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Council Unanimously Agrees To Proceed With Study Of Airport Terminal Expansion
(February 9, 2005, updated Feb. 12 w/ extended transcript excerpts) -- Following over three hours of discussion and a crowd overflowing the City Council chamber for the second week in a row, LB Councilmembers voted on The proposal by Councilmembers O'Donnell, The vote on Councilwoman Richardson's substitute motion specifying 12-14 parking positions was Yes: Lowenthal, Colonna, Kell, Richardson and Lerch. No: Baker, O'Donnell, We post extended transcript excerpts (unofficial, prepared by us) below.
During Council discussion, Councilwoman Rae Gabelich said there were common threads between Airport issues and other growth issues affecting neighborhoods and quality of life citywide.
Lou Anne Bynum, chair of the LB Area Chamber of Commerce governing board, supported what she called a "full scope" of EIR review alternatives (including Airport management's preferred 130,000 sq. ft.) but said that if the Council approved Alternative 2, the Chamber could go along with it if the city didn't adopt anything smaller...and if there were no fewer than 15 aircraft parking positions.
Terry Jensen, 8th district Council candidate in spring 2004, urged adoption of a master plan to protect LB's Airport Noise Ordinance. He urged limiting sizing for EIR review purposes now, not later.
Retired 8th district Councilman Jeff Kellogg, a member of LB's Community College Board of Trustees, cited LB Airport's history and noted that others claimed airport improvements wouldn't increase air traffic...but that has happened. Kellogg said links between the Airport and downtown hotel occupancy remain unsubstantiated. He added that neighborhoods make a great city, not airport terminals...and airport terminals can be remodeled, but not neighborhoods.
Kristy Ardizzone with JetBlue Airways, told the Council:
If it's not the right project and we're backed into a corner and we don't feel it's adequate and we can't get our people through it, we are going to have to look at options. That's not what we want to do. We want to protect this ordinance. We don't want to go down a road that's going to have conflict. We want a decent, adequate, functional facility. We want the best scenario, if that ends up to be number 2, and we're invited to be included, participating with those discussions, we're happy to do so. If it ends up to be something in between that and the AAC recommendation, that's fine too. We don't know what that is. My point is, we're willing to come to the table. We're willing to talk. We're willing to listen, and we're certainly amendable to discuss what is the best scenario at this very point in time, I cannot tell you what that is. So our recommendation on the record from JetBlue is go from no-build to staff recommendation, and look at everything in between and follow the process that you set in place.
Mayor Beverly O'Neill read into the record a letter faxed earlier in the day to Councilmembers by L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe (previously reported by LBReport.com; for coverage, click here). "I just wanted to be sure this gets into the record, even though it's not something that you feel is pleasant to know, I think that he has gone through enough to know that perhaps we are facing more than just we're facing tonight," the Mayor said.
Our extended transcript excerpts below are unofficial, prepared by us. Not all speakers or their statements are included. We thank the City of LB's webmaster for making available closed captioning text, which we independently reviewed for accuracy and corrected as needed.
....Councilman Patrick O'Donnell: FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO START THIS EVENING BY ASKING A FEW QUESTIONS OF THE CITY ATTORNEY...IF WE VOTE TONIGHT TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE E.I.R., AND MAKE ALTERNATIVE TWO THE LARGEST PROJECT ALTERNATIVE, WILL WE
EFFECTIVELY ENSURE THAT NO LARGER ALTERNATIVIVE WILL BE APPROVED AT SOME LATER DATE? IN OTHER WORDS, WILL THIS CAP OUR PROJECT?
City Attorney Robert Shannon: YES IT WILL, UNLESS OF COURSE AT SOME FUTURE TIME YOU
CHOOSE TO COME BACK AND START A NEW E.I.R. BUT IF IN FACT THE SCOPING OF THE EIR IS LIMITED TO AT ITS LARGEST ALTERNATIVIVE NUMBER TWO, YOU COULD NOT WITHOUT THEREAFTER WITHOUT FURTHER ACTION BUILD A LARGER FACILITY.
Councilman O'Donnell: THANK YOU. IF THE CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT DIRECTS STAFF TO PREPARE AN E.I.R. THAT CONSIDERED ALTERNATIVIVE TWO AS THE LARGEST PROJECT ALTERNATIVE, WOULD THAT ACTION PLACE OUR NOISE ORDINANCE AT RISK?
City Attorney Shannon: IN MY LEGAL OPINION IT WOULD NOT.
Councilman O'Donnell: THANK YOU.
I BELIEVE THIS IS A WATERSHED MOMENT. THE MESSAGE WE ARE SENDING TONIGHT IS CLEAR. THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT OUR NOISE ORDINANCE AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IS TO KEEP OUR IMPROVEMENTS AT LONG BEACH AIRPORT REASONABLE, NOT RECKLESS, SMALL, NOT LARGE. IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
I THIN THERE IS A BIGGER MESSAGE BEING DELIVERED TONIGHT, AND THAT MESSAGE IS CLEAR. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. FOR TOO LONG IN MY OPINION OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE NOT BELIEVE RECEIVED THE FOCUS THEY DESERVE. TONIGHT THAT CHANGES. THE DAYS OF NEIGHBORHOODS NOT HAVING THE VOICE THEY DESERVE ARE GONE. CITY HALL DOES LISTEN, AND I THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING SUCH A VISION BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEY ALL DO.
WHAT A GREAT LESSON IN DEMOCRACY TONIGHT IS. AS AN EIGHTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THAT THIS PROCEEDING TONIGHT IS WHAT THIS COUNTRY STANDS FOR AND THE VALUES I TRY TO INSTILL DAILY. ONE OF THE CONCEPTS I TEACH MY STUDENTS IS SIMPLE: WHEN YOU SEE GOVERNMENT HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, DON'T AGONIZE, ORGANIZE. I BELIEVE IT WAS THE WORK OF THOSE WHO ORGANIZED OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, SENT EMAILS AND SHOWED UP AT AIRPORT MEETINGS THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE.
TOO OFTEN THESE PEOPLE ARE MARGINALIZED. WE OWE THEM A DEBT FOR MAKING OUR GOVERNMENT WORKG FOR US ALL. YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE. MANY OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT.
SOME SAID THE PUSH TO BUILD A REASONABLY SIZED FACILITY WAS BEING CONTROLLED BY A SMALL GROUP. IN ESSENCE THEY ARGUED, THIS WAS THE TYRANNY OF THE MINORITY. IS THIS EFFORT THE TYRANNY OF A MINORITY? NO. IS THIS AN EXAMPLE OF THE COUNCIL LISTENING TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS. I HOPE. IS THIS A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO A COMPLEX PROBLEM? ABSOLUTELY.
WE WANT TO SEE LONG BEACH THRIVE, ITS NEIGHBORHOODS THRIVE, ITS BUSINESSES THRIVE. WHAT WE HAVE TONIGHT IS A BALANCED APPROACH THAT RECOGNIZES THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDES NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS AT LONG BEACH AIRPORT THAT ARE NOT RECKLESS, NOR WILL THEY INVITE A CHALLENGE TO OUR ORDINANCE.
THIS IS A GRASSROOTS EFFORT OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME WHO WANT TO RAISE KIDS AND GROW OLD IN LONG BEACH. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP OUR AIRPORT A SMALL AND REGIONAL FACILITY YOU DON'T SUPERSIZE IT, YOU STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE NEED TO
OPERATE A SAFE FACILITY THAT HAS A NOISE ORDINANCE THAT COULD BE CHALLENGED. OUR DECISION TONIGHT IS A DECISION TO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE NOISE ORDINANCE THAT PROTECTS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, BECAUSE I LIVE UNDERNEATH THE FLIGHT PATH MYSELF.
I RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION HAS SPENT ADDRESSING THE TERMINAL IMPROVEMENT PROPOSALS. I TOO, SPENT MANY THURSDAY NIGHTS AT THOSE MEETINGS. THEY COULD BE MUNDANE AND LENGTHY AND IT TOOK A LOT OF PATIENCE...
I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF COUNCILMEMBERS GABELICH AND REYES URANGA, WHO HAVE BOTH INVESTED
COUNTLESS HOURS, AS HAVE I, AND DAYS WORKING TO PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND FIND A BALANCE. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED A PROPOSAL THAT PROTECTS THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDES FOR NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS AT THE AIRPORT THAT THE AIRLINES AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY CAN LIVE WITH. I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TONIGHT.
...
Councilwoman Reyes Uranga: ...ON FEBRUARY 1, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED 9-0 TO ACCEPT AND APPROVE THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT GUIDING PRINCIPLES...OVER 200 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND CONCERNS INCLUDED WAYS TO PROMOTE MEANINGFUL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT AND TODAY IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT, EXPLORING EFFORTS AT PRESERVING AND DEFENDING THE EXISTING NOISE ORDINANCE, FINDING A WAY TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPACTS, CONSIDERING A BALANCED APPROACH TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND EXPLORING THE TRUE ECONOMIC BENEFITS AS WELL AS COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIRPORT.
