Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles City Council gave final approval in early 2006 to an historic settlement of lawsuits filed against the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Master Plan. The settlement was also approved by the city councils of Culver City, El Segundo and Inglewood; the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors; the board of the Alliance for a Regional Solution to Airport Congestion (ARSAC); and the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners.

As a result of the settlement agreement, the plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the LAX Master Plan will drop their state and federal lawsuits. The settlement removes potential litigation obstacles and allows Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to begin construction on the LAX South Airfield Improvement Project and to develop new plans for LAX consistent with the Mayor’s vision for the regional redistribution of aviation demand.

Among key provisions of the settlement, LAWA will:

• Discontinue passenger operations at ten narrow-body gates at the rate of two gates per year starting in 2010. This requirement will be in effect until 2020 unless LAX is serving less than 75 million annual passengers or if, through amendments to the Master Plan, LAX has 153 gates or less.
  
• Create a prompt, community-based planning process to revisit and potentially replace controversial "yellow light" projects, such as the Manchester Square Ground Transportation Center, with alternative projects that increase airport efficiency and mitigate traffic, noise and pollution. This planning process will be part of the LAX Specific Plan Amendment Study.
  
• Provide funding to Inglewood, Los Angeles County, El Segundo and ARSAC totaling $266 million over a 10-year period to include: (1) accelerated noise mitigation for Inglewood, Los Angeles County and El Segundo; (2) job training and increased job opportunities; (3) traffic mitigation for Inglewood and El Segundo; (4) street removal and landscaping in the dunes west of Pershing Drive; and (5) street lighting in Westchester. An additional commitment of $60 million will be spent by LAWA on various air quality and environmental justice programs. Under no circumstances will any of LAWA's obligations under the settlement require any expenditure from the City's general fund or any other City-controlled source of funds.
  
• Invite the Federal Aviation Administration, the Southern California Association of Governments, Southern California counties and airport operators to participate in a working group to plan for regional distribution of air traffic demand.
  
• Develop a regional strategic planning initiative to encourage passenger and cargo activity at LAWA's other airports.
  
• Join a working group with ARSAC and Los Angeles City Council District 11 to seek input from interested parties on how LAWA can address the concerns of airport neighbors.
  

The settlement agreement is available for viewing on the LAX Master Plan website: Final Stipulated Settlement.

More details concerning the LAX Specific Plan Amendment Study can be viewed at: LAX Specific Plan Amendment Study..