Airport and planning commissioners voted unanimously Monday to approve a scaled-back version of Mayor James K. Hahn's $9-billion plan for modernizing Los Angeles International Airport that postpones its most controversial elements, including a new passenger check-in facility
The commissioners took the long-awaited vote, the first critical step in an approval process that could take the rest of the year, after two hours of public testimony followed by an hourlong discussion of the technical details.
"It's truly amazing when you stop to think about how much time and effort went into this," Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski said. "There's got to be a century's worth of work."
However, a number of key questions remain, including how to make LAX more secure; whether the time-consuming planning process would have to be restarted; and whether portions of the mayor's plan would be built at all.
Monday's vote came after Hahn agreed last week to support Miscikowski's proposal to split his ambitious makeover into two phases in a bid to salvage the 15 years and $126 million the city has spent on a solution to remodel LAX. The airport had its last face lift before the 1984 Olympics.
In separate actions, four airport and seven planning commissioners voted to approve Hahn's proposal and gave the go-ahead to numerous planning documents required to implement his vision. Miscikowski's proposal, contained in a document known as a "specific plan," was also approved.
Miscikowski's specific plan puts the most popular projects in a first phase that would get what she calls the "green light." These include an elevated tram, a consolidated rental-car facility, a plan to relocate runways on the airport's south side and a transportation center to link the light-rail Green Line with the tram.
More controversial elements, including the centerpiece of Hahn's plan -- a remote check-in facility near the San Diego Freeway -- and the demolition of three terminals on the airport's north side would be considered in a second phase that would require further analysis. An oversight panel, airport commissioners and the City Council would review those projects after additional security, noise, traffic and air pollution studies. City Council approval of this approach isn't a slam dunk. Miscikowski still faces criticism from airport neighbors who contend that her proposal may not provide the safeguards she promises because future City Councils could vote to amend the document.