THOSE WERE THE TOPICS THAT WERE EXPRESSED DURING THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO DEFIE THE PRINCIPLES. THE 10 GUIDING PRINCIPLES THEMSELVES COVERED THE TOPICS OF ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT, HEALTH, SAFETY, LAND USE, MITIGATION, FINANCIAL IMPACTS, LEGISLATION, AIRPORT MARKETING EFFORTS AND AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS. WHILE MANY OF THE TOPICS WILL BE TOUCHED ON IN OUR DELIBERATIONS TO TODAY, I HOPE THAT WE CAN KEEP THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN MIND THROUGHOUT OUR DISCUSSION.
IN FACT, THE DISCUSSION ON GUIDING PRINCIPLES OUTLINED MANY AREAS IN WHICH THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY AGREED. THE WELL-OVER 200 PEOPLE WHO CAME DID AGREE ON THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND IN OUR VOTE OF FEBRUARY 1, 2005, THIS COUNCIL EXPRESSED AGREEMENT WITH THAT MAJORITY. THE EFFORTS OF THE COMMUNITY TO BALANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE WITH AN AIRPORT WE CAN BE PROUD OF LEADS TO MY MAIN CONCERN.
...IN A STUDY SESSION CONDUCTED BY STAFF ON JANUARY 4, 2005, STAFF MENTIONED THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD UTILIZED BY AIRPORTS TO CONTROL AIRPORT GROWTH HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN CONTROLLING AIRPORT AIRCRAFT PARKING POSITIONS.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION TODAY WILL BE TO HAVE THIS COUNCIL CONSIDER THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION'S ALTERNATIVE TWO AS THE LARGEST ALTERNATIVE AND TO MAINTAIN THE REQUEST FOR 12 PARKING POSITIONS FOR COMMERCIAL USE ON ALL THE MODELS CONSIDERED.
THE LAST OR NUMBER 10 OF THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES UNDER AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS STATES, "ENSURE ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO LONG BEACH AIRPORT WILL PRESERVE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY AIRPORT ACTIVITY, PROTECT THE EXISTING NOISE ORDINANCE, SUPPORT THE FINANCIAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF THE AIRPORT AND PROVIDE MEASURABLE ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE CITY, ITS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WHILE PROTECTING THE RESIDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. I HOPE THE DISCUSSION TODAY WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, THE CONSENSUS ITEMS ON WHICH THE COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY BOTH AGREE.
...
Councilwoman Gabelich: I WANT TO BEGIN WITH SAYING THAT THERE WAS AND STILL IS REFERENCE IN SOME CIRCLES REFERENCE THROUGHOUT THIS CITY THAT I WOULD BE A ONE-ISSUE CANDIDATE. I BELIEVE THAT I DEMONSTRATE WEEKLY TO MY COLLEAGUES AND STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS A FALSE STATEMENT. BUT THIS ISSUE IS MY ISSUE AND THEREFORE I BELIEVE I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO EDUCATE AND LEAD MY COMMUNITY AND MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I STUDIED THIS TOPIC THE LAST FOUR YEARS. I DEFENDED OUR NEIGHBORHOODS 20 YEARS AGO AS WE FACED THIS BATTLE. TODAY MY INTENTION IS TO PROTECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, RAISE THE STANDARDS, NOT LOWER THEM AND SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT ENHANCES OUR DAILY LIFE, NOT CHALLENGES IT.
I AGAIN WILL CHALLENGE OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO WORK WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORRIDORS TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC RETURN TO OUR CITY VIA SALES TAX DOLLARS. SUCCESSFUL, QUALITY RETAIL AND BUSINESS ENTITIES TO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD BENEFIT OUR GENERAL FUND FAR BEYOND CONCESSIONS AT OUR AIRPORT. THIS IS A DESTINATION AIRPORT, NOT A CONNECTION TERMINAL, AND THAT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD REMAIN.
WE'VE PREPARED A POWER POINT FOR YOU....AFTER WORLD WAR II, LONG BEACH AIRPORT GREW TO 1,166 ACRES. AND TODAY WE HAVE FIVE RUNWAYS.
1982 TO 1985. WE'VE CONSTRUCTED A NEW BAGGAGE CLAIM FACILITY, A FOUR STORY PARKING STRUCTURE AND ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
1984, A PERMANENT BOARDING LOUNGE WAS CONSTRUCTED OF 6,500 FT.
IN 2001, TEMPORARY HOLD ROOM FACILITIES WERE CONSTRUCTED FOR 23,750 FEET.
WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF MAKING INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS. THE NEXT STEP IS TO MODERNIZE THE AIRPORT TERMINAL FACILITIES TO INCREASE PASSENGER COMFORT AND SECURITY, BUT NOT TRIPLE ITS SIZE.
WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC PLAN'S MANDATE? DEVELOP A LAND USE POLICY FOR THE AIRPORT THAT MAXIMIZES THE ECONOMIC RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY. THE NET RETURN. THAT MEANS ECONOMIC BENEFITS LESS ECONOMIC LOSSES.
DEVELOP A CITYWIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT THAT ENSURES THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, DOES NOT ADVOCATE SACRIFICING QUALITY OF LIFE IN ONE SECTION OF THE CITY FOR A GENERAL BENEFIT CITYWIDE.
OUR ROLE AS A COUNCIL IS TO ESTABLISH POLICY WHICH ENSURES BOTH OF THESE CRITERIA ARE ADDRESSED IN THE SCOPE OF THE TERMINAL MODERNIZATION PROJECT.
THE TERMINAL MODERNIZATION SIZING PROPOSAL SPONSORS WERE COUNCILMAN DONNELL, COUNCILWOMAN REYES URANGA AND MYSELF. THE KEY CRITERIA WAS TO PROTECT THE NOISE ORDINANCE, PROTECT
QUALITY OF LIFE AND ACCOMMODATE PASSENGER COMFORT AND SECURITY.
THE MODERNIZATION ELEMENTS: THE GENERAL GUIDELINES WERE TO KEEP A SMALL, EFFICIENT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AND PROTECT THE HISTORIC VALUE OF OUR AIRPORT.
THE SIZING ALTERNATIVES: THE PROPOSED PROJECT WAS REQUESTED TO BE THE A.A.C RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE TWO OF 102,923 SQUARE FEET WITH 12 COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT PARKING POSITIONS.
ALTERNATIVE A, THE SEPTEMBER 2003 ORIGINAL N.O.P. [Notice of EIR Preparation] THAT WAS 97,545 SQUARE FEET WITH 12 COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT PARKING POSITIONS.
ALTERNATIVIVE B, 79,725 SQUARE FEET WITH 12 COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT PARKING POSITIONS...
...[and a legally required] NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE: TEMPORARY FACILITIES MADE PERMANENT, SO THAT JETBLUE CAN HAVE A PERMANENT HOME HERE. THAT WOULD MEAN 58,320 SQ. FT THAT WE HAVE TODAY WITH 10 COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT PARKING POSITIONS.
AND ALTERNATIVIVE C WOULD BE TO TAKE AWAY THE TEMPORARY AND ONLY ADDRESS THE PERMANENT STRUCTURE WITH 10 COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT PARKING POSITIONS...
[SHOWS PICTURES OF COMEMRCIAL BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES OF APPROX. 100,000 SQ. FT.]
CITY LAND USE ISSUES: THERES A COMMON THREAD THAT RUNS THROUGH MANY LONG BEACH LAND ISSUES ABOUT BALANCING THE GROWTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS, WHETHER IT BE AIRPORT EXPANSION, PORT EXPANSION, L.N.G., 710 FREEWAY EXPANSION.
GROWTH ADVOCATES MAY PREFER TO ADDRESS EACH ONE OF THESE ISSUES INDEPEDENTLY IN AN EFFORT TO MARGINALIZE NEIGHBORHOOD OPPOSITION. HOWEVER OUR APPROACH MUST BE TO COLLECTIVELY WORK TO PROTECT ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHILE ENSURING THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF CITY.
THE AIRPORT MODERNIZATION ALTERNATIVES THAT WE PROPOSE TONIGHT NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE THIS BALANCE, BUT THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY CRITICAL LAND USE ISSUES THAT WE WILL COLLECTIVELY ADDRESS TO BALANCE GROWTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE FOR YEARS TO COME...
Councilman Val Lerch: ...SINCE LAST WEEK IVE BEEN THREATENED. I HAVE BEEN CALLED IN THE POCKET OF JETBLUE BECAUSE I AM HOLDING TRUE TO MY BELIEF THAT WE NEED TO WORK THE PROCESS. I BELIEVE, AND I NEED TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY THIS, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF COUNCIL MEMBER ODONNELL'S QUESTION, CAN WE COME BACK AND REDUCE THE SIZE AGAIN ON THE E.I.R. WHEN IT COMES BACK TO US IN 10 MONTHS CAN WE PICK ALTERNATIVIVE "NOBUILD" IF WE WANT TO?
