VAN NUYS AIRPORT OFFICIALS TO DRAFT NEW SECURITY PLAN.

Byline: Mariel Garza Staff Writer

An effort by City Councilwoman Ruth Galanter to shore up security at Van Nuys Airport won initial approval Tuesday by the Los Angeles City Council.

Galanter's motion directed airport officials to draft a plan to include security lighting and gates, as well as screening procedures, for the nation's busiest general-aviation airport.

``We may or may not have a serious safety problem,'' Galanter said. ``But we seem to spend a lot of attention on the possibility of terrorism at the big commercial airports and probably not enough attention on the possible of someone, if they wanted to, creating trouble at the general-aviation airports.''

After the Sept. 11 attacks, commercial airports such as Los Angeles International clamped down on security as part of a federal effort by the Transportation Security Administration.

Busy Van Nuys Airport and other general-aviation fields, which serve private and charter aircraft, were mostly left out of the effort.

Aviation officials in the San Fernando Valley say they have already added security measures at Van Nuys Airport, which handles about 500,000 incoming and outgoing flights a year, but will consider the additional steps.

Richard French, spokesman for Los Angeles World Airports, said Van Nuys Airport officials already have had perimeter fences upgraded and have received approval to call on Los Angeles police for added patrols, and they are planning to add motion sensors and surveillance cameras.