STATEMENT FROM MAYOR WIGGINS

AUGUST 15, 2000

AS THE PRESS HAS REPORTED, THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY YESTERDAY SUBMITTED A FORMAL APPLICATION TO THE CITY FOR A NEW TERMINAL PROJECT.  THE APPLICATION SEEKS THE CITY’S APPROVAL, UNDER SECTION 21661.6 OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES CODE, TO REMOVE THE DEED RESTRICTIONS ON THE B-6 PROPERTY AND TO ALLOW THE AUTHORITY TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE B-6 PROPERTY AND TO BUILD A NEW 14-GATE TERMINAL ON THE PROPERTY.

THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED FORMAL PROCEDURES FOR REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS LIKE THE ONE WE RECEIVED YESTERDAY.  THE STAFF WILL REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS COMPLETE.  IF IT IS COMPLETE, STAFF WILL PREPARE AN ANALYSIS OF THE AUTHORITY’S REQUEST AND WILL RELEASE A REPORT ON THAT PROPOSAL BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL CONDUCTS A PUBLIC HEARING.  THE CITY COUNCIL WILL TAKE NO ACTION ON THE APPLICATION BEFORE THAT PUBLIC HEARING.

WE HAVE ASKED STAFF TO LET US KNOW WITHIN ABOUT TWO WEEKS WHETHER THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE.  IF THEY FIND THAT THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE, WE WILL ANNOUNCE A TIMETABLE FOR FORMAL CONSIDERATION OF THE AUTHORITY’S APPLICATION.

THE AUTHORITY’S APPLICATION IS LEGALLY VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE MANY, MANY INFORMAL PROPOSALS THAT THE CITY AND THE AUTHORITY HAVE EXCHANGED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.  BECAUSE THOSE WERE EXCHANGED IN THE CONTEXT OF NEGOTIATIONS, THERE WERE NO FORMAL PROCEDURES FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF THOSE EARLIER PROPOSALS.

YESTERDAY’S SUBMISSION IS A FORMAL APPLICATION UNDER STATE LAW.  IN REVIEWING THE APPLICATION, THE CITY COUNCIL MUST FOLLOW SPECIFIC PROCEDURES AND MUST HEAR FROM THE AUTHORITY AND THE PUBLIC BEFORE REACHING ANY DECISION.  WE HAVE DECIDED, THEREFORE, THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO REFRAIN FROM COMMENTING ON THE SUBSTANCE OF THE APPLICATION AT THIS TIME.  WE DO, HOWEVER, WELCOME ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.