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CC - (1) Update from the City Council Ad Hoc LAX Subcommittee; (2) Consideration of Renaming the Subcommittee; and (3) Direction to the City Manager as Deemed Appropriate.
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Meeting Date: May 24, 2021
Contact Person/Dept: Shelly Wolfberg/City Manager’s Office
Phone Number: (310) 253-6000
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: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (05/20/2021).
Department Approval: John M. Nachbar (05/19/2021)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) receive an update from the City Council Ad Hoc LAX Subcommittee; (2) if desired, rename the Subcommittee; and (3) direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The Ad Hoc LAX Subcommittee, comprising Council Members Eriksson and Vera, has been working with staff to address traffic, noise and other airspace issues related to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), including collaborating with other jurisdictions, and interfacing with state and federal elected officials. The Ad Hoc LAX Subcommittee also reviews issues arising in the current litigation against the FAA related to impacts due to the implementation of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Nextgen program. The implementation of Nextgen in the Southern California Metroplex (which includes LAX) has resulted in a greater concentration of flights over Culver City at a lower elevation, and often with more frequency. The Nextgen program continues to negatively impact the Culver City community in several areas.
In March 2020, the FAA released version 2 of its “Concept of Operations” for its Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS - colloquially knows as drones) Traffic Management (UTM). Version 1 of the UTM Concept of Operations was prepared by the FAA NextGen office in 2018, to support operations of UAS in low altitude airspace (below 400 feet above ground level) and to integrate UAS operations into both controlled and uncontrolled airspace. Version 2 included input from other federal agencies and stakeholders.
Subsequently, the National League of Cities (NLC) formed its Unmanned Air Mobility Integration (UAMI) Advisory Forum. Council Member Eriksson has been involved with the NLC for several years, and continues to serve as a member of NLC’s 2021 Transportation and Infrastructure Federal Advocacy Committee, is the Co-Chair of the NLC Aviation Subcommittee, and most recently began to serve as a member of the UAMI Advisory Forum. The UAMI Advisory Forum, made up of representatives from cities and towns in the U.S., is discussing issues pertaining to integrating UAS into the national airspace, and will advise the federal government on these matters.
Due to the nature of the UTM program as part of overall Nextgen implementation, and the issues related to the increased use of the airspace over Culver City, the current LAX Ad Hoc Subcommittee recommends the City Council include in its tasks relevant discussion and study of UAS, and the FAA proposed UTM program. To reflect the overlapping nature of issues arising from LAX and the FAA’s Nextgen implementation, the proposed new title for this ad hoc subcommittee is “Ad Hoc LAX and FAA Subcommittee”.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Discussion and direction regarding this matter does not create a fiscal impact to the City. Existing City staff would continue to staff this ad hoc subcommittee.
ATTACHMENTS
None
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Receive an update from Ad Hoc LAX Subcommittee; and
2. If desired, rename the Ad Hoc LAX Subcommittee the Ad Hoc LAX and FAA Subcommittee; and
3. Provide other direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.