City Attorney Shannon: YOU'RE MAKING NO DECISION TONIGHT AS TO HOW LARGE THE TERMINAL MODERNIZATION WILL BE...YOU'RE SETTING A UNIVERSE. THE UNIVERSE IS AT ITS LARGEST, IF YOU PASS THIS MOTION, THE UNIVERSE IS AT ITS LARGEST ALTERNATIVE TWO AND AT ITS SMALLEST, NO BUILD AT ALL. WITHIN THAT UNIVERSE YOU ARE FREE AT THE END OF THE DAY LEGALLY TO CHOOSE WHICHEVER ALTERNATIVE YOU CHOOSE. BUT AT ITS LARGEST, SINCE YOU HAVE ONLY SCOPED AS LARGE AS ALTERNATIVE TWO, THAT WOULD BE THE LARGEST, THAT'S AS FAR AS YOU COULD GO.
Councilman Lerch: I STILL BELIEVE WE SHOULD LOOK AT ALL FIVE ALTERNATIVES...I THINK THAT WE CIRCUMVENT AGAIN THE PROCESS BY NOT LOOKING AT ALL THE ALTERNATIVES OUT THERE AND A YEAR FROM NOW DECIDING FROM 133 [thousand sq. ft] DOWN TO ZERO WHERE WE NEED TO BE AT.
NOW WE GET TO COMPROMISE ON 102 [thousands sq. ft]. WITH THAT SAID, MY COLLEAGUES, THIS IS NOT THE TARMAC THAT I WANT TO DIE ON AND I WILL COME OUT OF HERE TONIGHT WITH A UNANIMOUS DECISION WITH MY COLLEAGUES BUT I THINK WE'RE SHORTING THE SYSTEM. BUT I WILL VOTE THE WAY YOU
GUYS DECIDE...
Councilwoman Laura Richardson: ...IF WE WERE TO CHANGE AT SOME POINT ONCE WE GET TO THE ACTUAL PROJECT CHOOSING STAGE AFTER THIS E.I.R., WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO TAKE MAYBE SOME SQUARE FOOTAGE FROM ONE AREA AND MOVE IT TO ANOTHER OR WOULD WE HAVE TO REINVENT THE ENTIRE E.I.R. PROCESS?...
Ass't. City Attorney Mike Mais: THE QUESTION IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO ANSWER BECAUSE IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT THE NEW USES WERE PROPOSED. IF YOU SWAPPED ONE AREA FOR THE
OTHER AND THERE WOULD BE NO ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AS A RESULT OF THAT SWAP, THERE WOULD BE NO ADDITIONAL STUDIES REQUIRED. HOWEVER, IF YOU SWAPPED ONE LESS INTENSIVE USE FOR A MORE INTENSIVE USE YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL STUDY, BUT THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE AN ENTIRELY NEW E.I.R. WHAT WE WOULD DO IS CIRCULATE IT FOR SOME SUPPLEMENTAL STUDY WHICH
WOULD BE RELATIVELY MINOR AND WOULD NOT TAKE THE LENGTH OF TIME THE ENTIRE E.I.R. WILL TAKE STARTING FROM THIS EVENING...
Councilwoman Richardson: MY FIRST COMMENT IS I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT I AGREE WITH
COUNCILMEMBER GABELICH THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE OF COMPROMISE. THAT'S HOW I SEE THIS ISSUE THIS EVENING...AS I SAID LAST WEEK, MY INTENTION IS TO SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUES IF I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I HAVE ALREADY HEARD THUS FAR. HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE THE HELP AND THE INDULGENCE OF THIS AUDIENCE AND ALSO WITH OUR COLLEAGUES TO RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMPROMISE BEFORE THE TABLE AND THAT WE DON'T COME BACK NOW A YEAR FROM NOW AND IT'S LIKE WE DIDNT COME ANYWHERE.
I THINK, AND NOW I'LL GET TO WHAT I THINK COUNCILMEMBER O'DONNELL SAID...I THINK THE REASON WHY I'M DOING THIS TONIGHT IS IT HAS TO DO WITH TRUST WITH OUR RESIDENTS. AND I THINK THERE IS A SINCERE CONCERN THAT IF WE WERE TO PUT EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE, I THINK PEOPLE REALLY WOULD WONDER IF IN FACT, I THINK THEY REALLY QUESTION WHETHER WE WOULD COME BACK WITH SOMETHING SMALLER. AND SO FOR ME THIS IS SOMETHING SAYING YES, WE HEAR YOU, YES WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS AND WE WANT TO START AT THE BEST POINT FOR EVERYONE [applause] AND I CONCUR WITH THAT.
BUT WHAT I DONT WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IS A LACK OF APPRECIATION OF THAT NINE MONTHS FROM NOW AND WE COME BACK WITH HUGE, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL BE OPEN TO WHATEVER IMPACTS AND WE WANT TO PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY, BUT I HOPE EVERYONE REMEMBERS THE SIGNIFICANT COMPROMISES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED THIS EVENING I BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE HUGE. AND IT IS OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE WORK EVERYONE HAS DONE WHY I'LL BE TAKING MY POSITION THIS EVENING...
Mayor Beverly O'Neill: [refers to papers in Exhibit A]...I'M LOOKING AT EXHIBIT A...IT HAS THE [AIRPORT ADVISORY COMM'N] PROPOSED PROJECT AND THEN ALTERNATIVE ONE SAYS NO CHANGE AND ALTERNATIVE TWO SAYS NO CHANGE. IS THAT CORRECT?
City Manager Jerry Miller: THAT IS CORRECT.
Mayor O'Neill: ALL RIGHT. SO THERE IS NO CHANGE IN THE PASSENGER SCREENING AREA, CORRECT? [Mgr. indicates correct]. THERE IS NO CHANGE IN THE BAGGAGE SECURITY SCREENING AREA?
City Manager Miller: ACCORDING TO THE TABLE, THAT IS CORRECT.
Mayor O'Neill: THERE IS NO CHANGE FOR THE BAGGAGE CLAIM DEVICES. NO CHANGE FOR THE BAGGAGE SERVICE OFFICE. NO CHANGE FOR THE RESTROOMS. NO CHANGE FOR THE TICKETING FACILITIES.
NO CHANGE FROM THE AIRLINE GATES. AND THE AIRCRAFT PARKING POSITIONS ARE THE SAME AS ALTERNATIVE ONE, WHICH IS 14 OR 15.
Public Works Dir. Christine Andersen: ...I THINK THE ONLY DISTINCTION IS THAT THE REDUCED SIZE ALTERNATIVE TWO ON EXHIBIT A, YOU ARE CORRECT, AND JUST THAT EXHIBIT A THE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT PARKING POSITIONS IS IDENTICAL TO OPTION NUMBER TWO AS WELL. OPTIONS NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO ARE IDENTICAL.
Mayor O'Neill: IDENTICAL. OK. NOW, THAT MEANS THAT WHERE THERE ARE CHANGES IN FOOTAGE IS HOLDROOMS, CONCESSION AREAS, OFFICE SPACE. THOSE THREE AREAS, IS THAT CORRECT?
Public Works Dir. Andersen: THAT IS CORRECT.
Mayor O'Neill: ...SO TWO OF THEM ARE 50% LESS, ONE IS 20% LESS...WHAT I'M SAYING IS FROM THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED PROJECT FACILITIES RECOMMENDATION FROM THE AIRPORT ADVISORY
COMMISSION, MY STATEMENTS WERE ALL COMPARED WITH THAT.
...AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY TRUE FROM WHAT THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION HAS GIVEN US BECAUSE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PASSENGER SCREENING AREA, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS ON THE SIZE FOR THAT JUST BECAUSE OF THE T.S.A., THE NEW REGULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO EFFECT SINCE 9/11...
...LET ME JUST SAY, LAST WEEK MANY PEOPLE GOT UP HERE AND MADE COMMENTS THAT ALL OF US AGREED WITH. NONE OF US WANT MORE THAN 41 COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS. I THINK THIS COUNCIL WOULD STORM WASHINGTON IF IT LOOKED AS THOUGH THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT WANT THIS. WE DO NOT WANT ANY MORE THAN WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR THE COMMUTER FLIGHTS.
WE ARE ALL WORKING ON THIS TOGETHER. THE COUNCIL HAS WORKED ON THIS FOR YEARS. YOU ALL WORKED ON THIS FOR YEARS. YOU LIVE WITH THIS EACH DAY. THE ADVISORY COMMISSION HAS WORKED ON THIS NOW FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WILL BRING US TOGETHER AND HAVE SOME TYPE OF CONSENSUS. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH OPTION TWO IS GOING TO BE THE PROPOSAL BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS SAID LAST WEEK AND WHAT IS BEING SAID THIS EVENING.
