LAWSUITS FLY OVER AIRPORT : BURBANK OPPOSES EXPANSION.Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer Burbank city officials filed back-to-back lawsuits Thursday and Friday, seeking to thwart the proposed expansion of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, while airport commissioners took legal recourse to keep the project on track. The city's first suit, filed in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Superior Court, asserts that state law requires airport commissioners to heed a city rejection of the expansion plan. Airport officials have said they can proceed with an expansion regardless of what city officials want, labeling the city's review proceedings last year ``a kangaroo court kangaroo court moblike tribunal, usually disregarding principles of justice. [Pop. Culture: Misc.] See : Injustice .'' The second suit, filed with the state's 2nd District Court of Appeal, seeks to block airport commissioners from taking possession of a 130-acre parcel on which the new airport terminal is planned. The airport commission is slated to take possession of the property June 8 after completion of an eminent-domain proceeding against Lockheed Martin For the former company, see . Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is a leading multinational aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology company formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. Corp., the current owner. Also on Friday, airport commissioners filed suit in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, asking for the reconsideration re·con·sid·er v. re·con·sid·ered, re·con·sid·er·ing, re·con·sid·ers v.tr. 1. To consider again, especially with intent to alter or modify a previous decision. 2. of a federal judge's decision to dismiss a lawsuit they filed against the city of Burbank. That case involved the state law Burbank officials believe gives them the power to reject an expansion. Airport officials had asked a federal judge to declare the law unconstitutional unconstitutional adj. referring to a statute, governmental conduct, court decision or private contract (such as a covenant which purports to limit transfer of real property only to Caucasians) which violate one or more provisions of the U. S. Constitution. , but the judge dismissed the case in March, saying the federal court lacked jurisdiction. ``Our hope is that the court will consider our motion as a vehicle to settle the inconsistencies in the 9th Circuit on jurisdictional issues,'' said Richard Simon Richard Simon (May 13, 1638 - April 11, 1712), was a French biblical critic. He was born at Dieppe. His early education took place at the college of the Fathers of the Oratory. , a lawyer for the Airport Authority. City officials say airport commissioners are trying to subvert state law. ``No public agency, including the Airport Authority, has the right to unilaterally u·ni·lat·er·al adj. 1. Of, on, relating to, involving, or affecting only one side: "a unilateral advantage in defense" New Republic. 2. decide what laws it will obey and what laws it will disobey dis·o·bey v. dis·o·beyed, dis·o·bey·ing, dis·o·beys v.intr. To refuse or fail to follow an order or rule. v.tr. To refuse or fail to obey (an order or rule). ,'' said Burbank Mayor Bob Kramer. ``What message is sent to the public when a government agency openly defies a law that no court in the land has ever declared invalid?'' Burbank officials are in favor of relocating the airport terminal, but support the addition of two gates to what is now a 14-gate facility. They want limited growth because of constant complaints from residents about jet noise, traffic and pollution. Airport officials are seeking to build a terminal with 17 to 19 gates. The commission that oversees the airport is made up of nine appointed members, three each from the city councils of Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena. The three Burbank commissioners oppose the current expansion plan, but are regularly outvoted by the pro-expansion contingent from Glendale and Pasadena. |
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