TITLE
Recommendation to approve Long Beach Airport Minimum Standards for Aeronautical Activities. (District 5)
DISCUSSION
Section 16.44.130 of the City's Municipal Code requires the Airport Director to establish reasonable administrative regulations relating to all aeronautical activities at the Airport, which historically has been accomplished in large part by City Council-approved Minimum Standards for Aeronautical Activities (Minimum Standards). In December 2006, Long Beach Airport (LGB) tenants were notified of the process underway to update the Airport's Minimum Standards. During the past months, Airport staff, an Airport Advisory Commission subcommittee and consultants have been reviewing current Minimum Standards, those at similar airports, industry guidelines and localized LGB marketplace variables, in order to identify necessary updates to the Minimum Standards. The Minimum Standards were last updated in 1998.
Based on this review, and subsequent meetings with Airport tenants and other Airport users, the attached Long Beach Airport Minimum Standards for Aeronautical Activities document was prepared. Based on national standards and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidance, when Minimum Standards are adopted/modified, all entities currently conducting business at the Airport must meet the new Minimum Standards, with the exception of those standards that would involve a significant capital investment in upgrading facilities and/or a significant increase in the size of the leasehold area. Existing otherwise compliant operators would be required to meet these major capital and leasehold size-related parameters should, in the future, a significant lease re-opener (e.g., a request for a significant lease term extension) occur.
In addition, the Minimum Standards would apply to anyone wishing to begin providing the service after adoption of the new/updated Minimum Standards.
At the July 2007 and September 2007 Airport Advisory Commission (AAC) meetings, the draft Minimum Standards for Aeronautical Activities was agendized and discussed
and the MC recommended approval to the City Council at the September 2007 MC meeting, including suggestions to:
1. Permit some degree of flexibility by staff when enforcing the Minimum Standards.
2. Include in the Airline and Commuter Minimum Standards the requirement to comply with the intent of the Air Resources Board/Airline MOU signed in December 2002, once enabled by local infrastructure improvements.
3. Review the Minimum Standards annually, to ensure current relevance and applicability.
The first two recommendations have been incorporated into the attached Minimum Standards and staff will annually review the Minimum Standards and the local aviation services marketplace and report resulting findings to the MC.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Richard Anthony on December 11, 2007.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
Upon approval by the City Council, staff will notify Airport tenants of the new Minimum Standards for Aeronautical Activities, with a currently proposed effective date of January 1,2008.
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact to the Airport Fund (EF 320) is expected.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CHRISTINE F. ANDERSEN
AIPORT DIRECTOR
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APPROVED: |
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PATRICK H. WEST |
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CITY MANAGER |