SO WHAT WE NEED IS WE JUST NEED A FRESH THOUGHT FROM YOU [addressing herself to audience] FRESH THOUGHT FROM YOU BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON
THE COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE GIVEN SUCH RESTRICTIONS TO AN E.I.R. STUDY BECAUSE IN AN E.I.R. STUDY THEY DO STUDY THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT AND THE COUNCIL CAN DIRECT THEM HOW TO DO THIS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE DONE IT TO THIS EXTENT SO WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WILL BRING US TOGETHER AS CLOSELY AS WE CAN BE.
Ed Barwick: MY NAME IS ED BARWICK AND I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT CLOSE TO THE AIRPORT...WITH THE PROPOSALS BEING DISCUSSED HERE, IT SEEMS TO ME AFTER THE COMMUGS COMMISSION HAS SPENT APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS LOOKING AT THIS FACILITY AND TAKING INPUT THAT WE NEED TO TAKE WHAT THEY HAVE DETERMINED TO BE VERY SERIOUS AND CONSIDER THEIR OPTIONS OF ROUGHLY 130,000 SQUARE FEET... Lou Ann Bynum, board chair LB Area Chamber of Commerce: ...WE WANT TO GO ON RECORD AGAIN TONIGHT AS SUPPORTING THE FULL SCOPING OF THE E.I.R. FROM ZERO TO MAXIMUM WHICH WOULD INCLUDE ALTERNATIVE TWO...IF [after studying all the alternatives] YOU DECIDE THAT ALTERNATIVE TWO IS THE RIGHT PLAN THEN THE CHAMBER COULD SUPPORT THIS AS LONG AS THERE IS SOME CONFIGURATION FOR 15 PARKING SPOTS. OUR CONCERN HAS TO DO WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT BY CAPPING THE E.I.R. AT ALTERNATIVE TWO, APROXIMATELY 103,000 SQ. FT, THE REAL INTENT TO BE TO FOCUS ON SMALLER ALTERNATIVES. YOU COULD END UP PUSHING FOR A SMALLER SCOPE IN THE DESIRE TO MINIMIZE ANY MODERNIZATION. AN EFFORT TO DO THIS WOULD COMPLETELY UNDERMINE THE HARD WORK OF THE A.A.C. AS WELL AS DISCOUNT THE DESIRE OF BUSINESSES AND OTHER RESIDENTS IN THE CITY THAT SUPPORT A QUALITY PLAN... ...BUSINESSES LIKE JETBLUE COMMITTED TO A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION HERE IN LONG BEACH, A MAJOR INVESTMENT FOR THEM AND HAVE WORKED FORTHRIGHTLY WITH THE CITY IN BEING A GOOD CORPORATE PARTNER. IT WOULD BE A HUGE LOSS TO THE CITY IF THEY DECIDED THE EFFORT WAS NOT WORTH IT. WE NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT A CITIZENS INITIATED CITYWIDE VOTE ON THIS ISSUE WOULD MEAN THAT NO E.I.R. IS REQUIRED. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WANT THAT. I THINK WE ALL SUPPORT THE NOTION THAT A WELL-DONE AND FULLY SCOPED E.I.R. WOULD GIVE US THE INFORMATION THAT ALL INTERESTED PARTIES SEEK. MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU WOULD HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE DATE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. FOR THIS REASON, THE CHAMBER ENCOURAGES YOU TONIGHT TO STAY WITH THE FULL SCOPING, AND THAT IF ALTERNATIVE TWO IS EVENTUALLY SUPPORTED BUT WOULD SUPPORT NOTHING LESS THAN ALTERNATIVIVE TWO AND NOTHING LESS THAN CONFIGURATION FOR 15 PARKING SPOTS. Councilwoman Gabelich: BASED ON WHAT LOU ANN JUST SAID, [IF] IT WENT TO A VOTE OF THE PUBLIC AND IT WAS CARRIED...DOES THAT MEAN THAT IT WOULD NOT NEED AN E.I.R.? City Attorney Shannon: ...IF THERE WERE AN INITIATIVE AND IT PASSED, DEPENDING ON THE WORDING OF THE INITIATIVE, YES, THERE WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE AN E.I.R. AT ALL. Dimitra Monios: ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS THAT I MAY BE IN THE MINORITY IN THIS CHAMBER THIS EVENING I FEEL I REPRESENT A MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH ON THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT. I BASE THIS ON THE FACT THAT OVER 1,000 SIGNATURES WERE OBTAINED ON A PETITION SUPPORTING THE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS AT THE AIRPORT AND SURROUNDING AREA... THE 1,076 SIGNATURES WERE OBTAINED AND BETWEEN FEBRUARY 26 AND JULY 15, 2004 AND SUBMITTED TO THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION... Elizabeth Cruz: [From 4th Council district]...THE WORK THAT [Councilmembers] O'DONNELL, GABELICH, AND ESPECIALLY URANGA DID ON SETTING UP THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE AIRPORT WAS A WONDERFUL STEP FORWARD AND SOMETHING NOT VERY CONTROVERSIAL THAT WAS EASY ENOUGH FOR ALL THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STAND BEHIND, ALTHOUGH I MUST MENTION THAT WHEN RAE GABELICH PROPOSED ONE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PLANS WITH POSITIVE CONCILIATORY MEASURES...IT WAS VERY DISTURBING TO HEAR THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS RESPOND WITH DOUBLESPEAK... Harry Pope: ...I AM THINKING OF CHANGING MY NAME TO DON QUIXOTE AND I THINK SOMETIMES THE WINDMILLS ARE WINNING BUT I'M GOING TO TRY ONE MORE TIME. ...I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER NOT ONLY A NOBUILD ALTERNATIVE BUT MY PROPOSAL, A TEAR-IT-DOWN ALTERNATIVE. [applause] HERE'S HOW THAT WOULD WORK. WE, THE PEOPLE, AS A CITY CURRENTLY OWN AS RAE SAID 1,166 ACRES ENCOMPASSING THE AIRPORT. WHY DONT WE SELL THE LAND TO THE DEVELOPERS FOR A MIX OF LUXURY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING? RESIDENTIAL LAND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW IS SELLING FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION AN ACRE SO YOU CAN'T GET THAT MUCH BECAUSE THERE'S NO ROADS OR UTILITIES THERE. SAY YOU ONLY GET HALF THAT MUCH. KEEP THE TERMINAL. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. KEEP IT AS A MUSEUM AND SOME OF THE SURROUNDING 166 ACRES FOR A PARK. BULLDOZE THE RUNWAYS AND SELL 1,000 ACRES. THAT WOULD BRING IN 1.5 BILLION TO THE CITY. YOU COULD THEN INVEST THE PROCEEDS WISELY BY BUYING STOCK IN MANY OF THE LOCAL COMPANIES AND HELP THEM GROW. [applause] WITH AN INVESTMENT POOL THAT SIZE YOU WOULD BECOME AS INFLUENTIAL AS CALPERS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU. [audience laughter] YOU COULD BE ELECTED TO THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF MANY CALIFORNIA COMPANIES AND VOTE TO MOVE THEIR HEADQUARTERS TO LONG BEACH. [applause] THE CITY COULD ALSO GAIN THE INVESTMENT INCOME. SAY YOU ARE ONLY ABLE TO GET 7 OR 8 PER YEAR RETURN ON INVESTMENT. THAT'S A REASONABLE ESTIMATE. THAT WOULD STILL BRING IN OVER 100 MILLION PER YEAR TO OFFSET TAXES IN LONG BEACH. YOU COULD ELIMINATE ONE THIRD OF OUR TAXES. FOR EXAMPLE, ALL OF ROPERTY TAXES WHICH YOU HAVE BUDGETED AT $60 MILLION THIS YEAR. LONG BEACH BUSINESSES WOULD HAVE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND PROSPER. THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR DUES TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WOULD BE HAPPY AND WE WOULD BRING IN ADDITIONAL JOBS AND INCOME TAXES. THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO STAND BACK AND GET OUT OF THE WAY AS COMPANIES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WOULD RUSH TO SET UP IN LONG BEACH BECAUSE OF OUR LOW TAXES, BRINGING IN JOBS AND BUSINESS AND PROSPERITY TO ALL OF US. YOU WOULD BE HEROES. THE CITY WINS. THE RESIDENTS WIN. WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE? WE COULD ALL GO BACK TO HAVING NICE, QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS AGAIN. [applause] Councilwoman Gabelich: HARRY, I THINK THAT SOUNDS LIKE A Don Temple [member of Airport Advisory Comm'n] ...THE CITY HIRED HNTB TO PROVIDE TERMINAL PLANNING AND THEY HAVE PLANNED THROUGH THE COUNTRY AND ALL OVER THE WORLD SO WE WILL HAVE TO ASSUME I THINK THAT THEY ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD...YOU'RE PASSING UP I THINK AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND THEN MAKE YOUR DECISION. IT'S NOT GOING TO COME OUT ANY BETTER OR WORSE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. KEEP THE CITY IN A POSITION TO DEFEND THE ORDINANCE AND TO BE ABLE TO WIN IT, NOT JUST WIN IT BUT DEFEND IT. DO NOT GIVE AMMUNITION TO THE CHALLENGER TO SET UPSET THE APPLE CART. THANK YOU. Laura Selmer: ...I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FOUR IN LONG BEACH. