VAN NUYS : Airport Building Moratorium Urged

Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson introduced a motion Tuesday that would impose a moratorium on construction at Van Nuys Airport until a blueprint for future growth of the city-owned facility is adopted.

Bernson said that the city Department of Airports is seeking to expand the hangers at its Van Nuys facility to accommodate larger jets and that such actions violate an understanding the department has had with Van Nuys residents critical of aircraft noise.

The understanding was that no such improvements would be embarked upon until the department had adopted a master plan for growth, Bernson said. “We stopped the department before when it wanted commercial and office development on the Air National Guard site at the airport, and we’ll do it again,” he said.

His motion was referred to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee, which he chairs.