Van Nuys : Airport Development Plan Moves Forward

The city’s effort to create a 20-year plan for future development around Van Nuys Airport moved a major step forward Wednesday with the release of four alternative plans for the city to consider.

The city Department of Airports on Wednesday made public the so-called “Alternatives Report,” which identifies a preferred choice. The city is in the process of creating the Van Nuys Airport Master Plan, which will determine whether the airport will expand onto 120 acres surrounding the airport or if the land will be used for other purposes.

Under the department’s preferred alternative, the adjacent land would be developed with industrial, aviation and commercial uses. While 235 acres would be devoted to aviation use, 275 acres would be devoted to non-aviation use.

The following three plans are also considered in the alternatives report:

* A combination of industrial, aviation and commercial uses, with less aviation uses called for than the preferred choice. The split would be about 210 acres aviation, 300 acres non-aviation.

* An emphasis on aviation uses, with about 275 acres devoted to aviation and 235 acres to non-aviation.

* An emphasis on non-aviation uses, such as industrial, office and retail development, which would allow about 151 acres for aviation use and 359 acres to non-aviation use.

The alternatives report came under attack by homeowner activist Gerald A. Silver, who said the city should consider a fifth alternative plan that would scale back airport operations without a major expansion of industrial, office and retail space.

The release of the alternatives report allows the city to begin work on an environmental study of the competing proposals.

The first public hearing in the process of putting together the environmental study will be held at 7 p.m. March 20 at the Airtel Hotel in Van Nuys.