Airport Security Upgrade Plan Lags

Burbank Airport officials said Tuesday they may not meet a year-end deadline for security upgrades mandated by Congress because a city ordinance prohibits construction at the airport without voters’ approval.

The nine-member Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, which oversees airport operations, voted in May to add 40,000 square feet of space to accommodate new baggage screening equipment and security personnel to comply with the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001, passed by Congress after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

But an initiative passed by Burbank voters in October bars city approval “of any new, rebuilt, relocated or expanded airport facility, under any conditions or due to any circumstances,” unless the authority implements a limit on the number of flights and a curfew.

“We are required to install the new baggage-inspection machines required by federal law before the end of the year,” Burbank Airport spokesman Victor Gill said. “It appears we can’t get started to meet that goal because of the city’s moratorium.”

Airport officials say they want to enclose an area behind a ticket counter at one of the terminals that houses baggage-detection equipment. They also want to increase the width of a passenger checkpoint corridor to accommodate additional screening equipment, Gill said.

Burbank City Manager Robert R. Ovrom said it was premature for airport officials to issue a statement indicating the airport would not meet the U.S. mandate.

“To put out a press release saying the city put up roadblocks is misdirected.” Ovrom said. “The roadblocks were put up by the voter-approved initiative, which the city has been trying to get the courts to invalidate,” he said.