Palmdale remains in holding pattern

For now, Palmdale serves as a faint ray of hope for cities across the county fighting the congestion, pollution and politics of Los Angeles International Airport's inevitable expansion.

Those cities are bucking the position of influential officials.

Palmdale will never become a regional air powerhouse without a significant growth in Antelope Valley's population or a gargantuan increase in infrastructure, said Dan Garcia, chairman of the board of commissioners for Los Angeles Department of World Airports.

However, the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners passed a resolution April 7 to amend the LAX Master Plan and alter four contracts to include exploration of expansion opportunities at Palmdale Regional Airport.

Despite the difficulties in developing the Palmdale Regional Airport, El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon said all of the region's airports must shoulder some of the increase in passenger volume.

"Our perspective is no single airport should do it all. We believe everybody should take a piece," Gordon said.

Burbank Airport

Burbank officials don't want to see their airport double in size, but are considering adding to their capacity to assist with the regional air passenger increase expected by 2015.

However, Burbank officials are concerned if planning for areas like Palmdale doesn't begin soon, the future can become bleak for future air travelers.

"If the only airport for this area is Burbank, we will be smothered. We cannot continue to handle that growth," said Burbank City Manager Bud Ovrom.

City officials agree Burbank will have to expand some to handle future growth, but the airport's 14 gates will not expand by more than four or five more gates, he said.

"Over our dead bodies there will be 27 gates," Ovrom said. "We have been telling everyone they can't keep ramming development down our throats."

A new airport hasn't been built in Los Angeles County in 30 to 40 years, the Burbank city manager said.

For that reason, he said Burbank supports expansions in Palmdale and Ontario, northeast of Los Angeles.

"The answer is a regional solution. We agree that everybody has to carry their share," Ovrom said.

Aside from the Antelope Valley and its relatively small population of about 350,000, Ontario is the only area interested in a significant growth, Ovrom said.

A recent visit to the Antelope Valley showed Ovrom why LAX officials have said the Palmdale airport is not currently viable as a regional hub, the Burbank city manager said.

"I was a little discouraged. We have said for years we are supportive of Palmdale. But there will not be the population in the foreseeable future. It is a long ways away and by our standards, a very low population," Ovrom said.

War chests
Until the regional air passenger puzzle is solved, one thing seems to be certain - the price of progress will be measured in millions of dollars for public relations campaigns and attorney fees.

In the war of words, the Los Angeles Department of World Airports has launched a pre-emptive strike to criticism it expects on its airport plans by spending millions in public relations to sell an airport plan that has yet to be unveiled.

The communities that don't want vast airport expansion - both at LAX and elsewhere - are willing to fight to protect their interests.

For example, Burbank Airport serves 5 million annually. Burbank city officials have spent $6 million in litigation during the past two years, fighting to keep airport passenger numbers from doubling in 10 years.

LAX Master Plan
Despite threats of more litigation and years of delay, many city officials all over Los Angeles County expect the LAX Master Plan details will put the concentration of airport business squarely at Los Angeles International Airport, said Dee Hardison, mayor of Torrance and chairwoman of the 16city South Bay Cities Council of Governments.

Torrance officials have signed a resolution along with 15 cities objecting to massive growth plans at LAX. Cities are concerned expansion will hit them with more noise and air pollution, and add to already congested areas around the airport, Hardison said.

And there is another concern.

"Our concern is right now at LAX it looks like they are doing things while waiting for the master plan. We are not sure if the projects are part of some capital improvements plan, or if they are changes in advance of the master plan," she said.

Expansion at LAX is the only way to cope with growth without losing money and jobs for Southern California, according to airport officials.

Ontario
Ontario is one of the few beneficiaries of LAX's air passenger dilemma, said Greg Devereaux, Ontario city manager. Ontario Airport is experiencing dramatic growth despite the exodus of Lockheed Martin Corp. and its 1,000 jobs to Palmdale.

A $250 million expansion expected to be complete in September will increase Ontario's passenger base of about 6 million a year to more than 10 million a year, Devereaux said.

"We certainly think Ontario is and will become more of a major player for passengers and cargo," the city manager said. "Ontario is a very dynamic economy and the amount of growth is staggering."

A large population base and excellent access to interstates will be augmented with a $137 million ground transportation plan that will smooth traffic flow into the airport, he said.

Although it was a struggle to get the Department of Airports' attention, Devereaux said now the department is considering building a third runway and is purchasing land around the airport for future expansion.

"These moves will increase our capacity to grow with the market and with demand. We appreciate they have the foresight to work with us on these issues," he said.

Because of strong community support and an industrial buffer zone to reduce noise concerns, Devereaux said it isn't unrealistic to expect as many as 18 million to 19 million passengers a year could flow through Ontario in the future.

El Toro

Orange County's John Wayne Airport is capped at 8.3 million passengers a year and El Toro, considered a possible replacement, is mired in litigation and opposing views on use once the Marine air base closes in 1999.

Paul Brady, Irvine city manager, said the city has paid $1 million in legal fees so far to battle against the El Toro Airport and another $750,000 is budgeted for the next fiscal year.

Attorney fees will rise and debate will rage for years on the best way to use the largest undeveloped area of Orange County, Brady said.

"It's not a `not in my back yard' argument. It is a quality of life issue for the 300,000 people who live there," Brady said.

While debate continues across Southern California on the best use for airports, Palmdale and the Antelope Valley remain in a holding pattern.