El Segundo wants unity against LAX expansion

However, Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford said his city won't be joining the fight, at least not yet.

Riordan's plan, which would increase the number of flights at LAX by more than 50%, "is going to destroy my community," which lies on the southern edge of the airport, Gordon said.

Expansion also would harm other communities near the facility and under the flight paths of the planes that use it, he said.

At present, "there is no LAX plan on the table" to fight, Ledford said. "That plan is still being formulated. They've floated several different versions, but I think our inclination might be to see what plan they actually promote. I believe at that point we will weigh in on what we think is right."

Gordon's call to unity came at a luncheon meeting of the Palmdale Regional Airport Advisory Council, a group that meets irregularly to promote air service at Palmdale's air terminal on the grounds of U.S. Air Force Plant 42.

That terminal is owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a department of the city of Los Angeles that also operates LAX.

Rather than stand by and watch the expansion of LAX move forward, El Segundo joined a coalition of L.A. area cities attempting to generate enough political pressure to keep a majority of the L.A. City Council from approving Riordan's plan, Gordon said.

Coalition members hope to force Riordan to change that plan, allowing for a moderate increase in activity at LAX while dispersing some of its flights to airports in outlying cities in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and north Los Angeles counties.

Such dispersion not only would reduce the air, noise and traffic congestion around LAX but increase opportunities for economic development in the outlying cities, Gordon said.

"The people of El Segundo - the people that I represent - are committed to seeing that Palmdale and Lancaster . . . have the chance to receive the economic opportunity they deserve to have," he said. "We will fight that battle with you and for you each and every day. We will not quit; we are not afraid of this fight; we will not roll over."

Contrary to the coalition's view that LAX must be forced into divesting some of its flights, it is Ledford's understanding Palmdale will play a role in any expansion effort.

Ledford said opposing LAWA's plans could jeopardize that role.

"Palmdale is part of (the expansion plan) because we've had a long-standing relationship with the Department of Airports; we have a terminal that they own at Plant 42; and they're going to put investments into that facility," he added. "We have merely been waiting for the demand to reach a critical mass to make our facility viable."

According to projections, that point will be reached in 20 years, he said. Until that demand is there, airlines will refuse to establish service in outlying airports.

In his opinion, the Antelope Valley itself has yet to reach an agreement on what its needs are, Ledford said.

It is his goal to reach that agreement while maintaining a working relationship with LAWA because "they are funding (Palmdale Regional Airport); they are operating it - it's their airport," he said.

Local leaders were slated to meet this morning with members of a group formed by 5th District Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich to promote the use of Palmdale Regional Airport.

Ledford said it was his hope the group could agree on what is wanted for the airport so a unified position paper could be presented to LAWA, the City Council of Los Angeles, and other interested parties.