Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of January 8, 2019
Title
CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTING A
CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE TO SERVE ON THE NEW
KHHR COMMUNITIES NETWORK COMMITTEE - A STANDING
COMMITTEE CREATED BY THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE
TO ADDRESS AIRPORT NOISE IMPACTS
(City Manager Suja Lowenthal)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Appoint a Council representative to serve on the new KHHR Communities Network Committee; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to sign an official letter of appointment addressed to City of Hawthorne Interim City Manager, Arnold Shadbehr.
Body
Background:
The City of Hawthorne maintains the Hawthorne Municipal Airport (KHHR). The Airport's approaching and departing flight paths cross over residential properties to the east, west and southerly directions. On October 9, 2018, the City of Hawthorne adopted Resolution No. 8030 to encourage implementation of the Voluntary Pilot Guide and noise abatement procedures as a follow-up to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approval of the Hawthorne Airport Noise Compatibility Program. Recently, some residents of Hawthorne, neighboring cities, and communities of Los Angeles County unincorporated areas have contacted the City of Hawthorne with questions, concerns and, in some cases, complaints about noise arising from use of the Airport.
On December 12, 2018, the Hawthorne City Council passed Resolution No. 8038 (Attachment 1) forming the KHHR Communities Network Committee, a standing committee with the purpose of providing an informational forum, engaging representatives from communities affected by FAA established flight paths, pilots and flight operation managers as well as FAA representatives in conversations aimed at finding ways to reduce and mitigate noise impacts on the surrounding communities to the extent possible by pilots and the FAA laws and regulations and safety standards.
The Committee shall be composed of seventeen (17) members. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing party. One member shall be appointed from and by each of the following businesses, groups, geographic areas and/or organizations: (1) City Council of the City of Hawthorne (must be an elected member of City Council); (2) FAA's Flight Standards District Office; (3) Hawthorne Hangar Operations; (4) Hawthorne Airport, LLC; (5) Advanced Air LLC dba Jet Center Los Angeles; (6) Star Helicopter; (7) Ramona Homeowner's Association; (8) Holly Glen Homeowner's Association; (9) Unincorporated L.A. County area of West Athens (must be resident); (10) Holly Park Homeowner's Association; (11) North Hawthorne Homeowner's Association; (12) City of Redondo Beach; (13) City of Gardena; (14) City of Hermosa Beach; (15) City of Hawthorne Planning and Zoning Commission (must be member); (16) Unincorporated L.A. County area of Wiseburn; and (17) the City of Los Angeles community of Harbor Gateway North (must be resident).
Members from the City Council and the Planning & Zoning Commission must be appointed by the City Council. Geographic areas located within the City or County of Los Angeles that do not have a Homeowner's Association to perform the function of appointment shall have members appointed by the Office of the Supervisor of the Second District, or Office of the Councilmember representing the District in which it is located. A letter of appointment from the appropriate official of the Supervisorial District or Councilmember's Office will be required before an individual may serve.
Discussion:
On December 14, 2018, Hawthorne Municipal Airport Supervisor Guido Fernandez notified City Manager Lowenthal of the newly passed Resolution No. 8038 and provided information on how the City of Hermosa Beach could participate (Attachment 3). Mayor Armato and Mayor Pro Tem Campbell currently serve as the City’s delegate and alternate respectively, on the LAX Community Noise Roundtable. For efficiency, staff recommends appointing Mayor Armato or Mayor Pro Tem Campbell to also serve on the new KHHR Communities Network Committee.
Regular meetings shall take place at 6:00 p.m. at the Hawthorne Memorial Center or at the Hawthorne Municipal Airport on the second Wednesday of the following months: January, April, July, and October. The first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 9, 2019.
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendations have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant policies are listed below:
Governance Element:
1.6 Long-term Considerations. Prioritize decisions that provide long-term community benefit and discourage decisions that provide short-term community benefit but reduce long-term opportunities.
2.6 Responsive to Community Needs. Continue to be responsive to community inquiries, providing public information and recording feedback from community interactions.
4.1 Regional Governance. Play an active role in the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, the Southern California Association of Governments and other regional agencies to protect and promote the interests of the City.
4.3 Collaboration with Adjacent Jurisdictions. Maintain strong collaborative relationships with adjacent jurisdictions and work together on projects of mutual interest and concern.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action. Committee members are volunteers and shall not be compensated or reimbursed for their services.
Attachments:
1. City of Hawthorne Resolution No. 8038 and Staff Report
2. Link to City of Hawthorne December 11, 2018 meeting video - Agenda Item No. 13 discussion
3. Email from Hawthorne Municipal Airport Supervisor Guido Fernandez
4. Draft City of Hermosa Beach appointment letter
Respectfully Submitted by: Ann Yang, Executive Assistant
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager