October 24,
2005
SBACC Fights for
Teamwork in LAX Master Plan
By Marna
Smeltzer,
Chair of the
Board
The SBACC
continues to represent the interests of South Bay businesses
in the LAX Master Plan revision debate. The LAX Master
Plan’s stated purpose is to serve as the guide for future
airport development. But LAX is not the answer for the
future. The SBACC continues to advocate for the
implementation of a regional airport plan. Regionalizing the
LAX Master Plan includes all airports in the southern
California region.
Meanwhile, the stakeholders are locked in an environmental
lawsuit over the Master Plan’s environmental impact report (EIR).
The determinative hearing in the suit is now set for
November 18.
The SBACC continues to commit itself to the following goals.
First, it is important to constrain the capacity of LAX to
78 million annual passengers. Second, we must satisfy the
concerns about the current South Airfield Improvement
Project. Finally, the SBACC continues to advocate for
resources to mitigate noise and surface traffic impacts
without avigtion easements.
The way to achieve these goals is not through a lawsuit, but
by an agreement among the stakeholders satisfying all of
their concerns and paving the way for regionalism. The most
that the current litigation can accomplish is to either
uphold the Master Plan EIR or toss it out and tell Los
Angeles World Airports to start over. Neither result
achieves the ultimate goals of the parties: rationally
filling the region’s need for commercial aviation.
October 13,
2005
Los
Angeles International Airport:
Review and Update
By
Kelly McDowell
Mayor, City of El Segundo
<Click here to download
this
as a
PowerPoint
LAX Master Plan: a brief history
December
1996:
- Los
Angeles Mayor Dick Riordan and Los Angeles World
Airports (LAWA) unveil four LAX Master Plan
alternatives to expand LAX to over 90 MAP.
January
2001:
- LAWA
releases draft EIR/EIS and public comment begins.
July
2001:
- Jim
Hahn becomes Mayor of Los Angeles.
October
2001:
- Mayor
Hahn asks LAWA to develop new Master Plan
alternative at 78 million annual passengers
capacity.
July
2003:
- L.A.
releases EIR/EIS Supplement for Hahn proposal for
comment.
May 2004:
- Cities
of El Segundo and Los Angeles open talks on
agreement to constrain LAX capacity.
December
2004:
- Los
Angeles City Council approves LAX Master Plan.
January
2005:
- Three
cities, the County of Los Angeles and citizen groups
all sue the City of Los Angeles for violating
environmental laws (CEQA).
- El Segundo, the County and others appeal
Los
Angeles
Master
Plan approval to ALUC.
- El Segundo and others intervene in CalTrans noise
variance proceeding.
El
Segundo’s Goals
-
Constrain LAX capacity.
- Satisfy concerns about South Runway proposal.
- Provide money to mitigate noise and surface
traffic impacts without avigation easements.
Effective Capacity Constraint
-
Specifically enforceable intergovernmental
agreement.
- Compliance with federal law—ANCA.
- Consistency with Master Plan goals.
Method: Limit number of aircraft gates.
-
Consistent with Plan’s stated purpose.
- Complies with ANCA.
- Is enforceable in an agreement?
What’s next?
-
CEQA lawsuit hearing October 14, 2005
- ALUC appeal—Possible court action if no L.A.
City Council override.
- Noise variance—Settlement reached. Avigation
easements not required.
- South Runway EIR—Noise impacts, effective
mitigation issues.
- FAA approval of Master Plan —Federal Court:
9th Circuit, San Francisco.
What’s Left?
-
Implement truly regional airport plan.
- Disperse air traffic throughout SoCal.
- Satisfy needs of Inland Empire.
- LAWA the big winner.
- Establish regional airport authority.
- Equitably coordinate region’s airports.
<Click here to download
this
as a
PowerPoint
June 23, 2005
SBACC
Sends Letter to Newly Elected Mayor of Los Angeles;
Expresses Position of LAX Expansion
The Honorable Antonio Villaraigosa
Mayor-elect
Los Angeles City Hall
200 N. Spring Street
Room 425
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Dear Mayor-elect Villaraigosa:
On behalf of the South Bay Association of Chambers of
Commerce (SBACC) it is my pleasure to formally congratulate
you and welcome you into office.
The SBACC is comprised of 18 chambers of commerce and its
members throughout southern California's south bay region -
along the coast from Los Angeles International Airport to
the Palos Verdes peninsula. We serve 53,000 businesses in
the south bay area.
As a cohesive group, we can provide coordination and advance
the common business interests of local chambers of commerce
within the South Bay area. The SBACC acts as a public policy
advocacy body on issues that impact the business and
economic climate of the South Bay. The association also
provides a forum and structure for cooperative educational
programs and services that benefit the collective members of
the participating local chambers of commerce and that does
not compete with member chambers. We are regarded as the
voice of business for regional issue advocacy in the South
Bay.
One of our top priorities this year is the reconfiguration
of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). We recognize
the significant contribution of LAX to the economic and job
base of the region. SBACC supports reconfiguration of LAX
not to exceed 78 million passengers annually and only when
concerns of airport security, air and ground traffic and
infrastructure, and sufficient and convenient passenger
access and ground transportation are adequately addressed.
In addition, SBACC supports a regional solution to meet air
passenger and cargo needs.
On behalf of SBACC, I wish you much success in your new post
and look forward to working together.
Sincerely,
Marna Smeltzer
Chair of the Board
South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce
December 2004
South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce (SBACC)
States
Position on
the Expansion Plans for
Los Angeles International Airport
The SBACC position on the future of Los Angeles International Airport:
The SBACC recognizes the
significant contribution of the LA International Airport to the economic and
job base of the region.
The SBACC
supports reconfiguration of LAX not to
exceed 78 million passengers annually and only when concerns of airport
security, air and ground traffic and infrastructure, and sufficient and
convenient passenger access and ground transportation are adequately addressed.
In addition our chamber supports a regional solution to meet air passenger
and cargo needs.
