Height limits lifted for new airport hotels
The City Council voted Feb. 6 to lift the 40-foot height limit at Hayward Executive Airport to spur development of new full-service airport hotels with restaurant and banquet facilities.
Before hotel or other commercial developers could receive permission to build higher than 40 feet, they will need Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval and have to meet higher architectural standards with amenities not otherwise required at the airport.
Hayward Executive Airport was constructed in 1941 by the U.S. Army for military use during World War II. In 1947, the federal government declared Hayward Army Airfield surplus and conveyed it to the City of Hayward. In following decades, the government conveyed additional airport lands to the city, all of which fall within the boundaries of Hayward Executive Airport.
Hayward Executive is home to more than 400 aircraft, including business jets, and supports the city’s nearby industrial district. It operates as a self-sufficient enterprise division of the Hayward Department of Public Works.
In November, the Council voted to authorize City Manager Kelly McAdoo to enter into exclusive negotiations with Ramesta Hospitality and Mahabal Hospitality of San Diego after receiving proposals from the two companies for two new Hayward Executive Airport hotels.
