Burbank Airport Seeks to Seize Adjacent 15-Acre Lot

Having failed in an attempt to buy 15 acres from Lockheed Corp., Burbank Airport officials are going to try to obtain the property through the courts.

The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, which oversees the operation of the airport, voted Monday to begin proceedings in Los Angeles Superior Court to annex the now-vacant property through the eminent domain process.

Airport officials say they need the land, which is next to the airport and formerly the site of a Lockheed construction plant, for construction of four 40,000-square-foot aviation hangars. The new hangars would replace five current hangars and are part of the airport’s expansion plans.

Those plans call for new runways and construction of a $200-million main terminal.

Acquisition of the Lockheed land is, according to the resolution passed by the airport authority Monday, necessary “to promote the safe and efficient operation of the airport.”

Last month the authority made an offer of $8.9 million for the Lockheed land, but the aerospace company rejected it. “Although Lockheed has indicated its desire to sell the property, the authorities’ recent offer is below what Lockheed considers to be a fair value,” said Lockheed spokesman Paul Haney, reading from a prepared statement.

Haney said he does not know if discussions concerning the land are continuing between airport officials and the company, but he said Lockheed is open to new proposals.

“Lockheed remains interested in selling the property and hopes the matter can be resolved without the necessity of protracted litigation,” Haney said.