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH FOR 25 YEARS. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO URGE YOU TO KEEP YOUR EXPANSION AT A MINIMUM, MONERNIZE IT, IMPROVE IT, GIVE JET BLUE A NICE AIRPORT BUT TRIPLING THE SIZE I THINK IS OUTRAGEOUS... Bob Luskin [member of Airport Advisory Comm'n]: ...I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE COUNCIL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS, THE ALTERNATIVES AND LET THE E.I.R. LOOK AT ALL OF THESE. COME BACK WITH AN EVALUATION OF ALL THE VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH ONE IS CORRECT. ... Ron Voker [sp?]: ...I HAVE BEEN IN LOS ALTOS FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND I HAVE BEEN IN CALIFORNIA SINCE 1925. I VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION, I REPRESENT NO COMPANY, NEITHER LOCALLY OR NATIONALLY. I'M NOT A MEMBER OF HUSH2, ALTHOUGH I AGREE WITH ITS EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE REST OF THE CITIZENS. I AM 85 YEARS OLD... ..YOU ARE, AS MEMBERS, SHOULD NOT FORGET THAT THE GREATEST ASSET TO OUR COUNTRY AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT INFRASTRUCTURE, NOR BUSINESS, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP OUR COUNTRY. ALL OF YOUR CITIZENS AS INDIVIDUALS ARE PRECIOUS ASSETS AND THIS PRESENT THING THAT IS BEFORE YOU, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THAT ASPECT. YOUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RIGHTS ARE NOT AN ABROGATED... Terry Jensen: ...50 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE 8TH DISTRICT. AND I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR ME TO COME HERE, IT VIOLATES ONE OF MY RULES ABOUT STAYING OUT OF THJE PUBLIC EYE. I HAD A SIMILAR LAPSE IN JUDGMENT ABOUT A YEAR AGO. [Mr. Jensen ran for 8th district Council in 2004.] ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, I ATTENDED A MEETING WHERE CITY STAFF AND CONSULTANTS TOLD ME AND A FEW HUNDRED IN ATTENDANCE THAT THE CITY DID NOT KNOW HOW LARGE THE AIRPORT FACILITY WOULD BE. THEY TOLD US IT HAD NOT BEEN DESIGNED AND THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY EXPANSION PLANS. THEY URGED US NOT TO BECOME ALARMED AS THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY WOULD BE DETERMINED DURING THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. I LEARNED THAT STATEMENT WAS NOT TRUE. TWO WEEKS LATER, DURING A PRIVATE MEETING WITH SUPPORT STAFF, I ACTUALLY REVIEWED A VERY LARGE CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR THE PROPOSED AIRPORT EXPANSION. THEY SAID IT WAS AN OLD SET AND REQUIRED MODIFCATIONS AS TSA REQUIRED MORE SPACE AS T.S.A. NEEDED MORE SPACE FOR SECURITY PURPOSES. AIRPORT OFFICIALS NOW TELL US, ACCORDING TO THE PRESS-TELEGRAM THIS MORNING, THAT THE 98,000 SQ. FT. FACILITY I REVIEWED WAS DESIGNED BEFORE HARD PASSENGER NUMBERS WERE AVAILABLE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BE TOLD NEXT? YOU DID HAVE PLANS. YOU HAVE PROGRAMMING. YOU HAVE SCHEDULES, YOU HAVE DESIGN STUDIES. YOU HAVE SITE PLANS AND YOU HAVE ELEVATIONS. YET ALL YOU RELUCTANTLY SHOW THE PUBLIC ARE A FEW AERIAL PHOTOS AND LINE DRAWINGS. AIRPORT EXPANSION HAS UNNECESSARILY BECOME A POLARIZING ISSUE THAT THREATENS TO DIVIDE THE CITY WHEN IT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE QUALITY OF LIFE AND NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUE. CREDIBILITY AND PUBLIC TRUST IS NOW AN ISSUE. DOWNTOWN INTERESTS SEEM TO JUSTIFY SUPERSIZING BY FOCUSING ON AN ECONOMIC WINDFALL THEY SAY WILL COME WHEN THE FACILITY IS CONSTRUCTURE. THE TRUTH IS, WE ALREADY HAVE AN ECONOMIC WINDFALL FROM 41 FLIGHTS. THE ONLY INCREMENTAL BENEFITS WOULD BE ON THE 25 COMMUTER FLIGHTS THAT ARE ADDED. THAT'S A FEW DOLLARS MORE IN CONCESSIONS WHICH WOULD BE ADDED TO THE EQUATION. OTHERS SAY A SMALLER FACILITY AND MORE DELAYS WILL CAUSE A CHALLENGE TO OUR NOISE ORDINANCE... WE ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED OF PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP THAT ENSURES TRANSPARENCY AND OPENNESS WITH A DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND ENSURES THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IS PROTECTED. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE AIRPORT TO BE SHUT DOWN. WERE NOT ASKING FOR THE FACILITY TO REMAIN AS IS. I AND MOST OF MY NEIGHBORS ACKNOWLEDGE THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING FACILITIES THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE THE 41 REGULAR AND 25 COMMUTER FLIGHTS BUT NOT ONE SQUARE INCH MORE. WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS TRANSPARENCY AND OPENNESS AND PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP IN DEVELOPMENT OF A MASTER PLAN TO PROTECT OUR ORDINANCE. YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT LEADERSHIP AND ENSURE OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN SOME OF OUR MOST HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS IS PROTECTED BY VOTING TO RESTRICT THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY TO BE EVALUATED. [applause] Retired Councilman Jeff Kellogg: ...I NEVER IMAGINED I WOULD BE STANDING HERE AGAIN. WHEN I LEFT THIS BUILDING FOR THE LAST TIME AFTER 12 YEARS OF REPRESENTATION OF THE 8TH COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT, IT WAS WITH THE THOUGHT OF NEVER RETURNING TO THIS CHAMBER TO DEBATE ANOTHER ISSUE. MY LIFE WAS MOVING ON. NO ISSUE COULD BRING ME BACK, EXCEPT ONE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPRESS MYSELF WITHIN THREE MINUTES THE PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE THAT I HAVE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THIS AIRPORT. MADAM MAYOR, I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING NEW AT THIS AIRPORT IN THE PAST 30 YEARS. ...EVERY ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN DEBATED REPORT REGARDING THE AIRPORT HAS ALWAYS BEGUN WITH A QUOTE OF "THIS IS NOT CONNECTED OR IN ANY WAY SUPPORTS THE INCREASE OF COMMERCIAL AIR TRAFFIC" YET EVERY TIME THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED. [applause] EXPAND THE AIRPORT FOOTPRINT BEYOND REASONABLE AND EXPECT THE ARGUMENT IN THE FUTURE TO BE HOW TO RECONFIGURE BUT NOT EXPAND INSIDE THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT TO MAKE THE AIRPORT MORE CONVENIENT, WHICH I HATE TO TELL YOU MEANS MORE FLIGHTS. CONTINUE TO DEBATE OVER OPTIONS OF THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE TERMINAL AND EXPECT THIS ISSUE TO BECOME MORE DIVISIVE AND MORE HOSTILE. I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN FROM THE EIGHTH DISTRICT TO SETTLE THE ISSUE TONIGHT AND MOVE ON WITH A PROCESS TO DO THE MUCH-NEEDED REMODEL AND IMPROVEMENTS OF THE TERMINAL. I BELIEVE MOST PEOPLE ACTUALLY ENJOY THE CONVENIENCE OF GETTING TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT FROM THEIR HOMES. I KNOW I DO. I AM NOT AWARE OF WHAT PARAMETERS, IF ANY, OF PEOPLE THAT FLY INTO THIS AIRPORT AND RENT A DOWNTOWN HOTEL ROOM BECAUSE OF CONVENTIONS THEY WILL BE ATTENDING. YET WE HAVE ALL THE RELATED THE AIRPORT WITH THE SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF OUR CONVENTION BUSINESS AND THE BENEFITS OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. THE INFORMATION REGARDING DOWNTOWN HOTEL OCCUPANCY AND ITS DIRECT TIE TO THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT TRAVELERS OR OTHER DIRECT AIRPORT ECONOMIC BENEFITS ESSENTIAL TO THE DEBATE HAS NEVER BEEN CLEAR. CASE IN POINT IS THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF EACH COMMERCIAL SLOT. REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS QUOTED AS $1 MILLION A FLIGHT? $500,000 A FLIGHT, $250,000 A FLIGHT. TO TODAY WHEN IT'S JUST DON'T MENTION IT BECAUSE ITS TOO HARD TO EXPLAIN. IF AN AIRPORT IS SO VITAL TO A CITY'S ECONOMIC GROWTH, THE CITY OF EL TORO WOULD HAVE EMBRACED THIS FINANCIAL SAVIOR. [applause] NEIGHBORHOODS MAKE A GREAT CITY, NOT AN AIRPORT