessy
- Darrel and Patricia Rogers
- Joseph Sanchez
- Wallace and Marilyn Santos
1979
Unicom changed from 122.8 to 122.7 
Trees located in approach path trimmed 
Morgan Hill Rural Fire District proposed fire station be located at San Martin Airport
Land Acquisition
- Anargyros and Patricia Antonopoulos
- Angelo and Yvonne Lqgizos (3.05 acres)
- H.N. and Marge Mackinnon
- H.N. and Irma Teenlink
1980 
Additional aviation easement obtained.
1984
Ramp lighting Installed, AIP Project 3-06-0229-01
1995
The County and 2-Genes Aviation entered into a 25-year ground lease for FBO property.
1997
Taxiway lighting installed, AIP Project 3-06-0229-02
REILS installed - AIP Project 3-06-0229-02
2002
The County constructed 100 additional hangars on the south ramp of the airport. The project included a 500,000-gallon water tank and fire pump system and a connection between the water tank and the local water provider, San Martin Water.
2003 
AWOS installed - AIP Project 3-06-0229-05
2014
The airport name was changed from South County Airport to San Martin Airport. - Resolution No. BOS-2014.4
2018
The runway and taxiways were resurfaced using approximately $500,000 in funding provided through a loan to the Airport Enterprise Fund from the County General Fund.
2020
The County issued an RFP for the FBO property. The RFP did not include the property that contained 57 hangars previously governed by a ground-lease agreement between the hangar occupant and the FBO.
2020
The County took over ownership and management of the 57 hangars previously located on FBO ground lease property. This was the first time these hangar occupants were required to pay hangar rent. Much of the communication between the County and stakeholders at E16 can be found here. 
2021
The County received a reimbursement grant from the FAA for the paving project allowing the Airport Enterprise Fund to repay the General Fund for the loan.