On March 27, 2013, the Los Angeles County Airport Land Use Commission (“ALUC”) gave the latest in a series of approvals including those from Los Angeles Board of Airport of Commissioners (“BOAC”) and Los Angeles City Planning Commission, of the proposed Los Angeles International Airport Specific Plan Amendment Study Project (“Project”).  The Project includes construction of a new terminal, addition of runway safety lighting, and, its centerpiece, the reconfiguration of the North Runway Complex with movement of runway 6L/24R 260 feet north. 

Most notably, the Project will impose dramatic impacts on surrounding communities, including significant new noise impacts on over 14,000 people, 12,000 in the City of Inglewood alone.  Moreover, the Project adversely impacts the goal of regionalization which is a centerpiece of the Stipulated Settlement signed by the Petitioners in City of El Segundo, et al. v. City of Los Angeles, et al., Riverside County Superior Court Case No. RIC426822.  A principal goal of that settlement was, and remains, diversion of air traffic to other airports in the region, not the encouragement of access to LAX. 
 

The attached comments on the Draft and Final EIR constitute the comments of Petitioners, including the City of Culver City, as well as the City of Ontario, on the environmental review for the Project.  Ontario is working toward assuming full responsibility of airport sponsorship over Ontario International Airport, which is currently operated by the City of Los Angeles. 

The merits of the Project will be discussed at a joint meeting of the Los Angeles Planning and Land Use and Tourism and Commerce Committees which is currently scheduled to be held on April 9, 2013 at 2:30 p.m.  Check the Los Angeles City website for final dates, times and locations.  It will then go to the full City Council on a date to be determined. 

UPDATE:  The LAX SPAS Project is now scheduled before the Los Angeles City Council on April 30, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.