TERMINAL. [applause] THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN AIR TRAFFIC AND THE SIZE OF AN AIRPORT FACILITY TO HANDLE THOSE FLIGHTS IN LONG BEACH. THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN INCREASED AIR TRAFFIC AND A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, NO MATTER HOW HARD PEOPLE WILL ATTEMPT TO SEPARATE THE ISSUES, THERE IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A LINK BETWEEN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE AIRPORT AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE ADJACENT NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORHOODS. [applause] TONIGHT IS ABOUT PRIORITIES. I HOPE TONIGHT YOUR PRIORITY IS...OUR MOST VALUABLES ASSET, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. [sustained applause] ...I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, I LIVE HERE BECAUSE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT BECAUSE OF A TERMINAL. YOU CAN REMODEL A BUILDING, YOU CANNOT REMODEL A NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU. [additional sustained applause] Retired Councilman Ray Grabinski: ...THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE OF ISSUES THAT WILL GET ME OUT OF MY CHAIR AND COME DOWN HERE...THESE ARE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, WE TOOK JET BLUE TO FRANCE...BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF AIRLINES WHO WERE VERY UPSET BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY GOT A FAIR SHAKE. EVERYBODY'S CONVENIENTLY FORGOT THAT. JET BLUE'S IN BUSINESS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. DO YOU THINK THEY HAVE A 30 YEAR LEASE AT THE AIRPORT? NAH. 20, 25? LIKE 30 DAYS...AND THEY'RE ON RUBBER TIRES AND THEY CAN FLY AWAY, JUST LIKE ALL THE JOBS AT BOEING, JUST LIKE ALL THE JOBS AT DOUGLAS. MIKE DONELON PUT A NOTE OUT THERE ABOUT WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE AT THE AIRPORT. CHRIS KUNZE KNOWS IT. WE WORKED WITH THE PEOPLE AT THE AIRPORT. WE WORKED WITH THE SMALL PLANES BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MANY TOUCH AND GO'S. WE WORKED WITH THE C-17 FOLKS WHEN THEY WANTED TO BUILD THE C17 TO LET THEM KNOW THAT IF THEY PUT THE BUILDING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND DID ENGINE RUN UPS, IT WOULD WORK. AND IT DID WORK. JET BLUE AND EVERYBODY ELSE OUT AT THAT AIRPORT HAS THE SAME OBLIGATION THAT WE HAVE AND THAT OBLIGATION IS TO WATCH WHAT GOES ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY. THOSE MEETINGS WERE OUT THERE FOR OVER A YEAR. I SERVED FOR A YEAR IN 1984 ON A GENERAL PLAN AND WAS I UPSET BECAUSE THEY ONLY DID IT ABOUT 20% OF IT? OH YEAH, BUT I LEARNED THAT THAT'S THE CASE. WHEN YOU SERVE ON ONE OF THESE ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND THE CITY ATTORNEY WILL TELL YOU THIS, IT IS JUST THAT -- ADVISORY. THEY DONT BRING SOMETHING BACK IN STONE AND SAY THIS IS WHAT YOU DO AND YOU HAVE TO GO BY IT. I'VE MADE SAUSAGE AND I'VE MADE LEGISLATION AND I CAN TELL YOU MAKING SAUSAGE IS A LOT BETTER. AND YOU ALL KNOW IT. YOU KNOW THAT THE BIG PROBLEM HERE IS THAT YOU WANT TO TRY TO PLEASE EVERYBODY. JET BLUE IS A GOOD COMPANY. JET BLUE IS DOING GREAT BUSINESS OUT AT LONG BEACH AIRPORT JUST THE WAY IT IS. [APPLAUSE] AND WE'RE QUIBBLING ABOUT 20,000 SQUARE FEET OR 15,000 SQUARE FEET. I WANT TO REMIND OUR CITY MANAGER WHO'S A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, JERRY MILLER, THAT WE HAD A CHANCE TO GET A REAL CAR BUILDING FACILITY IN LONG BEACH ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO. HE WAS WITH THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BUILDING. WE COULD NOT FIND A BUILDING IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH 110,000 SQUARE FEET SO THAT WE COULD BRING THOSE JOBS HERE AND CARSON ENDED UP WITH THEM. WE NEED TO NOT DO ANYTHING MORE THAN THE GOOD BUSINESS WE HAVE DONE BEFORE. FOR 10 YEARS AT THAT AIRPORT, YOU DIDN'T HAVE 41 FLIGHTS EVERY YEAR. YOU HAD THEM TWO TIMES. WE'VE GOT 'EM NOW BECAUSE OF JET BLUE AND WE HAD 'EM ONE OTHER TIME. BUT I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY OUT THERE, WE HAD SEVEN FLIGHTS A DAY FOR A YEAR, 13 FLIGHTS A DAY. YOU AVERAGE THEM ALL UP. IT'S THEIR TAXPAYER FUNDS THAT WE'LL BUILD THIS FACILITY WITH. AND TODAY WHEN I WALKED IN HERE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE TALKING ABOUT NOT GETTING RAISES, WERE TALKING ABOUT SHUTTING DOWN FIREHOUSES. YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY TAXES, YOU WILL HAVE TO MAINTENANCE ON EVERY SQUARE FEET YOU BUILD OUT THERE. SO BUILD IT CAREFULLY AND REMEMBER, NO ONE IS GOING TO TAKE AWAY THAT ORDINANCE FROM THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. WE WON IN COURT. THEY WANTED 88 FLIGHTS, WE WANTED 21. THEY ENDED UP WITH 41. SO DON'T LET ANYBODY SCARE YOU INTO THINKING WE'RE GOING TO LOSE OUR CONTROL OF THAT AIRPORT. ... Birgit DeLa Torre [sp?]: ...LAST SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, THE PRESS TELEGRAM RAN A "SPEAKOUT" COLUMN ASKING THE QUESTION WHETHER THIS ISSUE SHOULD GO TO A GENERAL VOTER REFERENDUM AND WHILE THEY PUBLISHED ONLY A FEW PEOPLE WHO MENTIONED WHO GAVE THEIR NAME ON THIS ISSUE, THEY PUBLISHED A WHOLE LONG LIST OF ANONYMOUS COMMENTS, PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE THE GUTS TO SAY WHO THEY WERE AND MOST OF THEM WERE PAINTING US, THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN THE FLIGHT PATH IN THE IMPACTED AREAS AS SPOIL SPORTS, AS PEOPLE WHO STAND IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS, AS PEOPLE WHO ARE STOPPING THE WHOLE CITY OF LONG BEACH FROM BENEFITING FROM ECONOMIC BENEFITS THAT NOBODY HAS BROUGHT ANY QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS FORTH. I REALLY RESENT THAT, I'M GETTING AWFULLY DEPRESSED ABOUT THIS. I'M TRYING TO PROTECT MY LIFESTYLE, MY FAMILY, MY CHILDREN... ...I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU...THAT ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO, OR TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE ALL HERE BECAUSE YOU WERE PROPOSING TEMPORARY FACILITIES THAT WOULD BRING THE AIRPORT TO 58,000 [sq ft] AND WE WERE COMPLETELY SHOCKED AND ALARMED BY THAT. AND I DONT KNOW HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT TODAY. NOW NOBODY'S EVEN LOOKING AT 58,000 ANYMORE. WE'RE LOOKING AT 102,000 SQUARE FEET VS. 133,000. SO I THINK AS FAR AS MAKING COMPROMISE, I THINK JUST THAT WE EVEN ARE LOOKING AT 102,000 IS WAY, WAY BEYOND ANYBODY'S DREAMS A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. AND I DO THINK IT'S A HUGE COMPROMISE BY THE NEIGHBORS. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] Rudy Vitner [sp?]: ...DESPITE ITS HIGH SOUNDING TITLE,...AN E.I.R. IS AN ARGUMENT FOR, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. IT WILL NO DOUBT BE AS THICK AS A TELEPHONE BOOK CONTAINING STUDIES AND DATA ACCOMPANIED BY CHARTS AND GRAPHS AND ANYTHING ELSE NECESSARY TO MAKE THE ARGUMENT FOR THE PROJECT GOING FORWARD. THE E.I.R. IS COMMISSIONED BY, PAID FOR AND AS SUCH THE PROPERTY OF THE PEOPLE MAKING THE PROPOSAL..THE COUNCIL MAY JUST AS WELL CONSIDER THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST NOW BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT FIND THAT IN THE EIR. