Residents Discuss Different LAX Expansion Options

A crowd filled the auditorium of the Westchester Enriched Science Magnets School on Thursday to make sure their voices were heard regarding plans to modernize Los Angeles International Airport, better known as LAX.

The Specific Plan Amendment Study, or SPAS, offers nine alternative proposals designed to take into account the impact of traffic, air quality and noise.

“We acknowledge there are some impacts we can mitigate, and some impacts we can’t mitigate,” said Diego Alvarez, SPAS program director.

The proposals focus on proposed changes or improvements to the north airfield, improvements to airport terminals and LAX’s ground transportation, Alvarez said.

Terry Marcellus spoke as a representative of the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa which represents more than 50,000 people in Westchester, Playa Vista and Playa del Rey, he said. After “careful study,” the council “strongly supports” Alternatives Two and Nine, according to Marcellus.

“We are an airport adjacent community who wants the airport to run as well as it can for our community and for the entire city,” Marcellus said.

Marcellus also took time to address more than a dozen members of the SEIU United Service Workers West who arrived donning matching t-shirts in a show of solidarity. He told them they council believes the second proposal would help save their jobs.

Alternative Two includes no changes to the runway locations, extending the northern runway toward Sepulveda Boulevard and extending some taxiways so planes can land and take off more efficiently, according to Herb Glasgow, chief of airport planning for the Los Angeles World Airports. There would also be some terminal changes as well as ground transportation modifications and a maximum number of 153 passenger gates, Glasgow said.

Alternative Nine would include additional ground transportation, improvements to parking, a future light rail station and "improvements to access to the Central Terminal area," Glasgow said.

Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters also threw her support behind Alternatives Two and Nine and stressed she has “always been committed to balancing the needs of the airport with the needs of the surrounding community,” she said.

Mike Bonin, Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s chief of staff, delivered a message on behalf of the councilman who was unable to attend due to his illness.

“He wanted to say, as he has said for eight years, LAX modernization, yes,” Bonin said. “LAX expansion, no.”

Rosendahl also backs Alternatives Two and Nine as does the Westchester Neighbors Association. A representative from the Westchester Democratic Party pointed out that the two proposals have received bipartisan approval.

While support for Alternatives Two and Nine was echoed by residents from the community who spoke throughout the meeting, some also made mention of their concerns about more traffic in the area and an increase in noise and air pollution.

Each person who spoke was met with rousing applause at the end of their comments even from among the stragglers who stayed until the very end of the meeting.

A lone voice in the crowd talked of what he described as a “missed opportunity” that none of the proposals include the possibility of growing L.A./Ontario International Airport.

“I think it’s indefensible not to look at that argument,” Mark Ryavec said.  

Denny Schneider, president of ARSAC or the Alliance for a Regional Solution to Airport Congestion, supports Alternatives Two and Nine. However, he said none of the alternatives is perfect, but "one of the things we do know is the airport needs to be fixed very, very badly."

For those who missed last night’s meeting, there is still time to submit comments as the deadline is not until Oct. 10.

Comments may be submitted online, via email, or by writing a letter to the Los Angeles World Airports’ Facilities Planning Division to the attention of Diego Alvarez at One World Way, Los Angeles, 90045. Residents can also take part in a virtual town hall meeting online.