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Title:
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Consideration of Comments to the Los Angeles World Airport Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Specific Plan Amendment Study Related to Proposed Expansion at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
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City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
A3-1
Meeting Date: 10/08/12 Item Number: A-3
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of Comments on the Los Angeles
World Airport Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Specific Plan Amendment
Study Related to Proposed Expansion at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Contact Person/Dept.:
Carol Schwab/Roland Miranda
Phone Number:
(310) 253-5660
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [x] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [x] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (Email) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (10/04/12)
Department Approval:
Carol Schwab (10/04/12)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (10/04/12)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (10/04/12)
City Manager Approval:
John Nachbar (10/04/12)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council consider comments to the Los Angeles World
Airports (LAWA) Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Specific Plan
Amendment Study (SPAS) related to the proposed expansion at Los Angeles
International Airport (LAX).
BACKGROUND:
The cities of El Segundo, Inglewood and Culver City sued Los Angeles in 2005 upon
the City of Los Angeles’ certification of the LAX Master Plan EIR. The settlement of
that lawsuit requires completion of the SPAS. The LAX Specific Plan also requires
completion of the SPAS prior to LAWA implementing any projects that would provide
alternative solutions to the problems addressed by the following projects included in
the LAX Master Plan EIR:
1. The Ground Transportation Center, including the baggage tunnel,
associated structures and equipment;
2. The Automated People Mover (from the Ground Transportation Center to
the Central Terminal Area);
3. Demolition of Terminals 1, 2 and 3;
4. North Runway re-configuration as contemplated in the LAX Master Plan;
and,
5. On-site road improvements associated with development of the Ground
Transportation Center and construction of the Automated People Mover.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
A3-2
[These projects are commonly referred to as the “Yellow Light Projects.”]
In compliance with the stipulated settlement in the 2005 lawsuit, the goal of the
SPAS process is to identify Specific Plan amendments that plan for the
modernization and improvement of LAX in a manner designed for a practical
capacity of 78.9 million passengers annually while enhancing safety and security,
minimizing environmental impacts on the surrounding communities, and creating
conditions that encourage airlines to go to other airports in the region. To
accomplish this goal, the SPAS process will focus on:
1. Potential alternative designs, technologies and configurations for the LAX
Master Plan Program that would provide solutions to the problems that the
Yellow Light Projects were designed to address, consistent with a practical
LAX capacity of 78.9 million passengers annually;
2. Security, traffic and aviation activity of such alternative designs,
technologies and configurations; and,
3. Potential environmental impacts that could result from replacement of the
Yellow Light Projects with these alternatives.
DISCUSSION:
LAWA circulated the 2012 Draft EIR for the SPAS for the proposed expansion at
LAX between July and October, 2012. City staff, in consultation with outside legal
counsel (who is an expert in airport land use law) and other experts in the airport
field, prepared comments regarding the 2012 Draft EIR. Some of the major
concerns identified regarding the proposed expansion include:
• Noise impacts to the areas next or near to LAX
• Increases to airport-related traffic as LAX’s capacity is increased
• Potential shifts in local traffic patterns resulting from the development of new
ground transportation facilities at LAX
• Air quality impacts on nearby communities, particularly if runways are relocated
closer to adjacent communities
The City’s airport land use expert has reviewed the 2012 Draft EIR and has
concluded that this Draft EIR is inadequate because: (1) it fails to adequately
analyze the Project’s capacity- enhancing impacts, including increased overflight of
Culver City; and (2) it fails to adequately analyze the air quality, greenhouse gas,
noise, land use and planning and surface traffic impacts of the Project. The City’s
traffic engineers have also reviewed the 2012 Draft EIR. Their comments will also
be discussed as part of tonight’s presentation.
Due to the complex nature of this DEIR and the underlying Project and issues, work
will continue on these comments over the weekend. The comments will be
presented during staff’s verbal report to the Council at the meeting. The purpose of City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
A3-3
this item is to give the Council an opportunity to consider staff’s recommended
comments to the 2012 Draft EIR and SPAS, receive public comment, and approve
or modify these comments for transmittal to LAWA as Lead Agency by Wednesday,
October 10, 2012.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The 2012 Draft EIR and SPAS are not specific enough to estimate the potential
fiscal impacts to the City from the proposed expansion. However, unmitigated and
significant impacts from expansion of LAX could result in significant costs to the City
and its residents in the future.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Consider comments to the Los Angeles World Airport (LAWA) Draft
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Specific Plan Amendment Study
(SPAS) related to the proposed expansion at Los Angeles International Airport
(LAX) and approve or modify such comments for transmittal to LAWA.