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] Michael Bath [sp?]: ...WE HAVE ENJOYED LIVING [in Los Altos] HERE FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS AND HOPE TO BE HERE FOR MANY MORE. IN FACT WE LIVE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM A HUSBAND AND WIFE WHO PURCHASED THEIR OWN HOME OVER 50 YEARS AGO. THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL ORIGINAL OWNERS WHO LIVE ON OUR STREET AND THIS SAYS A LOT ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AS THE OLDER FOLKS PASS ON AND THE YOUNGER GENERATION IS BEGINNING TO START THEIR LIVES IN LOS ALTOS. WE PLAN ON BEING HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND INVESTING IN OUR HOME AND OUR COMMUNITY. WE SPENT MOST OF LAST SUMMER REDOING OUR ENTIRE BACKYARD FROM THE GROUND UP... AS A HOMEOWNER IN LOS ALTOS, I KNOW HOW BEAUTIFUL OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS. WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE NATION AROUND THE BLOCK FROM US...BUT TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, MANY OF OUR FUTURE PLANS ARE NOW ON HOLD. WE KNOW THAT WE LIVE RIGHT IN THE FLIGHT PATH. THAT'S NO MYSTERY. WE TOLERATE THE CURRENT AMOUNT OF FLIGHTS INTO THE AIRPORT AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PRECIOUS CURFEW ALLOWING US TO SLEEP AT NIGHT... THE PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH HAVE ELECTED YOU AND NOW THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY AND ITS BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOODS IS IN YOUR HANDS TONIGHT. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THE INTEGRITY OF THESE VIBRANT LONG BEACH COMMUNITIES AND KEEP THE GREAT QUALITY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEM, YOU WILL DO ALL YOU CAN TO KEEP THE AIRPORT A FEASIBLE SIZE. WE UNDERSTAND IT NEEDS SOME UPGRADES BUT TRIPLING ITS SIZE IS NOT THE ANSWER. YOU DON'T ADD EIGHT MORE LANES TO A FREEWAY AND EXPECT CARS NEVER TO DRIVE ON THEM. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE EXPECTED TO BELIEVE WHEN IT COMES TO TRIPLING THE SIZE OF THE AIRPORT. THIS WILL NOT ONLY ENCOURAGE MORE FLIGHTS, ENDANGER OUR NOISE ORDINANCE AND HAVE DETRIMENTAL MENTAL EFFECTS AND ENTIRE CITY FOR DECADES TO COME... Dennis Shmandelea [sp?]: ...I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS AND OUR FAMILY IS ALSO REALLY BLESSED BECAUSE MY WIFE IS AN EMPLOYEE OF JETBLUE, AND WE THANK GOD FOR THAT. I WANT TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING COUNCILMAN [sic] URANGA SAID EARLIER WHEN WE WERE HEARING THE COMMENTS ON THE ZONING. SHE SAID THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ACCEPT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COMMITTEES PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE'S MONEY THAT'S BEEN SPENT TO STUDY THAT. WE HAVE AN AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION THAT HAD BEEN COMMISSIONED BY THIS COUNCIL THAT DID EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, HEARD ALL THE ARGUMENTS AND HAS PUT FORTH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE THE COUNCIL. AND WE'VE ALSO SPENT THE MONEY TO HAVE A CONSULTANT TELL US WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST USE OF THAT SPACE. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE IS THE COURSE OF ACTION THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN. IN ADDITION, AS I SEE IN THE INFORMATION THAT'S HANDED OUT TONIGHT, WE HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO SPEND $750,000 ON THE E.I.R. REPORTS. WHY ARE WE HAVING A DISCUSSION ON NOT HAVING ALL THE OPTIONS IN FRONT OF US? AS ONE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE PERSONS SAID HERE A FEW MINUTES AGO, THAT MAY BE A POTENTIAL CHALLENGE TO THE 41 SLOTS AND IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT OF COURSE IS ON EVERYBODY'S MIND...THE PRESS TELEGRAM...SAYS THERE'S A SPEAKOUT SURVEY AND IT SEEMED LIKE 80-90% OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE IN FAVOR OF IMPROVEMENTS AT THE AIRPORT AND I'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S AND THERE WERE VERY VAY SURVEYS THAT SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL. IF WE DO NOT LAY OUT ALL THE ALTERNATIVES IN THE EIR, PERHAPS THAT LAYS ANOTHER OPTION AVAILABLE TO CITIZENS TO GO BEYOND THE EIR AND TAKE ACTIONS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. AND ANOTHER THING THAT COUNCILMAN [sic] GABELICH SPOKE TO WAS THE WAY TO INHIBIT GROWTH AT THE AIRPORT IS THROUGH THE AIRPORT'S...PARKING SPACES. IF WE DO NOT HAVE MORE THAN 15 PARKING SPACES, WE CANNOT ADD MORE [FLIGHT] SLOTS BEYOND THE 41 AND THAT SEEMENTS SEEMS TO ME TO ME THE WAY TO DO THAT... ... Larry Boland: ...I AM EXTREMELY UPSET AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, OVER SOME OUTRAGEOUS BEHAVIOR ON BEHALF OF THE VOTERS OF ORANGE COUNTY. AND WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY VOTED THEMSELVES OUT OF HAVING AN AIRPORT. AND I GOT THINKING OF HOW DIVISIVE THIS AIRPORT HAS BEEN ON THIS COMMUNITY...JUST THINK OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF STAFF TIME, OF COUNCIL TIME, OF PEOPLE TIME THAT WE PUT UP WITH WITH THIS AIRPORT WITH REGARD TO THE NOISE ISSUES. THAT IS A HORRIBLE PRICE WE HAVE HAD TO PAY. AND I THINK FOR THAT PRICE, WE SHOULD GET SOME CREDIT. BECAUSE IF ORANGE COUNTY CAN VOTE OUT AND KEEP THEIR LITTLE PRISTINE COMMUNITIES WITHOUT THE DIVISIVENESS THAT WE SEE IN THIS COMMUNITY, OF NEIGHBOR ARGUING WITH NEIGHBOR. IT'S NOT GOOD. MY POINT BEING WE NEED TO GET TO A CONSENSUS HERE... WE DON'T NEED TO MARBLIZE THE AIRPORT FOR JET BLUE'S PASSENGERS. WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE BASED ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST... Kristy Ardizzone [JetBlue Airways]: ...I'VE TALKED TO, IF NOT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, JUST ABOUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS ABOUT GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND LOOKING AT ALL THESE SCENARIOS FROM THE NOBUILD ALL THE WAY UP TO SCAFF RECOMMENDATION, AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. IS SCENARIO TWO CORRECT AND IS IT THE BEST ONE OUT THERE? I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS. WE HAVENT GOT ALL THE CONSULTANT INFORMATION BACK. LIKE I SAID LAST WEEK, THE CONCESSION RFP AND THE BIDS HAVEN'T COME BACK. THERE'S LOT OF THINGS THAT I THINK, THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES AND SO MUCH ROOM FOR MOVEMENT AND LATITUDE IN HERE THAT IT SCARES ME THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT ALL OF IT. ARE WE WILLING TO LOOK AT ALL OF IT? ARE WE WILLING TO COMPROMISE IF THERE'S COMPROMISE? ARE WE WILLING TO PUT, AS WAS SAID BEFORE, SOME SKIN INTO THIS, SOME MONEY INTO THIS PROJECT? ABSOLUTELY, IF IT'S THE RIGHT PROJECT. IF IT'S NOT THE RIGHT PROJECT AND WE'RE BACKED INTO A CORNER AND WE DON'T FEEL IT'S ADEQUATE AND WE CAN'T GET OUR PEOPLE THROUGH IT, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT OPTIONS. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO DO. WE WANT TO PROTECT THIS ORDINANCE. WE DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN A ROAD THAT'S GOING TO HAVE CONFLICT. WE WANT A DECENT, ADEQUATE, FUNCTIONAL FACILITY. WE WANT THE BEST SCENARIO. IF THAT ENDS UP TO BE NUMBER TWO AND WE'RE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE WITH THOSE DISCUSSIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO SO. IF IT ENDS UP TO BE SOMETHING IN BETWEEN THAT AND THE AAC RECOMMENDATION, THAT'S FINE TOO. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. MY POINT IS, WE'RE WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE, WE'RE WILLING TO TALK, WE'RE WILLING TO LISTEN AND WE'RE CERTAINLY AMENABLE TO DISCUSS WHAT IS THE BEST SCENARIO. AT THIS VERY POINT IN TIME, I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT THAT IS. