Suit Targets Burbank Vote Opposing Airport Plan

Officials at Burbank Airport filed a lawsuit Monday claiming that city officials violated state law by not being impartial before the City Council rejected an airport expansion plan.

The lawsuit, filed in Superior Court, seeks to overturn the council’s decision to oppose airport officials’ plans to purchase about 130 acres from Lockheed Martin Corp. to build a larger passenger terminal.

It is the latest in a series of lawsuits filed in recent months over the ongoing dispute over the proposed expansion.

The five-member council voted unanimously against the airport plan Oct. 15.

Airport officials said the wording of the council’s resolution, which called for “disapproving” the plan, was among the signs of bias.

“It is clear the city was openly opposed to the terminal project months before it even thought of inventing a review process as a device to stop or delay the terminal,” airport Executive Director Thomas E. Greer said. “That’s not fair and it’s not allowed under the law.”

Opponents of the planned expansion worry about increased noise, traffic, pollution and other problems they say are guaranteed with a larger airport.

Those in favor of the larger terminal say it is needed to better serve customers. About 5 million travelers use the airport annually.

Burbank Vice Mayor Bob Kramer said Monday the expansion plan was rejected because too many concerns remain for local residents.

“They certainly were treated fairly,” Kramer said of airport officials.