By Joseph Serna, Staff Writer
The Long Beach City Council approved in a 5-3 vote to expand the Long Beach Airport to 89,995 square feet last week, a sort of middle ground between proposals as low as 67,495 and as high as 118,305 square feet, respectively.
The approved expansion would increase airline parking spaces to 12 from the current 10 and add three gates, giving the airport 11 in all.
Following last week’s decision, the plans will now progress to financial planning and final design and space allocations, which are reportedly expected to last more than a year. The final plan will return to Council for approval. Expansion is expected to be completed by 2011.
Long Beach Airport currently serves approximately 3 million passengers annually, the expansion is expected to increase that to 4.2 million.
The airport’s expansion has been a hot button issue for years, with the dozens of residents speaking at the April 24 meeting amounting to a sliver of opposition out in the community.
Noise, pollution and the incurred health problems were among the complaints residents presented to the Council last week.
Addressing those concerns, the Council unanimously passed two sets of laws, called the Green Airport Program and the Neighborhood Protection Program.
The Green Airport Program would aim to reduce pollution from aircraft, ground equipment and vehicle transportation.
The Neighborhood Protection Program will add six additional fixed/permanent noise monitors to address noise mitigation needs for future land use. Bixby Hills is slated to receive one of the monitors.
The program also creates an Airport Noise Compatibility Ordinance legal defense fund in case of challenges to the city’s noise ordinance and requires a new Environmental Impact Report should the airport exceed 4.2 million annual passengers.
While many agreed with the “modernization” of the airport, expanding it was a different matter–a qualifier several 6th District candidates were clear to make.
At a recent community meeting, 8th District Councilmember Rae Gabelich said she did not favor expansion, but said she could live with a bare minimum of additions. She seconded a motion by 4th District Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell for an expansion to 79,000 square feet.
However, 1st District Councilmember Bonnie Lowenthal proposed the eventually approved 89,995 square foot approval with 2nd District Councilmembers Suja Lowenthal’s second. A larger expansion proposed by 3rd District Councilmember Gary DeLong, seconded by 9th District Councilmember Val Lerch, was ultimately defeated.
Both Lowenthals, DeLong, Lerch and 5th District Councilmember Gerrie Schipske approved the 89,995 square foot expansion; O’Donnell, Gabelich and 7th District Councilmember Tonia Reyes Uranga did not, giving the expansion a 5-3 majority approval.