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION ON THE RECORD FROM JETBLUE IS TO GO FROM NOBUILD TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN AND FOLLOW THE PROCESS THAT YOU SET IN PLACE. ...George Keeler [sp?] JetBlue Airways: ...I'M THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF PROPERTIES FOR JETBLUE FOR THE WESTERN REGION. I'VE BEEN ASKED SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS COULD WE SUPPORT SCENARIO TWO OR IS THERE A SCENARIO THERE WE HAVE COMMONALITY AND COMMON GROUND ON? I CAN TELL YOU OFFICIALLY FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS THERE IS A PLAN HERE THAT WE CAN SUPPORT. IT'S THE ONE THAT'S PROPERLY STUDIED AND MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR EVERYONE, AND BY NOT STUDYING ALL THE PROPOSALS PUT BEFORE YOU, I THINK WE ARE DOING A DISSERVICE BOTH TO THE PEOPLE HERE IN LONG BEACH AND TO YOURSELVES. SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU STUDY ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED BY THE AIRPORT COMMISSION. ... [Councilman Frank Colonna proposes looking at a variation of Alternative 2 with three additional aircraft parking positions specifically for commuter aircraft, to allow for some leeway for EIR study purposes "which would give this Council the opportunity when the EIR comes back to sort through it all." Public Works Dir. Christine Andersen indicates that specifying parking positions exclusively for commuter aircraft isn't feasible.] Councilwoman Mayor O'Neill: I DID GET A LETTER TODAY FROM THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, DON KNABE. I'M NOT GOING TO READ IT ALL TO YOU BUT HE DOES DEAL WITH THE AIRPORTS. HE HAS L.A.X., LONG BEACH AND TORRANCE IN HIS DISTRICT. AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO THINK IS THE BEST NEWS BUT [begins quoting letter] "LONG BEACH HAS ONE OF THE BEST NOISE ORDINANCES AND FLIGHT SLOT CAPS OF ANYWHERE IN THE NATION. YOU DO NOT WANT TO JEOPARDIZE THOSE RESTRICTIONS BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE ALL PLANS IN YOUR REVIEW. EVEN IF THE PLAN IS NOT SELECTED IN THE LONG RUN, YOUR ABILITY TO WORK WITH THE F.A.A. IS MUCH BETTER DUE TO YOUR WILLINGNESS TO REVIEW SAFETY SLOTS." I JUST FELT I NEEDED TO BRING THIS OUT SO THIS WOULD BE PART OF THE RECORD BECAUSE HE DID SAY THAT HE HAS WORKED PUSHING AIR TRAFFIC AWAY FROM HEAVILY URBANIZED AREAS AND HE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF AVIATION TO OUR ECONOMY AND WAS ALSO MAYOR OF CERRITOS DURING THE CERRITOS AIR CRASH AND HE UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUE OF AVIATION SAFETY. SO HE SAYS TONIGHT IT'S OUR VOTE AND A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION. IT SAYS, "FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS WON SOME BATTLES AGAINST L.A.X. EXPANSION, THE F.A.A. SEEMS TO BE TAKING OVER THE "WAR" ISSUES WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY FORCE LITIGATION, A VERY EXPENSIVE PROCESS." SO I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THIS GETS INTO THE RECORD, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT SOMETHING PLEASANT THAT YOU FEEL IS PLEASANT TO KNOW, HE HAS GONE THROUGH ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT PERHAPS WE ARE FACING MORE THAN JUST WHAT WE'RE FACING TONIGHT... Councilwoman Gabelich: ...I APPRECIATE MR. KNABE'S LETTER BUT I'D LIKE TO QUOTE AS I DID LAST WEEK THAT MR. MAIS, OUR [Asst City Attorney] STATED, "THERE IS NO SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT BIT F.A.A. OR ANY OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY THAT THE AIRPORT MUST BUILD THIS PROJECT TO ACCOMMODATE ITS PERMITTED ACTIVITY LEVEL." TODAY WE SERVE 41 FLIGHTS. THAT IS OUR CAPACITY FOR COMMERCIAL AIRLINES. MR. MAIS ALSO STATED THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME IF THE CITY UNREASONABLY USED ITS ABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPORT FACILITIES TO INHIBIT THE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS THE F.A.A. IN HIS OPINION WOULD CHALLENGE THAT DECISION. BUT IF WE CAN TURN AROUND AND MAKE REFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT HANDLES 9.2 MILLION PASSENGERS AND HAS 14 PLUS TWO GATES AND 150 FLIGHTS A DAY, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD BE CONSIDERED UNREASONABLE. ...YOU CAN ADD A PARKING PLACE ANY DAY WITH A CAN OF WHITE PAINT AND AN HOUR...THIS IS NOT CARVED IN STONE. THIS CAN CHANGE AT ANY TIME, OF COURSE RESTRICTED BY THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT'S AROUND THERE BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LAND OUT THERE. WHAT DRIVES THE CAPACITY OF THE AIRPORT, THE CAPACITY OF THE AIRPORT, ARE THE NUMBER OF GATES AND PARKING POSITIONS. Councilwoman Richardson: ...I'D LIKE TO THROW OUT ANOTHER SUGGESTION AND I'M PREPARED TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO THAT FACT, THAT I THINK IN INSTEAD OF US PICKING 12 OR INSTEAD OF US PICKING FOUR, IF WE STUDY BETWEEN 12 AND 14 WE ARE NOT SELECTING THE ASSUMPTIVE OF THIS 14 WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE ISSUE, AND WE PUT OUR LINE IN THE SAND AT 12, IS THE CRITICAL POINT. I THINK THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE AS FAR AS WHAT I'M HEARING THUS FAR, OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE, FOR EXAMPLE, BETWEEN 12 AND 14. SO WITH THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE WOULD AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO PROCEED IN THE PREPARATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE AIRPORT TERMINAL FACILITIES PROJECT AS SPECIFIED BY THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION OF ALTERNATIVE TWO, INCLUDING 11 GATES...AND AIRCRAFT PARKING POSITIONS OF 12 TO 14. Councilman Colonna: I SECOND THE MOTION...THE FACT IS THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE AIRPORT. WE ARE DRAWING THE LINE IN THE SAND AND ESTABLISHING. UPPER LIMIT OF THE ALTERNATIVE TWO. I THINK EVERYTHING THAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR IS BEING DELIVERED BY THE COUNCIL TONIGHT. I THINK WHAT WE WOULD BE SELLING OURSELVES SHORT ON IS THE FACT THAT IF WE DID NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE PARKING SPACES WE WOULD CREATE MORE POLLUTION PROBLEMS IN THE SEVENTH, EIGHTH, AND NINTH DISTRICTS BY HAVING AIRCRAFT TAXIING AND WAITING TO FIND A PLACE TO PARK. I THINK THAT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT FOR ALL TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE IT'S SO CRITICAL TO THIS ENTIRE DISCUSSION. AND THAT'S WHY I'M SECONDING COUNCILMEMBER RICHARDSON'S MOTION, BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal: ...I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT'S LIMITED NOW AND A YEAR FROM NOW THE E.I.R. COMES BACK AND FOR SOME REASON IT DOESN'T GO ALONG WITH THE NOISE BUCKET THAT WE HAVE WITH THE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS THAT WE ARE ALLOWED, WOULD WE HAVE TOLL HAVE ANOTHER E.I.R. TO STUDY ADDITIONAL PARKING PLACES? Asst. City Attorney Mais: ...THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU COULD LOOK AT. IN THEORY, IF THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS CREATED AS A RESULT OF THE INCREASE IN THE SIZE OF THE TERMINAL, ONE OF THE POTENTIAL MITIGATION MEASURES ACTUALLY COULD BE TO ADD ADDITIONAL PARKING PLACES IF THE PROPOSITON IS TRUE THAT BY ALLOWING JETS TO IDLE OUT TOP TARMAC FOR UNUSUAL PERIODS OF TIMES YOU'RE ACTUALLY CREATING IMPACTS BY HAVING THAT SCENARIO TAKES PLACE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING MORE PARKING PLACES WHERE THE PLANES COULD COME IN AND HOOK UP TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO TAKE THOSE POLLUTANTS OUT OF THE AIR. SO IN THEORY YOU COULD HAVE A MITIGATION MEASURE THAT SAYS THAT IN ORDER TO DECREASE THE IMAPCTS YOU NEED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES. SO THAT'S ONE SCENARIO. THE OTHER SCENARIO IS THE ONE THAT YOU SUGGESTED. IF IT IS NOT STUDIED DURING THIS EIR, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY THE CONSULTANTS SAY THAT WE SHOULD HAVE STUDIED 14 PARKING SPACES, THEN WE WOULD GO BACK AND PERFORM A SUPPLEMENTAL EIR AND ANALYZE THAT JUST AS IF WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. Vice Mayor Jackie Kell: ...12 TO 14 [parking spaces] FRANKLY IS NOT THAT BIG A DEAL TO INCLUDE IT IN THE EIR. I MEAN THEN WE'LL KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE 14, WE CAN DO 12, BUT AT LEAST LET'S LOOK AT 12 TO 14, WHAT THE HECK. SO MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
The vote on Councilwoman Richardson's substitute motion specifying 12-14 parking positions was Yes: Lowenthal, Colonna, Kell, Richardson and Lerch. No: Baker, O'Donnell, Related coverage:
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