Burbank, airport authority draft agreement on proposed replacement terminal
After five years of negotiations between the city of Burbank and the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, the two agencies have finally drafted a development agreement for a proposed 14-gate replacement terminal at Hollywood Burbank Airport.
Dan Feger, the airport’s executive director, told airport commissioners on Monday that council members will be reviewing the draft agreement, which outlines the conditions, rules and obligations both the city and airport authority have over the proposed 355,000-square-foot terminal proposed to be built on either the northeast quadrant of the airfield, known as the B-6 parcel, or on the southwest area of the airfield.
Though residents must approve a ballot measure, known as Measure B, to approve construction on the B-6 parcel, the draft development agreement gives the airport authority vested rights to build the replacement terminal at either site.
If the ballot measure fails, airport officials have said that they will forgo building the terminal in the northeast area and construct the new facility in the southwest quadrant, which they have said does not require any approval by voters because the property is owned by the airport.
Whichever route is taken, the draft agreement opens up the public-input process, which calls for no less than six public design workshops at no more than one meeting a month. Hollywood Burbank would also be obligated to notify every Burbank resident about every workshop and community meeting.
The airport authority must also approve the design of the terminal during a public hearing.
The draft agreement would also establish supermajority-voting requirements among airport commissioners on major issues, such as increasing the number of airline gates, acquiring land and any terminal expansions. On those issues, at least two of the three members from each of the cities in the authority must give approval. Previously, it was a simple majority.
Pending voter approval, the draft agreement would also allow the city to increase the parking tax at the airport, but it would be capped at 15% until the new terminal is constructed.
Though the agreement would give the city additional protection and say on what happens with the new terminal, it will not go into effect unless voters approve the ballot measure, should it be called for, during the Nov. 8 election. Should the ballot measure be approved, the development agreement would go into effect on Feb. 7, barring any legal action.
Feger also updated commissioners about the environmental-impact report for the project, in which the final draft of the report will be published on Tuesday. The city’s Planning Board will be reviewing the report during its July 7 meeting.
After being reviewed by the Planning Board, airport authority members are expected to approve the document on July 11. It will then pass, along the environmental-impact report, to the City Council, which is slated to hold public hearings on July 25 and 26 to review the report.
Should council members agree with the findings in the report and development agreement, Feger said he expects the City Council will approve the documents on Aug. 1, and there will be a call for a Measure B election.
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Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com
Twitter: @acocarpio
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