One of the true pleasures of living in Long Beach (and there aren't all that many) is the airport. Whilst the suckas slog through nasty traffic on the 405 to spend more hours queueing at LAX, or drive what feels like 150 miles to distant Ontario, Long Beachers have their own adorable jet pad known as Long Beach Municipal Airport. Built in 1923, the Streamline Moderne terminal has been restored and updated but not expanded - meaning the baggage pick-up area is located outside -really! - under the shade of a phalanx of palm trees.
Recent proposals to expand the 56,320 s.f. facility to 133,324 s.f. to accommodate increasing passenger volumes ignited a firestorm of NIMBY protests. The City Council parried by authorizing an EIR to evaluate various expansions ranging from 79,725 s.f. to 102,850 s.f.. The EIR, released this week, reports that the largest option is the most environmentally sound option. Those size queens.
This counterintuitive determintation is sure to make the upcoming City Council meetings fun! Fun! FUN!, as nearby residents begin heating tar and plucking feathers.
â?? Airport EIR: Bigger is better [LB Press-Telegram]