Laura Sturza
BURBANK -- With Irvine's El Toro Marine base essentially out of the
running as a new airport to alleviate demands on other Southern
California facilities, Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport and the city
have started to consider the prospect of fliers migrating north.
Orange County residents in March voted to change El Toro's zoning to
park space, although that decision is being challenged in court. The
military announced last week its plans to sell the property to private
owners.
The El Toro plan was met with the same concerns echoed throughout
Southern California: People want to fly from a convenient airport, but
they don't want one so close that they have to hear, smell, see or feel
its effects.
Local officials said the El Toro announcement is too recent to predict
a possible effect on Burbank. The decision reinforces that new airport
projects in Southern California are not viable at this time, Airport
Authority spokesman Victor Gill said.
"It doesn't look good for a new terminal proceeding in the short term
at the Burbank Airport," Gill said. "In all likelihood we're going to be
in the current building for awhile."
Because of that, the Airport Authority is proposing to modify its
existing terminal to make room for additional security enhancements.
"We're going to be in this building for some time, and it's got to
work," Gill said.
Vice Mayor Stacey Murphy has been working the Southern California
Assn. of Governments to urge airlines to invest in improvements at
Palmdale Airport to relieve airline traffic regionally.
"Palmdale wants the business," Murphy said. "You've got to get the
airlines involved, because they're going to have to put the capital
improvements into Palmdale."
