Burbank City Council Meeting Wrap-up

Calling it a historic moment, Bob Hope Airport’s Interim Executive Director Dan Feger formally presented the Part 161 study to the council. The study details a proposed mandatory curfew on all planes from 10 p.m. to 6:59 a.m. and has the full support of the council who plan to help the airport in its push toward passing the curfew.

WHAT IT MEANS

The airport will open a period of public comment on March 31 and hold a series of public workshops, the first of which is April 14 in the Sky Room at the airport.

No vote

Burbank’s representative at the Metropolitan Water District, Glenn Brown, updated the council on recent water news.

Brown told the council about the recent water board vote to increase rates and of the quagga mussel, whose rapid reproduction has resulted in their coating the grills of aqueduct intake values and plugged interiors of pipelines essentially choking off the flow of water.

In response, Metropolitan has allocated $7.6 million to help clear water channels of the mussels.

WHAT IT MEANS

The council largely reiterated its tepid endorsement of the rate hike, calling it a necessary measure during this dry period. But Councilman David Gordon repeated his objection to the increased rates.

NO VOTE

The council unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding between the city and Clean Energy, Inc. to construct another Compressed Natural Gas fueling station for the Burbank City Yard at 124 S. Lake St.

Clean Energy, which already operates one of the fueling stations at 810 N. Lake St., said that the new station will be used to fill the city’s fleet of Compressed Natural Gas trash trucks overnight, saving drivers time during their daily routes.

WHAT IT MEANS

The new, $750,000 private-access station would be paid for by Clean Energy and is scheduled to be operational by 2009.

Vote: 5-0

In an attempt to bolster awareness about the dangers of not wearing seat belts, the council accepted a $10,000 grant from the state for the 2008 California Seat Belt Compliance Campaign.

The goal of the campaign, part of the national Click It or Ticket program, is to increase seat belt use by 95% across the state by July 2008.

WHAT IT MEANS

Through the combined efforts of state and local enforcement agencies, a seat belt enforcement campaign will be conducted from July 31 to Oct. 1.

Burbank Police officers participated in the program last year, writing more than 1,300 seat belt citations over a three-week period.

Vote: 5-0

The council approved a final landscaping plan for the Casden Properties residential project planned for the corner of Buena Vista Street and Empire Avenue.

The council in January 2006 approved the mixed-use project that will include 276 residential units and 1,000 square feet of retail space on a 7.35-acre property. When approving the project, the council mandated landscaping enhancements prior to the approval of building permits.

The landscaping includes Timber Bamboo trees, Pink and Star Jasmine trees and Blood Trumpet Vines along the parking structure facing Buena Vista Street, larger planter trees along the street and foliage on the bus stop that sits in front of the property.

WHAT IT MEANS

Construction is scheduled to begin by June.

Vote: 5-0