LA City Council Calling For Closure Of Whiteman Airport In Pacoima Due To 'Obvious Safety Risk'
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Los Angeles City Council members are echoing residents' concerns in calling to close down the decades-old Whiteman Airport due to environmental and safety concerns.
A resolution calling for a closure of the airport, which is located in a residential area of Pacoima, was unanimously supported on Wednesday by council members.
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez said the 182-acre aviation airport impacts residents' safety and contributes to major pollution in the surrounding area.
RELATED: Pacoima Neighbors Call For Whiteman Airport To Be Closed After Fatal Plane Crash
"In addition to the obvious safety risk of an airport in a residential area, the many takeoffs and landings each day produce large amounts of toxic pollutants," Rodriguez said.
The council voted unanimously in support of legislation to close the airport, a report on the recent fatal airplane crash near the airport, an environmental analysis of how toxins impact the surrounding community, and plans for other potential uses for the airport site.
On November 12, a pilot was killed in a fiery plane crash in a Pacoima neighborhood, which renewed calls from neighbors about shutting down the airport.
Additionally, data from the National Transportation Safety Board shows 15 aviation accidents have taken place related to Whiteman Airport since 2009.
It is unclear exactly when an official proposal from the Department of Public Works, which operates the airport, will be sent to the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the closure of Whiteman Airport.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
