TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to prepare a study session for the FIS Customs Facility to be heard at the City Council Meeting on December 13, 2016.
DISCUSSION
In 2015, JetBlue Airways formally requested the City to apply to the United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, for a User Fee Airport Designation and to seek approval to establish a Federal Inspection Service Facility (FIS) at the Long Beach Airport. After receiving JetBlue's request, the City elected to prepare a comprehensive Feasibility Study to determine the overall feasibility, including economic feasibility, of moving forward with an FIS facility at the Airport. After a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process, Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. was selected as the vendor to prepare the FIS study.
Prior to the completion of the study, two community meetings were hosted by the City and Airport staff; and after the completion of the study, the Airport Advisory Commission and Economic Development Commission heard, receive, and filed presentations of the study.
Each of these meetings was attended by well over 100 community members and various other stakeholders.
Given the continued community interest in the proposed FIS facility and the extensive information contained in the Feasibility Study, including logistical, noise, and economic impacts, it is important that we, the City Council, hear the item as a Study Session for the City Council, as a whole, to hear community input and to receive additional clarification from staff before the matter is voted on by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
ROBERTO URANGA
COUNCILMEMBER, SEVENTH DISTRICT
SUZIE PRICE
COUNCILWOMAN, THIRD DISTRICT
DARYL SUPERNAW
COUNCILMEMBER, FOURTH DISTRICT