Join the Effort

DATE:    Tuesday, September 5, 2023

TIME:     7:00pm

ADDRESS:    14410 Sylvan St; Van Nuy CA 91401

 located at:     

Van Nuys City Council Chambers

2nd Floor

Parking available in secure underground lot.  May be free or may require payment NOT to exceed $7.  Underground parking is first drive past City Hall structure heading East on Sylvan.  Make a Right at the Stop sign.  Please see image for direction.  

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🌳 Community Presentation RE: VNY Development.🌳

Who hosts the event?  QSWH and FumeFighters United will be presenting a 21 slide presentation to counter LAWA's "Vision Study" and propose alternatives to VNY development options that are more environmentally responsible and compatible with Valley communities.  Renderings are included for visual benefit of proposals, and Steps to Success outlined.  This presentation highlights the need for a moratorium on aviation development in lieu of critically needed studies and cumulative environmental considerations. 

LAWA is once again trying to push for City Council to approve expansion on multiple parcels at VNY.  Valley residents seek City Council to act responsibly by rejecting the Bonseph Helinet lease/expansion as it is not in the City's best interest and will further exasperate disproportionate harm being done to Valley residents by introducing corporate jet charter activity on a property that currently houses none.  The proposal is also cited as being so egregious that it will prevent critically needed upgrades to eliminate toxic APU ground emissions.  Valley residents are demanding a moratorium on aviation developments at VNY until specific requirements and studies are met, and including the ultimate implementation of a Specific Airport Plan. Operations have reached unsustainable levels to date.  Expansion is not needed for economic gain.  Per LAWA's 2021 Sustainability report, VNY is self-sustaining and that is what the existing Airport Plan required because anything in excess yields disproportionate harm to local businesses, communities, wildlife habitats and shared natural spaces.

How did it happen?  LAWA failed to implement policy that would ensure the airport remained in balance with the communities that have existed here for over 70 years.  Our communities and wildlife existed before the unnecessary and irresponsible redevelopment expansions at VNY.  The VNY FBOs are all owned by BILLIONAIRES (Murdock, Bill Gates, etc), and (predominately) servicing hobbyists and Millionaires or Billion dollar corporations or other privileged parties.   LAWA's actions are cited as defying directive and instead of implementing limitations on permitted structures and hardscape construction for development projects, they allowed the investors to dictate developments and leases that meet their needs, not the City's best interest, and certainly not in compatibility with the Valley's (near) 2 million residents & vast (vital) wildlife habitats. 

As for the hyped "VNY Vision Study"... it has proven to be a farce to date.  The Vision Study is a distraction from working on a critically needed Specific Airport Plan and if the Vision Study is intended to guide developments, then why did LAWA push multiple developments BEFORE it's completion?  Moreover, if the Vision Study were an adequate or responsible tool, then why did LAWA present three unvetted Vision Board options and immediately solicit public comment and "vote" despite said options being void of any context, research, data or information that would have otherwise allowed residents to understand potential benefits or consequences of what LAWA was proposing?  It is time for a moratorium on VNY development.

Relevant Ethical Principles

• Principle of the Common Good - Billionaires, Millionaires, Aviation and biased City stakeholder’s pursuit of self-interests has lead to outcomes that have proven harmful to both the interests and the well-being of the masses.

• Principle of Responsible Stewardship - BOAC, LAWA and the City of L.A. repeatedly fail to meaningfully address the substantive content and effects of VNY’s excessive operations and growth in relation to public health, including responsibility to reduce and/or deter excessive and unnecessary detriment that was permitted by rubber-stamping approvals on proposals that were little understand by those giving consent.  In recent years, land use decisions for VNY redevelopments favored corporate interest over the City's long-term modernization needs to reduce its carbon footprint, and over the common good of home and natural environments.  This "corporate interest" was enabled by Billionaires, like David Murdock and Bill Gates, whose FBO's were granted lucrative and furtive leases that (otherwise) betrayed the public trust and common wealth.  Whether by naivety, negligence or greed (and under the guise of economic benefit),  VNY was allowed to be transformed into an international commercial detriment, defying a trusted general aviation definition, and now proving to exceed any reasonable balance with the needs and rights of the population and our ecosystem.  No thought was put into parcel use for green space to off-set toxic output and temperature increases from the metal structures and asphalt/concrete jungle, nor was priority given to ensure the expected focus remained on societal functioning aircraft that benefits the common good and based private aircraft.  Lack of foresight failed to consider the decimating effects that would arise locally due to an influx of transient air traffic that predominately serves the wealthiest 1% of society, or privileged pilots joyriding for hobby. 

• Principal of respect for Human Dignity - BOAC, LAWA and the City of L.A. repeatedly fail to meet the basic needs and civil liberties of the population that the City permitted (both literally and figuratively) to emerge and occupy impacted land, and that includes the obligation to promote human health and well-being.

• Precautionary Principal - BOAC, LAWA and the City of L.A. repeatedly failed to exercise due diligence in caution and engaging in meaningful community review and input before considering and accepting new or renewed leases (such as Custom - CBP services), overdevelopments affording jet capacity increases, toxic
  APU use, and amenities that impact or potentially impact community.  Land Use is supposed to be subject to obvious public notification, as well as solicited and meaningful public input and influence and yet, even today amidst the controversy, LAWA continues to circumvent and suppress community voices.   

• Principle of Equity and Proportionality - requires that priority attention be given to the most immediately at risk (children/schools and Lake Balboa area), and the vulnerable (2 million SFV residents and local wildlife).  Instead, BOAC, LAWA, and the City of L.A. pandered to Billionaires, powerful unions/lobbyists representing privileged "hobbyist" pilots, and the wealthy 1% who can’t be bothered to fly first class but instead, all collectively, violate the civil liberties (right to use and enjoyment of one’s property) and civil rights (right in pursuit of happiness) of the masses, and those most immediately at risk.  

• Principle of Inclusive and Deliberative Participation - this principle necessitates ex-ante a deliberative and participatory process marked by transparency, universal access to information, inclusiveness, and individual and community empowerment.  Even after years of public pleading and outcry, BOAC still refuses to put “Community Impact” as a permanent and quarterly agenda item, including affording a community representative from an Aviation Ad-Hoc or Roundtable to present reports during such an agenda item with quarterly meetings held in the Valley.  BOAC, LAWA and the L.A. City Council members are also REFUSING to grant communities the vital forum requested that gives them voice and access.  That forum requested is a SFV Community Working Group Ad-Hoc or a Community Airport Plan Advisory Committee to work directly with the Dept of City Planning, and in collaboration with LAWA.

This crisis impacts EVERYONE.  SFV residents seeking ethical and moral action span the spectrum of income levels and racial heritages.  Poverty level to more affluent and everyone in-between, the Valley is becoming UNITED in demand for honorable aviation practices and the vital need for State Airport Reform legislation that considers human (and wildlife) HEALTH the priority - not the sacrifice.

Impacted Valley communities, including but not limited to: North Hills East, Van Nuys, Valley Glen, Valley Village, Toluca Lake, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Bel Air Beverly Crest, Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, West Hills, Chatsworth, Canoga Park, Winnetka, Reseda, Northridge, Lake Balboa, and North Hills West.  IE: CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD6, parts of CD7, natural space in CD11, and CD12.