County demands plans for airport land

Reacting to the cancellation of passenger service this month at Palmdale Regional Airport, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday demanded that Los Angeles World Airports disclose its plans for the 17,000 acres it purchased in the high desert city but never developed into an international airport.

The action is the latest in an ongoing effort by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich to determine what county government can do to help attract carriers to the struggling airport, where eight airlines have come and gone since the early 1970s, including United, which ended service Dec. 7.

Last week, at Antonovich’s request, the board asked the county counsel’s office to determine if there were legal grounds to force Los Angeles World Airports to sell the 17,000 acres it acquired over four decades. The county’s legal arm has 30 days to complete the analysis.

“Los Angeles has a responsibility to develop the property as intended,” said Antonovich, whose district includes Palmdale. “After 40 years, the record shows they have not done this. Their continued benign neglect has created problems for the Antelope Valley.”

The Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to send a letter to Los Angeles World Airports requesting that the agency detail its plans for the Palmdale property. Supervisor Don Knabe joined Antonovich in calling for the letter.

Gina Marie Lindsey, Los Angeles World Airport’s executive director, said the airport agency is studying options for the Palmdale property and the suggestion that the land be sold should be included in the options under review.

Los Angeles World Airports operates Los Angeles International Airport, Ontario International Airport, Palmdale Regional Airport and Van Nuys Airport, the world’s busiest general aviation facility.

In the early 1970s, the airport agency, under the leadership of Executive Director Clifton A. Moore, began buying land in Palmdale for a giant intercontinental airport that could handle 100 million passengers a year and accommodate SSTs, the supersonic passenger planes that are no longer in service. The property cost more than $100 million.

Today, only a fraction of the Palmdale acreage functions as an airport, and most of that property belongs to the U.S. Air Force. The rest of the acreage is occupied by a golf course, farmland and vacant lots.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, Palmdale officials say they want to take over the leases of the Air Force property from Los Angeles World Airports and assume primary responsibility for developing an airport. World airport officials, however, contend they still hold the leases. They say they want to maintain control of Palmdale Regional Airport, though they would be open to any plan that has the potential to succeed.

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dan.weikel@latimes.com