LOS ANGELES, April 28, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- The LAX Master Plan Program will proceed through an extensive approval process. The LAX Master Plan Program requires City approval of a number of important documents.
The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) includes the documentation necessary under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and required for City and County decision-makers to use in assessing the various environmental impacts of this project. As a part of the environmental clearance process, the City decision-makers will certify the EIR, adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) and may adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations.
In general terms, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) includes the documentation required by federal law (National Environmental Policy Act -- NEPA) for federal decision-makers -- here the FAA -- to assess the various environmental impacts of the airport layout plan and funding for the LAX Master Plan projects. Although there are certain differences, the federal and state requirements for these documents have enough similarity that the City and FAA could and did prepare a joint EIS/EIR.
After certifying the EIR, BOAC will consider the adoption of the Final LAX Master Plan as the framework for the project (Preferred Alternative D), the Relocation Plan and the Airport Layout Plan and make recommendations on the other proposed City actions, through the planning process.
The City planning process involves certification of the EIR as well as review and approval of entitlements for the LAX Master Plan program. These entitlements include General Plan Amendments, including citywide elements and the LAX Plan, changes to the Los Angeles Municipal Code (creating the LAX Zone), the LAX Specific Plan, Zone Changes, Tentative Tract Maps and an LAX Master Plan approval for purposes of the application to the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) for its consistency finding.
The General Plan for the City of Los Angeles is made up of a number of citywide elements and a land use element that consists of 35 Community Plans (divided geographically) and two Area Plans (the Harbor Plan and the LAX Plan, currently called the LAX Interim Plan). Of the citywide elements, LAWA seeks amendments to the Framework, the Transportation, the Bicycle and the Noise Elements. The entitlement application includes a proposed LAX Plan to take the place of the interim plan. The LAX Plan lays out broad, generalized land use designations, with associated goals, objectives and policies that provide a guide for the development of the projects described in the LAX Master Plan.
The City Planning Commission will make recommendations on the General Plan amendments, including the LAX Plan, changes to the Los Angeles Municipal Code to create a new LAX Zone, including other technical changes associated with the new zone. This new zone will refer to the LAX Specific Plan for detailed regulations for the development in the LAX Master Plan area. The LAX Specific Plan sets out the approval procedures for how projects described in the LAX Master Plan and consistent with the LAX Plan are processed for approval. It also establishes more detailed guidelines for development and links projects to various mitigation measures and commitments made in the LAX Master Plan.
The Commission will then recommend that the property within the LAX Master Plan area be rezoned as LAX Zone instead of the current situation where there are a number of different zones on Airport property.
There are three areas in which LAWA wishes to vacate unused streets and relocate utilities. Under the State Subdivision Map Act, three Tentative Tract Maps will be used for the areas to be developed with the Consolidated Rental Car Facility (RAC), Ground Transportation Center (GTC) and the Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC). The Advisory Agency (in this case, the Director of Planning) will act on these Tentative Tract Maps. If someone appeals his decision, that appeal will go to the City Planning Commission and can be appealed again to the City Council.
After the City Planning Commission has taken its action on the LAX Master Plan Program, the City will submit an application to the ALUC for a determination on whether the proposed LAX Master Plan is consistent with the ALUC airport land use plan. (If the ALUC finds the City's proposal is consistent with the ALUC plan, then no further action on this matter is required by the City. If the ALUC finds that the City's proposal is not consistent with the ALUC plan, then the City Council may override this determination by a supermajority vote.)
Finally, the EIR, (including the MMRP, and the Statement of Overriding Considerations), the General Plan Amendments, the LAX Plan, LAX Zone and other code changes, the LAX Specific Plan, the Zone Changes, the Relocation Plan, any appeals on the Tentative Tract Maps and any overrides of the ALUC determination, if needed, will be sent to the City Council for consideration and decision.