LB HUSH2 Mission Statement
To educate the citizens on environmental, social, and health impacts of policies and actions proposed by public officials or private entities on land use, transportation, and redevelopment efforts impacting our neighborhoods.
To educate the citizens on environmental, social, and health impacts of policies and actions proposed by public officials or private entities on land use, transportation, and redevelopment efforts impacting our neighborhoods.
Long Beach Airport History
1980 – The Neighborhood Activist Group known as HUSH was led by then 8th district councilmember Edd Tuttle. HUSH represented over 1,600 homes in the airport lawsuit that took over 12 years before a settlement was handed down by the courts. The settlement determined that LGB could handle a minimum of 41 commercial and 25 commuter flights (planes weighing under 75,000 lbs.) each day.
1981 – Long Beach adopted its first noise control limits, which restricted air carrier flights to 15 per day and required carriers to use quieter aircraft. Shortly thereafter, years of litigation ensued over access to the Long Beach Airport.
In December 1983, a Federal district court ruled that there was an insufficient basis to support the 15-flight restriction and entered a preliminary injunction prohibiting the city from reducing the number of daily carrier flights below 18.
The City submitted its final noise compatibility program and implementing ordinance to the FAA for review in July of 1986.
In the meantime, prior to completion of the Part 150 program, and in part spurred by numerous
noise-related nuisance and inverse condemnation claims filed by residents affected by airport operations,
the City adopted an ordinance limiting the number of air carrier jet flights to 31.
Additional litigation followed and in 1989, the court invalidated the 1986 ordinance and ordered an increase in the minimum number of allowable flights to 41.
November 5, 1990 – Congress enacted Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) to establish a national program for review of airport noise and access restrictions.
After several years of litigation, a Stipulated Final judgment was adopted in Federal district court on May 18, 1995. Key components are:
Chapter 16.43 of the City’s Municipal Code is the basic document governing the noise ordinance at Long Beach Airport. (Click here to read)
The City could enforce its newly-adopted airport noise regulations, Chapter 16.43. The City could not amend its noise regulations to make them more restrictive with respect to aircraft noise or air carrier operations until at least January1, 2001.
On or after January 1, 2001, the City was free to “amend or replace ... its ordinance ... including the adoption of regulations more restrictive of airport noise and operations than those embodied in the version of Chapter 16.43
The ordinance approved by the court remains in effect today and incorporated a provision that “Air Carriers shall be permitted to operate not less than forty-one (41) flights per day, the number of flights authorized on November 5, 1990.
In May 2001, the City allocated all 27 of the then-remaining regular slots at the airport to JetBlue in a single allocation.
That allocation was made in accordance with Chapter 16.43, which provides for allocation of available regular slots to
a requesting carrier on a first-come, first-served basis.
At essentially the same time the City allocated 27 slots to JetBlue, the City amended its flight allocation procedures in accordance with Chapter 16.43 through Resolution No. C-27843. That Resolution extended the time carriers may hold
newly awarded slots before initiating service (the use-or-lose period) from six months to 24 months.
This Resolution was passed by the City Council - 8 ayes and 1 no. Ayes were Bonnie Lowenthal,
Dan Baker, Frank Colonna, Jackie Kell, Laura Richardson-Batts, Ray Grabinski, Robb Webb,
and Jerry Shultz. Dennis Carroll was the one lone dissenting vote.
In April 2002 American Airlines and Alaska Airlines threatened to sue The City of Long Beach for
violating federal law by assigning 27 slots to Jet Blue in secrecy and without any competitive response
from other commercial tenants at LGB.
February 2003 - final settlement agreement reached between City of Long Beach, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Alaska Airlines relating to the allocation of operating slots at Long Beach Airport. FAA was the mediator of the settlement.
To be continued……….
1981 – Long Beach adopted its first noise control limits, which restricted air carrier flights to 15 per day and required carriers to use quieter aircraft. Shortly thereafter, years of litigation ensued over access to the Long Beach Airport.
In December 1983, a Federal district court ruled that there was an insufficient basis to support the 15-flight restriction and entered a preliminary injunction prohibiting the city from reducing the number of daily carrier flights below 18.
The City submitted its final noise compatibility program and implementing ordinance to the FAA for review in July of 1986.
In the meantime, prior to completion of the Part 150 program, and in part spurred by numerous
noise-related nuisance and inverse condemnation claims filed by residents affected by airport operations,
the City adopted an ordinance limiting the number of air carrier jet flights to 31.
Additional litigation followed and in 1989, the court invalidated the 1986 ordinance and ordered an increase in the minimum number of allowable flights to 41.
November 5, 1990 – Congress enacted Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) to establish a national program for review of airport noise and access restrictions.
After several years of litigation, a Stipulated Final judgment was adopted in Federal district court on May 18, 1995. Key components are:
Chapter 16.43 of the City’s Municipal Code is the basic document governing the noise ordinance at Long Beach Airport. (Click here to read)
The City could enforce its newly-adopted airport noise regulations, Chapter 16.43. The City could not amend its noise regulations to make them more restrictive with respect to aircraft noise or air carrier operations until at least January1, 2001.
On or after January 1, 2001, the City was free to “amend or replace ... its ordinance ... including the adoption of regulations more restrictive of airport noise and operations than those embodied in the version of Chapter 16.43
The ordinance approved by the court remains in effect today and incorporated a provision that “Air Carriers shall be permitted to operate not less than forty-one (41) flights per day, the number of flights authorized on November 5, 1990.
In May 2001, the City allocated all 27 of the then-remaining regular slots at the airport to JetBlue in a single allocation.
That allocation was made in accordance with Chapter 16.43, which provides for allocation of available regular slots to
a requesting carrier on a first-come, first-served basis.
At essentially the same time the City allocated 27 slots to JetBlue, the City amended its flight allocation procedures in accordance with Chapter 16.43 through Resolution No. C-27843. That Resolution extended the time carriers may hold
newly awarded slots before initiating service (the use-or-lose period) from six months to 24 months.
This Resolution was passed by the City Council - 8 ayes and 1 no. Ayes were Bonnie Lowenthal,
Dan Baker, Frank Colonna, Jackie Kell, Laura Richardson-Batts, Ray Grabinski, Robb Webb,
and Jerry Shultz. Dennis Carroll was the one lone dissenting vote.
In April 2002 American Airlines and Alaska Airlines threatened to sue The City of Long Beach for
violating federal law by assigning 27 slots to Jet Blue in secrecy and without any competitive response
from other commercial tenants at LGB.
February 2003 - final settlement agreement reached between City of Long Beach, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Alaska Airlines relating to the allocation of operating slots at Long Beach Airport. FAA was the mediator of the settlement.
To be continued……….